Mrs. Lauren Stewart...Wife of the Week

 

How long have you been married? 8 years

How many children/grandchildren do you have? How old are they? Our daughter, Leah, is 6 and our son, Jamieson, is 5. We have another girl on the way (due Sept. 20^thJ)

1.      Where/How did you meet your husband? At our home church, Buckley Road Baptist

2.      When did you get saved? I was 7 years old

3.      Can you share your testimony? My father was saved when I was just 4 years old. At the time, my family was very devout catholic and my mother was a religious instruction teacher in the catholic church. My brother and sister were 7 & 10 years older than myself. So, for awhile, it was just my dad and I attending a Bible Believing church.  There was a lot of friction in our household because of this, but my father stayed a faithful and patient witness to our family. He would pray with me and witness to me every night and day. When I was 7 years old, I knelt by my bed with my dad and received Jesus Christ as my Savior. I knew then, that I was lost and needed a Savior.

We then prayed for my mom for about 3 years, and she got saved. Eventually, my brother was saved when he was in college, and we are still pleading and praying for my sister, Kristin, to get saved.

I’m so thankful for my dad’s faithful witness and that salvation came to our family!!

4.      How long have you been in the ministry? About 7 years

5.      How did you know the Lord wanted you in the ministry? Was it hard for you to submit to that or did you know 100% sure right away that this is what God wanted for your life?

Well, I’m glad I decided to go to a good Bible College. I really grew in my walk with the Lord there, and it was there that I realized the great need for full-time Christian workers. I surrendered to whatever the Lord had for my life, whether it be to marry a preacher or faithful layman…whatever He had for me. I wanted His will. When I met my husband, he shared his burden to start a church in Deposit, NY. I knew the Lord had put us together and I was excited to be able to serve alongside him in the ministry.

6.      How old were you when you your husband first held a position of leadership?  23

7.      And if you were young, did you have a hard time adjusting because of your age? Did you feel “ready” to be in that position? Did you feel you had a harder time being respected or taken seriously because of your age? There were times (and still are) that I felt a little insecure in being a leader over ladies that were twice my age or that had been through much more than I have. (And if you know me, I still can look like a teenager and my 4’11 stature doesn’t help J ). But, I’m reminded that it’s not me that is ministering to these people, but it’s the Lord working in and through me. I remember that God put me right where I’m at with these ladies for a reason, and He will enable and give me the wisdom I need. I’ve learned to get over that and to put my confidence in the Lord!

8.      Once you had children did you find you did less in the ministry and was that hard for you? Well with my first two babies, we had a small church plant in Deposit. So, even though we pretty much did everything…the church was small enough that it wasn’t as difficult to juggle the kids and the ministry.

But at the church we’re at now and with me about to have my 3^rd baby here soon, I’ve had to give up some responsibilities. The ladies in our church have been a blessing in taking some things over. It was hard at first because I like to feel like I’m carrying my “load” in the ministry, but I know that my husband and children need to come first. I’ve gotten a little better at delegating and I find that the ladies in the church want to do more and feel that they are being used of the Lord, too!

9.      What are some ways you included and involved your children in the ministry?

a.      Baby… just bringing them along to everything

b.      Toddler…singing specials as a family, training them to sit still under the preaching, and having them help with little jobs around the church.

c.       School age/teens…Mine are only 5 and 6, but they go on visitation with us, they sing in Jr. Church Choir and family specials, and they help hold up the Scripture signs for our street preaching ministry. We live on the church property, so we find lots of little things for them to help with.

10.  Do you ever worry that your children would resent the ministry and what are some ways you tried to make it fun for them? There are times I worry about this, but we strive to have our family prayer/devotion time with them and to keep the “troubled conversations” of the ministry away from their little ears.  We also make sure that we set one day of the week aside for a family day. We strive to keep the music and laughter going @ home so they can always remember that its fun serving Jesus!!

11.  What would be the best thing you would tell a mom who is raising her children in the ministry? To keep her walk with the Lord and quiet time a priority!

12.  Are you naturally a submissive person or do you sometimes have a hard time easily following your husband? I’m not really a strong-willed kind of person, so submitting and following aren’t as hard for me. Plus, my husband makes it easy. But, I certainly have my days and areas of my life that I need to humble myself and get things right in the area of submission.

13.  What do you do to encourage your husband when he is discouraged with the work? Just be there to listen to him and I try to put little notes or cards on his desk to encourage him.

