"She hated being a preacher's wife. She said she couldn't stand havin' all those ladies at church judgin' her on how she sang and what she was wearing and what she cooked. She said it made her feel like a bug under a microscope." (Because of Winn Dixie)
I watched Because of Winn Dixie Saturday night. It's a great movie about a little girl and her Daddy, who is a preacher. His wife left him. She hated being a preacher's wife, started drinking and took off.
Do you ever feel like maybe your husband got into the wrong business? When I first started dating Vince he was on his way to law school. I was pretty excited about being a lawyer's wife. I never dreamed that he would leave law school and go into ministry.
Do you ever feel like every one's watching you? They look to see what you're wearing, how much weight you've lost or gained, and how your children behave. They watch your every move, including how fast you drive!
Do you ever feel like a bug under a microscope? Like you're a freak on display at the circus? Do you ever wish your husband was a plumber or accountant so you could remain anonymous? No one expects much from a plumber's wife.
Unfortunately, I've wished all these things at one point or another. Being a preacher's wife (or church planting wife in this case) sometimes makes you want to drink and run away.
That's why I'm glad I'm not alone. I'm glad I have a sisterhood of women who understand. I realize that Because of Winn Dixie is fictional, but I wonder how many lives parallel this story. I bet the preacher's wife didn't have a group of women who supported and encouraged her. I bet she felt alone and stuck. Do you think she had a close friend that she could be open and honest with? Do you think she felt like she could really talk to God or her husband about her feelings? We'll never know.
But if you're feeling like her don't follow in her path. Don't continue suffering, and don't leave a wake of pain behind you. Open up and get it out. Talk to God about what you're going through, and find some people who understand. Ask them to stand with you, pray for and support you, and help you look at things from a different perspective. Don't give up!
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