Comments on: It Really was a Stretch…

By: Megan

Megan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:17:57 +0000

I just want to thank you so much for what you and Cathy spoke into at the youth conference. My husband and I weren’t able to go this year but watched you talk about marriage online. Every time I see or read what you or Cathy write, I think, “I wish I knew them!” Ha! Seriously, though, your comments on seasons in ministry cemented the decision for me to pull out of youth ministry. I wrote about it on my blog, but – basically – it was such a difficult decision that I kept going back and forth on and had been praying about before I watched you girls at the conference. Once you spoke about being at home with the kids and putting them first, I knew what I had to do. My husband and I keep seeing affirmations that this was the right choice. So I just wanted to thank you! You may not have felt like you did much, but you are touching peoples’ lives and I appreciate your honesty and the reality of what it is to be a youth pastor’s wife. I never really fit the typical pastor’s wife stereotype, so it’s just great to know that I’m not completely crazy! All of that to say, thanks for ministering to me.

By: shannon

shannon — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:40:38 +0000

Amanda-
SUPER FUN to meet you face-to-face and give you a hug at SYMC!! THANK YOU for your transparency and vulnerability. Clearly, from the previous comments, you spoke truth and encouragement to the people in your seminars. I am so grateful for the place that you and Cathy created for YM spouses to be real, to be heard, and to know that they are not alone in their journey-whatever that may look like.

There were so many instances that I could relate to different parts of the journey that the ladies were sharing-being newly married and at EVERYTHING YM, to being a new mom and taking my little one to some crazy events, to feeling that it was time for YM to take a back seat so I could focus on my own growing kiddos, to re-defining what YM looked like for me. There were instances that I felt very old-I didn’t see too many other wives there that had been around the YM block as long as hubby and I have-Cathy excluded. And there were other moments that I celebrated my own journey as I remembered getting through some harder times as I listened to others share their stories.

Being a YM spouse is HARD! I strongly believe that God does not call the faint-of-heart to become Ministry Wives!! But, to be in a space where others were in the trenches with me, to listen, learn, and encourage each other was precious. THANK YOU for allowing yourself to be stretched!! God used you!!

–shannon berry

By: Jacquie Bast

Jacquie Bast — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:34:59 +0000

Amanda,
I just want to tell you that you did a wonderful job speaking at the workshop for women finding their roles/gifts as a pastor’s wife. I’ve been feeling so frustrated with youth group, because I’m just not a big group kind of person. I’ve dreading going to youth group for weeks now, but everything you said made me realize that being at youth group every week isn’t necessary and it’s ok to say no. So I talked to my husband and we’re praying about having me be a small group leader instead. Which still kind of scares me. Thanks for speaking even though you don’t feel comfortable doing it! It was such a blessing to me!

By: Heather P

Heather P — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:06:05 +0000

Amanda,

You did great at SYMC. I loved the youth minister wife’s track. It really encouraged me and really let me know Im not alone! and it really got me thinking that its okay to say no, and like you said even if I say no, Im not saying no to God. Im not much of a speaker either. I work at a high school as a trainer and love it, but dread teaching my sports med class. So I definitely knew how you felt up there.

But when we allow God to use our weaknesses for him, he is all the more glorified. Thank you for your blog and time at the conference. You rock!

By: Shari

Shari — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:56:47 +0000

Moses did not feel very gifted either and really did not want the job. I think God loves using us in our weak areas so we stay depended on Him and so He gets all the glory.

Sounds like you did a great job!

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:44:19 +0000

Amanda, I so appreciated your transparency…thanks for being real, for allowing others who are going through rough times to have a safe place. FYI–when I was younger, my parents house was broken into, and the cops totally thought my older sister’s room was ransacked but nope! Just how she rolled My mother was mortified…

By: Sarah Mae Reynolds

Sarah Mae Reynolds — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:37:11 +0000

Amanda….it is was great to meet you and hear your thoughts/experiences at SYMC. This was my first conference and I absolutely loved all of the workshops for us wives of youth pastors. You really did do a good job teaching and I loved your pile of notes. I know you encouraged myself and many others there. I am truly grateful I had a chance to talk w/you and Cathy both. Thank you for being willing to use what God’s taught you, even if it’s not entirely comfortable and easy!

By: karie

karie — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:56:31 +0000

This was beautifully written Amanda……..I say that a book should be written sooner rather than later……love you.

By: Dana Schmoyer

Dana Schmoyer — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:31:55 +0000

Amanda, it was good to put a face with your blog, and hear you tell your story at the “Raising kids in ministry” seminar. It explained a lot of what you’re going through and what you share on here. May God bless you for pushing through the hard times and figuring out what works best for your family. I wanted to come up and at least say hi after the seminar, but I had our daughter with us (which I totally don’t recommend for anyone to take a kid – total stress, I’ll be blogging about that soon) and needed to meet up with the rest of our group. You have a good story to tell in contrast to Cathy. I think the 2 of you make a good team.

By: Hosanna

Hosanna — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:35:45 +0000

Sigh. One day, I’ll get to go to one of these cool conferences everyone keeps talking about!

To answer your question, it feels like stretching has become my life! When I’m at home, I’m lesson planning and making lists and thinking about errands. When I’m at school, I’m thinking about my housework, my son, and what to cook for dinner. Forget going to youth group. These days, I only go when Brent specifically asks me to be there! Otherwise, I just see it as time that I could be home with Gavin, especially if I was at a school site that day!

S-t-r-e-t-c-h.

(However, now that I think about it, I don’t think that my view of how I’m being stretched is how you meant it. So here’s my answer to what you were really asking. I’m stepping down from more of what I do in youth group to step up and be lead worship leader. I feel exposed, vulnerable, and SO NERVOUS about this! But I also feel like this is what God wants for me, so forward I go.)