Jennifer Landrith, our guest blogger today, is the wife of David, who serves as the senior pastor at Long Hollow Baptist Church, Hendersonville, Tennessee, where they have been for 12 years. She has been a minister’s wife for over 20 years and has a passion for encouraging other wives in ministry as they serve. You will be encouraged today as you read.
“A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the abundance.” John 10:10
In ministry, we hear and understand the first part of this verse, which is that we have an enemy called Satan and he wants nothing good for us. He is seeking only to steal joy or peace. He wants to kill our desire to serve. He only wants to wreak havoc and leave a trail of destruction in our lives. Sometimes, we don’t get to the second part of that verse which says Jesus has come so that we may have abundant life. This doesn’t say if you are in ministry then this part doesn’t apply to you. No, this is for us all! God desires that we live abundant lives EVEN in the ministry!
Abundant means “full” or to the “fullest” and this doesn’t just mean we fill our lives up with busy stuff but that we are full of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). For us to have abundant lives, we have to live by the Spirit. We don’t know how to live this way if we are not in God’s Word daily and spending time in prayer.
Don’t’ fill your life up with the busyness of ministry or this world but be filled with the Spirit! This is why Jesus came! He wants us to have life and live it to the fullest! He hasn’t called us to just exist but to flourish in the role to which He has called us. Don’t let Satan steal, kill or destroy any more time from you. Get busy about being filled to overflowing with His Spirit. You were meant to live abundantly EVEN if you are in ministry!
Jennifer and David have three children, Rachel, Sam and Josh. Jennifer serves on the Women’s Leadership team and teaches Bible studies for women in her church. She is a Lifeway Ministry
Multiplier, conference leader helping ministers’ wives and co-authored the Bible study for ministers’ wives, In Our Shoes: Real Life Issue for Ministers’ Wives by Ministers’ Wives