The Ecstasy and Agony

Hester Z. Philbert

Description

This book was written by the wife of a pastor. The book contains experiences both awesome and belittling that has helped to shape her life and ministry.

It goes on to explain that many of things that people see of the pastors wife is only a charade and not a true reflection of the life that the pastor's wife really lives.

The book also brings about an awareness of how pastors wives feel, are treated, and ways in which aspiring pastors wives can prepare themselves for ministry.

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Éthique et morale
• Ethique et morale
• Ethics
• Philosophy
• Philosophie et théologie
• Moral Philosophy

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 05 mars 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781456613426
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The
 
ECSTASY
 
 
And the
 
 
AGONY
 
 
Of
 
 
Being the Pastor’s Wife
 
 
by
 
 
Hester Z. Philbert

 
Copyright 2013 Hester Z. Philbert
All rights reserved.
 
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
http://www.eBookIt.com
 
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-1342-6
 
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Introduction
As a little girl, growing into your teenage years, a young lady thinks of the time when she will walk down the aisles of the church “a blushing bride”. She thinks about the many fairy tale that end “and they lived happily ever after and the girl looks forward to that as well.
 
Some girls feel like the ugly duckling and long for the day when the swan will come and show they how to fly so that they can soar away to better living conditions than their parents could afford. Others await their time when like Cinderella they will be swept away by the handsome prince to live “happily ever after.
 
And again there are some who live in the real world in a home where life is captioned “abusive” and these young ladies vow to themselves never to marry but to live a decent single life. Others feel comfortable to continue their lives under abusive conditions, and yet others look for a better life.
 
There is still another group who for one reason or another look up to celebrities, or create a celebrity of someone they admire and strive to become like that person, but never take into consideration that “seeing me and living with me are two different stories.” These people include those who wish to marry a pastor.
 
Life in the limelight is not always what it seems. Many people live the show –they dress up and step out and give the impression that everything is well with them and they could not desire better, when in reality, life for them is so far from what it appears.
 
I have often said that children and teen-agers are not responsible for where their parents have put them to live; neither are they responsible for the conditions under which their parents have raised them; however, they will be responsible for the course their lives take later. My explanation of the statement is that once a person, in this case a young lady, would have completed her education and chosen her career and life style, it will be totally up to her to lift her standard of living, and ensure that she does not bring children into the world to suffer under similar conditions to herself. It is amazing to see young ladies who grew up in abusive homes continue to live in abusive homes for themselves. Young ladies tend to be attracted to men much like their fathers, so it is advisable that before a wedding is being planned that the parties involved make it their duty to study their potential in-laws. Observe them, unaware to them, so that the true picture can be seen and assessed.
 
This book is written especially for young ladies who plan to or would like to marry a pastor. Marrying a pastor seems like and esteemed position; it has its bright days and its down side. It is note-worthy that a pastor takes four years’ and at least a bachelor’s degree before he can be considered for the position as a pastor, but not one takes any time to prepare the wife of the pastor for her “ministry” as the pastor’s wife.
 
I have spent all my married years as the “pastor’s wife” and I must say that it is a great and exciting life. I have been able to crack my shell and jump out into full bloom. I have had some rough encounters, many eventful occasions and experiences I could not have imagined, I have travelled the seas(literally the seas in small boats with outboard engines), and I have been enjoying my life as the pastor’s wife. I have also had some lonely times and unbelievable situations. Through it all I have always been thankful, but as I look back I can only think that if someone had given me a hint I would have been better prepared.
 
Through the medium of this book I pray that I will be able to help some young lady contemplating marriage to a pastor or minister of religion to be prepared for their ministry and life as the “pastor’s wife”.
Foreword
Probably it's providence. I have refrained from writing being the one to write the forward to this book since Hester has been my friend and wife for more than twenty six years. Much of the experiences and details in this book are developed through the over twenty three years of ministry we have had together.
 
The book details the confidence God bestows on one who understands that ministry is not just a calling for men but for the wife of the minister. Hester details with confidence the pain and the agony that wives go through as a minister's wife. She lists the unexpected challenges as well as the unexpected ideals one is called to portray even when feelings and social conditions calls for something else.
 
Notwithstanding, she details and recommends that a relationship with God can undergird all feelings and keep one going in spite of the challenges. Most reasonable, open minded persons learn, grow, and profit from new perspectives and interpretations of major historical events. Hester has learned from twenty three years on ministry, moving over ten times through the life of over twenty different congregations.
 
This fascinating book is illuminating and somewhat shocking but also faith confirming in God's timing and providence.
 
I long discovered, as you will in this significant book, that we are all members of God's family.
 
 
Written by Pastor Royston E. Philbert
Acknowledgement
Through the years I have met so many people who have impacted my life in so many different ways and many of them would not imagine that they form part of the reason why I wrote this book.
 
Some people seeming made the effort to reach me while others just happened to pass my way and left a lasting impression, and even though I cannot mention all their names here, eternity will tell the story.
 
When I wrote the first script I was not sure that it was something that could have been or should have been published and so I set it aside for years. Then Pastor Farrell asked me to write an article for the Caribbean Union “CUCON” magazine and that spurred me on to pick up the script once more. It was then that I asked Mrs Carol Heskey to edit what I written. I knew her well since I was a teenager, she was an English teacher. I knew her best in her capacity as the pastor’s wife in my home church. I have found her very confidential and trustworthy and felt comfortable to give her the first draft to look at. You see, I was not sure that what I had written was worth putting to the print, but at the same time I did not want to expose the material and have someone else pick it up and publish it as their own, but I trusted sister Heskey and I am using this medium to thank her.
 
Special thanks to Mrs. D. Richardson, Vera Illidge and Mrs. Pastor Claudette-Joy Andrews for their contribution to making this publication possible in their own way.
 
I especially want to acknowledge the role of Dr. Suzie Hill. Of all the people who made their contribution to this book, I have known Dr. Suzie the least a matter of one week’s contact. Dr. Suzie was visiting along with her husband, and be it providence or design we had lunch together. At the table in as much as I cannot recall the conversation, I mentioned that I had written material equivalent to a book. She was instantly excited and after hearing the title of the script she encouraged me to publish it. I am eternally grateful to her because she not only encouraged me to publish the book, she gave me available options including what she thought was most cost effective. Not only did she encourage me to publish the book, she offered to advertise the book in and article presentation she was due to make at a later date and she has kept contact just to know how is the book coming. Thank you Dr Suzie hope you enjoy reading this book.
 
Lastly but by no means least, I want to thank my husband Pastor Royston E. Philbert for writing the foreword to this publication. Without him in my life I would not be wearing the caption name “Pastor’s Wife”. Therefore I am thanking him for not only writing the foreword, but for being my husband for the last 23 years, as I look forward to spending eternity with him.
 
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