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
Facebook // Instagram
Ask Me Anything with Kyle Hoover on Church Planting and Ministry
Kim Ransleben on Serving Right Where You Are
Lauren Weir on Serving Like Jesus
Amy Blair on Living, Serving, and Leading Cross-Culturally
Kyle Idleman on the Courage to Not Give Up
Trillia Newbell on Fears that Hold Us Back
Winn Collier on the Ministry of Words Through Writing and Pastoring
Carolyn McCulley on Women, Work, and the Church
Anna Perez on Church Planting
Greg Gilbert on Living and Serving From Grace Rather Than Guilt
Dorena Williamson on the Ministry of Bridge Building
Melissa Kruger on Teaching the Bible
Russell Moore on Endurance and Perseverance in Service
Lori McDaniel on the Gift of Leadership
Christie Purifoy on the Ministry of Placemaking
Caroline Cobb on Serving God Through Singing and Songwriting
Jared Wilson on Knowing Our Gifts and Serving in the Spirit's Power
Missie Branch on Serving in Obscurity
Bonus Episode: Let Me Share With You What I've Learned About Friendship
Ask Me Anything on Friendship (Season 3)
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