Diana Davis, minister’s wife and author, spoke at the 2019 Ministers’ Wives Luncheon, hosted by Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), as part of the Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference held Feb. 25–26 at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Birmingham. She focused her message on one word — joy.
Davis addressed a stereotype she has faced in many communities that pastors’ wives are miserable.
“I’ve heard, ‘we’re the most miserable people in the world,’” she said. “We need to talk about the positive side of [being a minister’s wife] and the joy of being in the ministry.”
“Joy changes everything,” Davis said. “It changes the way you look, it changes your marriage and family and home, and it changes your personal ministry.”
She also encouraged the women to find a ministry outside of the church and give it their all.
Davis said she found “when Scripture tells us to be joyful it’s a command.”
“It’s not your job to be the best dressed on Sunday,” Davis said. “It’s your job to love God with a joyful heart and to show that joy to others.”
Davis reflected on her early years as a pastor’s wife when she “knew nothing” about ministering to women. But with different backgrounds and stories, she said she focused on the “one common element we all share, that God saw the pleasure of putting you with your husband who God called to ministry — making you a minister’s wife.”
Candace McIntosh, executive director of Alabama WMU, closed the event by inviting everyone to register for the Ministers’ Wives Luncheon taking place at the Southern Baptist Convention in Birmingham on June 11. The event will be hosted by LifeWay Christian Resources and will feature guest speaker Lauren Chandler.
The theme will be “Steadfast Love,” based on Chandler’s book and Bible study. (Hannah Muñoz)
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