Today it is my pleasure to share the spiritual perceptivity of Gina Haney, a blessed woman of God who previously blogged at arelentlessurrender.com. Within her interview, she speaks of Lot's wife (her favourite woman of the Bible), transition and how these tie into her own personal testimony of stepping into her role as a pastor's wife- a great encouragement for anyone who may currently be going through change(s).
Who is your favourite woman of the Bible and why? What would you say that modern women can learn from her?
It seems that with each season of my life I have a new favourite woman of the Bible. At this point of my life, I have been thinking about Lot's wife. Yes, odd I know. She's not exactly someone to look up to, but hear me out! God has been telling me to step out and do brave new things. For example, just over a year ago, my husband and I felt God telling us to leave our church, but we had no idea where He was leading us to. I thought a great deal about Mrs. Lot and how she must have felt being told she needed to leave and not look back. Can we relate in that sometimes we want to cling to what isn't good for us? Can we relate in that sometimes God's provision seems like confusion?
Five years ago, when my husband told me he was called to preach, I was insistent that I wasn't "preacher wife material". I was sure he was mistaken because God hadn't called me. A wise mentor of mine said, "Your job is to be Josh's helpmate. Period." So I went into this thing being his helper and encourager. That made step one much less intimidating than the "pastor wife" person I thought I would have to be.
In the beginning my husband, Josh, couldn’t imagine ever leading a church- he thought God was just asking him to go deeper into the ministry we were already in and moving him from youth leader to youth pastor (can you hear my sigh of relief?!). For three years that’s what we did, until a little over a year ago when we began to feel God pulling up the tent stakes for us at our home church. We weren’t sure where we were going but Mrs. Lot teaches us that when God says to go, you had better go!
Jesus said in Luke 9:62 that “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Mrs. Lot's job was to be Lot’s help-meet. Period. She was to be his helper and encourager. Looking back isn’t conducive to this role. Looking back isn’t conducive to any role in the servanthood of Christ. I wasn’t always as sure as I am today of my calling to be a pastor’s wife but I was most certainly sure of my calling to be my Josh’s wife. Looking back- once I’d made the vow; once I had set my hand to the plow as his helpmate- wasn’t an option.
Related: Lessons from Lot's Wife on Transition
Please finish the sentence: I am a Christian woman who is...
I am Christian woman who is confident that we, as Christian women, are better together.
Please finish the sentence: I am a Christian woman who is not...
I am a Christian woman who is not as bold or as graceful as I would like to be, but we will save that for another time!
Any final words of encouragement?
In every stage of our lives, we need a mentor and we need to be a mentor. Pray that God will show you where to find one and how to be one.