There has been a controversial, often fiery debate for decades about women working outside the home. To work or not to work? What’s a woman to do? There is pressure to work (financial, social, cultural) and there is pressure not to work.
Many women work because they have to and wish they did not. Others work because they want to. This all can get even more complicated if the “woman” is a minister’s wife. There are those within the church who think you should not work. There are those who are jealous that you don’t have to work. Opinions galore. Always opinions about how we should/ought to live our lives!
For me, I have done it all. Before we had children, I worked. When our first child was born, it was such a blessing to me to be able to stay home and not have to go to work. Was it hard financially? Yes, absolutely! Did we do without? Yes, absolutely! Did I want to be able to buy new clothes or go out to eat? Yes! But God blessed and provided for our every need. Someone even gave us an old car so I could get around!
Even during those early years while the kids were babies and toddlers, God would provide me with opportunities for income. We served a large church that needed a wedding coordinator and how fun it was for me to help and serve brides on their special day….and get paid for it! It was not much....but it was enough.
After the kids started school an opportunity came up for me to teach at a local college part-time. It was perfect and I LOVED it!! That grew into a full time position teaching and it worked into our family routine. I was blessed to be able to pick up the kids from school every day!!
When we moved from Texas to Tennessee, the kids were in 7th grade and 9th grade. Critical years in the best of circumstances…add to that a huge move to a totally new environment, I knew I needed to be focused and available to them and not work. A couple of years later, God again provided the opportunity to work with a college and teach part time….and by the time the kids graduated from high school, it led into a full time position.
Fast forward to now. The kids are married and we have moved to Indiana. I did not work the first six months I was here and then began to work part-time for a man in our church. Just a few months ago I was offered the opportunity to help out a company I had done some training for in Memphis. They needed me for about six months to work on several projects. Much of the work would be done from home…but some would require me to travel to Memphis. What to do? What would people at church think? Could I even do the work? It was something that was challenging yet fearful. After much prayer and brainstorming with my husband, I told them I would do it.
Why do I bring all of this up? Because I don’t know what your situation is, but I do know that you are you. Your family is your family. You and your husband prayerfully decide what God wants you to do and don’t worry with what everyone else thinks.
More on this later....
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