14.  How do deal with any criticism toward your husband from others? I haven’t had to deal with this much…but I just make sure that when it comes, I refer them straight to him. I’ll always back him and tell them to take the issue directly to him.

15.  How do you deal with personal criticisms? Thankfully, I haven’t had to deal with much of this either (at least not that I’m aware of). If it’s something that’s been said that needs to be dealt with or that’s really affected me, I’ll try to go to the person face to face and communicate. If it’s a small, petty criticism, I try to move on and shake it off. I heard a really good message from Bro. Eddy Wyatt on this subject that stuck with me called “Shake it off”.

16.  Do you set aside date nights/days with your husband? We try to make sure we keep the date nights regular, but we’re definitely overdue right now. But, I’m thankful for our long talks and coffee time in the morning before the kids get up.

17.  What is the biggest thing you have learned about being married to a man in the ministry? To be his prayer warrior, because I realize I got the “cream of the crop” and that the devil is always at work.

18.   What are some ways you protect your husband from “those” women in the church? If I suspect or get a bad vibe about someone, I’ll just let my husband know or be aware of it. And…I try to “keep up” and not “let myself go” for my husband too. I think that’s important.

19.  Do you and your husband have devotion or prayer time together daily? Not daily

20.  Do you have a hard time sharing your burdens with your husband in fear that it will discourage him? No. Aside from the Lord, he is my best counselor, friend, and encourager.

21.  What do you do to encourage yourself in the Lord? Prayer and Bible reading and listening to some good music always gets me encouraged again!

22.  What is your favorite Scripture? Psalm 61:2

23.  Do you have a favorite song? I have lots of them, but if I had to pick one it would be…”Nail it to the Cross”.

24.  What is your biggest struggle in the ministry? Probably just worrying that I’m not being a good pastor’s wife in reaching out to the ladies and making time for them. My husband has helped me with this by encouraging me to make a “sweetheart” list each week of one or maybe two ladies to reach out to that week. That helps me not to get overwhelmed.

25.  Do you have find that you are not able to have close lady friends in your church? I guess I’m careful not to get too close with one person….but I’ve been blessed with good friends and fellowship from the ladies in our church.

26.  When you are discouraged, do you feel like you can “show” that feeling to ladies in the church? Or, do you feel like you always have to portray the “perfect” happy Pastor’s wife? Well, I sometimes have the tendency to keep things inside and I don’t really “wear my feelings on my sleeve”….but I express some of my struggles and discouragements during our prayer times on Wednesday nights or in my devo’s at ladies meetings so they know that I’m not Ms. “got it all together”. I’m far from it!

27.  Have you ever made a big mistake or offended someone, and if yes, how did you go about restoring that relationship? Can’t think of anything right now…but I know there have been small things in the past where I just had to go to the person and admit my fault or ask for their forgiveness. Usually going to the person and communicating and humbling myself always helps in getting things right with someone.

28.  Do you have other lady ministry friends that you go to for counsel and “venting” purposes? There are a few that I have gone to for advice and counsel.

29.  Other than praying, what is the most encouraging thing ladies in the church can do for you? Just being a friend or asking how they can be a help. I recently had one lady write me an encouraging card and put it on my Bible on Sunday morning. That was such a blessing to me and encouragement.

30.  What is your favorite way to serve the Lord in your church? Playing piano, singing, and teaching the kids!

31.  Do you currently have special Ladies Bible Study, meetings, or fellowships? Yes, we usually have a ladies meeting/fellowship once a month. We’re overdue for one now, but with being very pregnant…our ladies are very understanding.

32.  What ways to you encourage your ladies to get involved in the work of the church? If they have musical talent, I’ll ask for them to do a special or sing a duet with me. I encourage them to get on board with nursery or church cleaning or decorating. I also try to call a sister if I need help with something around the church or a ladies meeting…and I find that they want that…..they just need some direction as to how to get involved.

33.  What is the most important thing you want to pass down to your children? Just to love the Lord sincerely and serve Him no matter what!!

34.  In all of your business, how do you fit your personal time in with the Lord each day? I find that mornings are best for me before my kids get up. It’s a new day, it’s quiet, and it’s before all the chaos beginsJ.

35.  Out of all that you have learned being in the full time ministry, what is the most important thing you have learned? To keep my walk with the Lord a priority before all the service. Everything will fall into place if I keep fellowship with my Lord.

36.   How would you describe the “perfect” Pastor’s wife? Just one that stays in close fellowship with the Lord and is an example of loving her husband and children!