I have had this title in my mind for many years and developed it shortly after my husband was called from his work as a police officer into the ministry. I had always intended or assumed that By His Side would be a book one day. A book where I poured my heart out about ministry, specifically ministry as a pastors wife, but then I realized I didn't have to write a book to share my thoughts, feelings and perspectives with everyone. How much greater would it be if I did a blog page where I journaled all of these things and connected with pastors wives and other people in churches around the world. I am not sure what God has in store for this journey but I am looking forward to taking it and hope you'll enjoy going on it with me.
We were awakened last night around 2:00 am with our dog barking and me, being the brave woman I am, woke my husband up to tell him he should probably get up and check to see why the dog was barking. I quickly heard the door open and my husband talking to someone and assumed it had to be someone he knew. Just because he is no longer in law enforcement does not mean he doesn't still use some of it's practices. I know this because we have had people knock on the door late at night before and he most definitely never opened the door.
Now feeling it was okay to get out of the bed, I got up to see who was at the door and was almost blinded by the flashing police lights in my driveway. Before I could walk out the door to see what was going on my phone rang and it was my neighbor across the road. The flashing police lights in our driveway had awoken her as well and she was worried about us. I stepped out onto the porch while talking to her only to learn our next door neighbor's house was on fire and fireman weren't sure if anyone was home. We live in a rural area so next door means across the cornfield or across the cow pasture....it doesn't mean reaching out of your window and touching your neighbor's house. We talked for a short while and I thanked her for calling to check on us. Unable to offer the sheriff much help, we stood in our driveway and watched the inferno which use to be someone's home as it lit up the night sky.
My heart was burdened when we finally went back inside not knowing if anyone was in the home, and fireman not being able to search in great detail because the house had a basement and it was unsafe for them to walk across the floors. As we settled back into bed and spent some quiet time praying for our neighbors, a funny thought crossed my mind and giggling I asked my husband, "Honey, were you just standing on the front porch in your underwear talking to the Sheriff?" Giggling back he said, "Yes, I think I was."
I am the woman who sees your pastor being real, sometimes really silly!
