The Shared Spouse

Any pastor's wife knows what it's like to go for days at a time without having a meaningful conversation with her husband. His phone rings all the time. Church members need him, and their needs are very real. Still, sometimes it is hard for the pastor's wife to see him listening intently to other people's problems when she feels neglected. She may also worry about the longterm effects of the demands of ministry on her children. "The Shared Spouse," written by a lifelong preacher's kid and pastor's wife, is for every minister and minister's family. Author Julie Cannon draws upon experiences that have included sleepless nights and bouts of depression to offer a word of encouragement to families sharing a call to ministry. Claiming God's promise to the prophet Jeremiah, "Do not be afraid ... for I am with you and will rescue you," Cannon weaves personal life events and scriptural insights into a six-week Bible study designed to buoy up the family serving God together in a shared ministry.