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
Instagram // Website
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!
Connect with NAMB
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How-To Honor Your Spouse (an interview with James Roberson)
Navigating Criticism in Ministry (an interview with Ann Swindell)
Loneliness and the Ministry Wife (an interview with Rivers Partin)
Raising Teens While in Ministry (an interview with Kristie Anyabwile)
Sunday Mornings With Young Kids (an interview with Lindsey Carlson)
Ministry Q and A With Kyle and Christine Hoover
Ministry in a Transient Place (an interview with Brittany Brown)
Planting a Multicultural Church (an interview with Andreina Fasolino)
Longevity in Ministry (an interview with Donna Gaines)
Women’s Ministry (an interview with Elisa Medina)
Women in Leadership (an interview with Jen Wilkin)
Traps the Ministry Wife Must Avoid (an interview with Paige Wieser)
Anxiety and the Ministry Wife (an interview with Scarlet Hiltibidal)
Loving People Well (Including the Hard to Love) (an interview with Pascha Lee)
Ministering to Singles (an interview with Erin Berkey)
Thriving in Missional Community (an interview with Linda Yang)
Knowing What Needs are Yours to Meet (an interview with Aimee Joseph)
Supporting Other Women in Ministry (an interview with Amy Dodd)
Becoming a Disciple Maker (an interview with Kandi Gallaty)
Facing Our Fears in Ministry (an interview with Nira Abella)
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