There is no escaping the reality that women within our church will experience the loss of their spouse at some point in their lives. The Bible instructs us to take care of widows, but how do we practically live that out? Melissa Swain lost her pastor husband Chris unexpectedly in 2021 and joins the podcast to tell her story. Melissa shares how specific help, inclusion, and an admission of the hard has helped her and her children navigate in their new world.
SHOW NOTES“I understand the statistic that 50% of widows leave their church. Their person that they walk in with, sit with, go to classes with, do all the things with is not there anymore. So that makes it really difficult to continue to be involved in the same context with the same people around you, but you’re not the same anymore.”
-Melissa Swain
“A lot of times, it is easy to feel forgotten because most people assume, ‘Oh, after the first year, you’re fine. Everything’s good. You’ve done all the first things.’ And that’s kind of the mentality of a lot of people surrounding widowhood. You’ve done the firsts. Everything else will be easy. The second Father’s day was harder than the first one. Everything new that my kids do is a first. Sometimes it’s really easy to be in a room and feel like no one knows how hard it is to be there just to be there.”
-Melissa Swain
LINKS FROM THE SHOWWrite it on Their Hearts
CONNECTConnect with Melissa
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Connect with Christine
Facebook // Instagram // Books
Visit How to Thrive as a Pastor’s Wife to access Christine’s resources for ministry wives like you!
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Q & A With Christine and Kyle Hoover
Practical Wisdom for Serving with Brothers in the Church (an interview with Amy Petersen)
The Life of a Lay Elder’s Wife (an interview with Caroline Cobb)
Creating a Culture of Welcome in Your Church (an interview with Jen Oshman)
Embracing Biblical Lament (an interview with Danielle Kelly)
An Interview With Christine and Kyle Hoover (special guests Lynley and Ben Mandrell)
Motivations for Ministry (an interview with Krissie Inserra)
Serving in Small Churches (an interview with Wendy Ortiz)
Seasons of Spiritual Dryness (an interview with Kristen Wetherell)
Unmet Expectations in Ministry (an interview with Lisa Hughes)
Serving in Camp Ministry (an interview with Rachel Shelton)
The Joy of Raising Missionary Kids (an interview with Keri Folmar)
A Church Planting Couple’s Legacy (an interview with Jennifer Clifton)
Finding Your Place in Ministry (an interview with Angie Brown Elkins)
Expectations in Ministry (an interview with Jeanine Sanchez)
In Her Shoes: A Pastor’s Wife (an interview with Caroline Saunders)
Ministry After Covid (an interview with Kimberley McGibbon)
The Basics of Women’s Ministry (an interview with Kelly King)
Friendship Between Brothers and Sisters in the Church (an interview with Jen Wilkin and JT English)
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The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)