My husband is a shepherd. He has a shepherd’s heart and personality. I am not referring to a guy out in a meadow with sheep following him around.
He is a shepherd of souls. He just recently was given the assignment of pastor at the church where I grew up. He will be using his shepherding skills to the fullest.
Michael grew up Methodist. I, on the other hand, was Baptist. I attended Airview Baptist Church for the first time as an infant. I was baptized at 10 and spent most of my life in that one church. When he went to college, Michael got involved with the Baptist student ministry. This was his first experience with we “dunking” folks.
We got married at my church and in a year or so, when we found out we were going to be parents, moved “home” to Opelika and quickly got entrenched in the young married couples group at Airview. We raised our older two children to near adolescence there.
At some point Michael decided to go back to school for a seminary degree. This took several years of night classes, but he worked hard, day and night, and received his degree.
Off we went, four kids in tow to pastor a church in Macon County. He did a great job, served the people and wore himself out for two years. He felt the call back to the business world.
For 15 years he has owned his own Auto Repair business (Integrity Auto). He has served and shepherded folks along the way. I believe with all my heart he has been doing what he was meant to do. Now, he is adding a new dimension to his shepherding. He has been called to pastor the church where I grew up and we got married. I have countless happy memories at Airview. We have many together as a family, too. I had to smile, Sunday, when they voted my husband as their pastor.
I am not your typical preacher’s wife. I am way too much Lucy Ricardo and not near enough Ruth Graham. In fact, my first act as the new pastor’s wife was to ask three of my sweet fellow members if any of them had deodorant in their purses because, in all the excitement of getting ready for church, I forgot mine. Let’s face it. Nobody is going to be intimidated by me.
After church, as we were leaving the beautiful luncheon the members lovingly prepared for us, I asked one of the ladies what I could do to be a good preacher’s wife. She turned to me and said, “Just love us.”
I laughed, because of all the things I need to remember about my job as the pastor’s wife, loving them is already the easiest.
We would love for you to join us Sunday at Airview Baptist Church.
Service at 11.