Most clergy spouses continue to wear a mask, but it's not a KN95! How about you? As a clergy spouse, do you mask your authentic self? Regina Raiford Babcock, a participant in several Artos programs, shares her journey and insights on this widespread struggle for clergy spouses. Thank you, Regina, for the reminder that we have choices in how to respond so that we can truly share God's gifts within us! Deeply introverted, I was terrified when my husband transitioned from...

Feel like you’re being selfish if you say “No” to a congregational request? Too often we think being a good Christian means putting loving others before loving ourselves. We become door mats for Christ. But Jesus commands us to love ourselves fully, to be able to love others fully. “Love others as well as you love yourself.” Mark 12:30 The Message When it comes to responding to requests, I think Jesus calls us to respond in a way that honors ourselves AND honors others. It’s a kind of spiritual integrity,...

Are you a church leader, wondering where to begin in helping your pastor's spouse or partner feel truly welcome and valued? Are you sometimes unsure what to talk about with your clergy spouse, or fear that you'll accidentally offend? Check out 15 minutes of excerpts from our 2022 panel discussion to help church leaders develop healthy relationships with spouses of pastors transitioning to their churches. We share plenty of practical dos and don'ts from clergy spouses and a church leader, pooled...

Anxiety. Don’t you wish you could wear a mask against that plague? Recently, Lynnette Carter, Artos co-founder and Board member, and I were discussing how easily our feeling overwhelmed slips into grasping for comfort in places other than God. She shares her personal reflections here, followed by two clergy spouse examples for you to ponder. May you be blessed in self-reflection about letting go of all that clouds your faith journey! One day I was in a store shopping for household...

A long-time friend gave me this wonderful ceramic magnet during the first week of Advent this year. Amazingly, she had remembered our conversation from five years ago when this statement became my handshake of hope. “God is good … All the time.” “All the time … God is good.” This magnet has been sitting on my desktop from the day it was given to me. “Witness to hope!” it keeps calling. So I shall. I clung to the shining words, “God is good” during...

Dare I say it? Just about every clergy spouse has a personal illustration of the dynamic: “unrealistic expectations are resentments waiting to happen.” Here’s a classic example, regardless of age, race or gender: A parishioner expects me to know the latest scoop about another parishioner who was just hospitalized with a heart attack. Then walks off in exasperation when I confess that I had no idea about the situation; I had just returned from a business trip. Laughable, right? And yet am...

Conflict. Everyone faces it. But clergy spouses often deal with an extra layer, especially when we worship where our spouses pastor. In recent conversations with clergy spouses, we're hearing this question: "How do I deal with conflict when it erupts between the congregation and my pastor-partner?" Phil Newcomer, a clergy spouse and PK who recently joined the Artos Board, volunteered to give his take on this thorny issue. U2’s lead singer Bono once said, “Christians are hard to tolerate; I don’t know...

Picture it. You and your spouse (the pastor) are greeting congregants at your new church home. Smiles and warm handshakes all around. Conversation flows with your spouse about pastoral concerns and hopes for the church. And then the congregant’s eyes turn toward you … “So, what will be your role in our church?” How do you answer? How can you answer a question so packed with expectations – past and future? At best, you want to build a relationship with this congregation. At the...

I pull out my special Christmas to-do list to help keep my sanity during this frenetic season. No list of presents to give or cards to send. No list of decorations to put up. No list of cookies to bake. It's a list of permissions of what to let go of - like putting only lights on the tree, but no ornaments. Or downsizing from a tree that fills a room to a tree that tops a table. Even that which...

I confess, I wasn't feeling very hopeful yesterday. The Advent-Christmas season is probably the toughest sacrifice for me as a clergy spouse. I deeply grieve my pre-clergy spouse traditions. And I flail and thrash when the un-reliability of clergy family life threatens whatever thread of new traditions we try to establish. So I hit my knees in prayer yesterday afternoon, as I'm finding that I seem to talk with God better in this position. After 20 years, I know I will...