Married to the Pastor (and Loving Him)

I hear the tell-tale whirring snap of my husband's cell phone in the kitchen at 12:30 a.m. Curious to confirm that he is doing exactly what I assume, I peek a glimpse to discover him lining up his homemade coffee creamer on the counter for a picture. Oh, how he amuses me sometimes! This is one of the things I most love about my husband - his sense of humor and camaraderie.

Just in the door from a deacon's meeting, he checked his phone and found a voice message from one of our older teens asking him for the recipe of his "secret" half-and-half cream concoction. It was a funny message, from one comedian to another, and instead of simply replying my husband of course had to go the whole nine yards with picture props and everything! I think this is one of the things that our young people most love about their pastor, too.

It is Tuesday, and the day my husband meets with one of the young men for personal Bible study and discipleship. Pedro drives to Jaime's workplace and they pray and talk together during his break hour. It has been a vital ministry of encouragement this year for a young man plunged into the weighty world of full-time adult work with the single focus of saving funds for Bible school next year. It has been a joy for my husband as well.

Today Pedro mentioned at the dinner table that they hadn't talked too much at discipleship because Jaime had asked him if he might help him practice driving. I love that #1, Jaime has developed the confidence in my husband to ask this kind of favor of him and #2, my husband has demonstrated the compassion to be that extra adult in his life even outside of typical "pastor" responsibilities. It was a lively mealtime conversation as Pedro shared his adventures as a driver's ed instructor today! :)

For more anecdotal evidence of Pedro's personal brand of relationship building, one needs only to review the "Whatsapp" history on his phone. Only very recently did he acquire (as a gift from a pastor friend in Santiago) a smart phone, but it has been invaluable in the context of our college and career aged ministry because of the connectivity of our youth.

"Listen to this!" my husband urged me one day. To my amusement I heard music from one our cd's playing in the background and then in a deep radio voice my husband announcing, "Radio IBM reminds you ... it is time to wake up! ... discipleship starts in ONE HOUR ..." It was a recording for another of the guys he meets with for Bible study and accountability. Before long, Pastor's Pedro "Radio IBM" had become quite popular among the youth! One morning we heard the funny story of several of the young men bemoaning to each other that the only reason they made it out of bed for a Saturday morning prayer breakfast was that "Pastor Pedro and Radio IBM woke me up!"

All this to say, I am so proud of my husband and the way he has grown as a person and a pastor this year. Ministry-wise this has been the most challenging time in our lives, but he has amazed me with his composure, compassion, courage, wisdom and strength. He has also lightened our lives with his laughter. I am so thankful to be married to this man (love you, My Sweets!)

Pastor Pedro overlooking the city where his radio audience lives (and loving on his little boys!)