Читать книгу The Ecstasy and Agony - Hester Z. Philbert - Страница 3

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”.