As Judy Patrick has served in her role as pastor’s wife for over 35 years, she has grown in her ability to find refreshment in the midst of a busy and sometimes challenging life. Read how she stays refreshed and ready to serve!
There is nothing like the cool, refreshing, rejuvenating feeling of placing your hands and feet into a cool stream of mountain water. The icy water seems to awaken the dull, lifeless embodiment of exhaustion. Splashing the cool water with your hands and feet saturates the entire body with life-giving energy that soaks down to the bones. Such pleasures seem to rejuvenate the body, washing away filth, discouragement, and tiredness–bringing renewed life and stamina. Rejuvenation energizes us for continued service for the tasks that lay ahead.
Our spiritual hands and feet, especially as ministry wives, need rejuvenating as well. In the book of Exodus God commanded Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet before ministering in the tabernacle.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they may not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the Lord. Exodus 30:17-21 (NASB)
Matthew Henry’s commentary explains this passage in the following way. “A large vessel of brass, holding water, was to be set near the door of the tabernacle. Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet at this laver, every time they went in to minister. This was to teach them purity in all their services, and to dread the pollution of sin. It teaches us daily to attend upon God, daily to renew our repentance for sin, and our looking to the blood of Christ for remission.”
The Psalmist said it well in Ps. 24:3-5 (NASB) “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Blessings come to those that daily desire to refresh themselves in the springs of living water that flow from God’s throne.
We read in Isaiah 52:7 (NASB), “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!”
Are your hands and feet prepared to announce the good news? Hands and feet rejuvenated daily by a refreshing time with God are hands and feet prepared for God’s service.
Judy is the Women’s Ministry Director for the Beauregard Baptist Association in DeRidder, LA. Judy earned her D.Ed.Min degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary specializing in Women’s Ministry and Counseling. She teaches Women’s Ministry and New Testament classes for the University of Mobile and the Baptist College of Florida. Additionally, Judy supports her husband, Dr. Tim Patrick, who serves as a Director of Missions and leads a ministry to ministers and their wives called The Shepherds Connection. The Shepherds Connection ministry supports ministers and their wives through resources, retreats, and confirmation.
Judy has been a pastor’s wife for thirty-five years. She has been involved in Women’s Ministry over twenty-five years. Judy has served as Women’s Ministry Director on the local church and associational levels and has served Alabama and Louisiana state Woman’s Missionary Union/Women’s Ministry. Judy has two grown sons and two grandchildren with another grandchild on the way.
