By Lady Zellene Smith

To whom does a Pastor’s wife turn to when she wants to ventilate or express her feelings? How does she do so without being ashamed of what she might say or being judged by her peers? It is a blessing if it her husband, but what if it’s not?

First ladies didn’t study or prepare to be a pastor’s wife; yet, in some ministry contexts, there are implicit expectations placed on being in that position. Many times, she has a sense of her responsibilities but wrestles with how she should fulfill them.

I have discovered that journaling is a relaxing tool for me. It’s a place where I can let my feelings, emotions, thoughts and concerns be expressed without being ashamed of what might be said or judged by my peers. For those who have trouble expressing their feelings aloud, journaling is an effective way of getting their thoughts and feelings out in a non-committal way.

Journaling creates a safe-place for pastor wives to be able to communicate what’s going on their heads. When I began journaling, my entries were addressed to the Lord. This empowered me to become closer and more in touch with Him. This activity allowed me to channel my feelings into a positive outlet. Consequently, I commenced looking at journaling as a healing tool.

Journaling is also a wonderful way to deal with stress - right alongside walking, running and taking long hot baths with scented products. Additionally, journaling can be an excellent encourager just for pastor’s wives. After you have been journaling for a while, reflect back through your entries during a time when you felt like you could not go on just to see how far you’ve come. The person in the pages won’t be the same person who’s looking at them.

By taking the time to reflect on who you were, maybe you’ll be able to see that the “present you” is better and more at peace than the former.