The Pastor Wife Life

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Have you ever felt lonely while standing in a room full of people?

In this solo mini episode (which is ironically about isolation 😂), I share just a little of my own journey of quietly pulling back, hiding behind the title of "pastor's wife," and believing the lie that she didn't need to take the first step toward community.  Be reminded that isolation doesn't always mean being alone it can happen while sitting right in the middle of church. If you've ever struggled to find your place in ministry, this episode is for you.

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Welcome to Season 2 of The Pastor Wife Life! In this first episode, I thought the best way to introduce myself would be to bring on someone who knows me better than anyone else, my husband, Jimmy.

Together, we share a little about our family, how we met, our journey through ministry, and the heart behind this podcast. We also talk about ministry life from a pastor's perspective, ways wives can encourage their husbands, and what we hope pastor wives will find in this community.

Jimmy won't be a regular guest, but I wanted you to get to know us, our story, and our hearts before we dive into future conversations. Whether you've been a pastor's wife for years or you're just beginning the journey, we're so glad you're here.

Welcome to The Pastor Wife Life!

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!

Send Ashley a text!

After much prayer and seeking God's direction, I'm stepping into a new season of ministry. In this special episode, I share an exciting announcement about the future of The Pastor Wife Life and introduce you to Ashley, the woman God has been preparing to continue pouring into this community of pastors' wives.

God's timing is so perfect - He knew exactly the path. As Ashley and I connected, it became clear that He had been orchestrating this transition long before either of us realized it.

In our conversation, you'll hear Ashley's story, how she became a pastor's wife, her heart for ministry, and her passion for encouraging women who serve alongside their husbands in ministry. You'll also hear why she feels called to invest in pastors' wives and help them know they are not alone.

I'll still be part of the Facebook group and you can email me anytime at my regular email.

Thank you for the past 11 years! I'm excited to see what's next for The Pastor Wife Life!

Jacque

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Survey for Pastors' Wives

I would love for you to take a few minutes and fill out the ANONYMOUS survey I created. Your answers will help me make the PWP better!

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!

Send Ashley a text!

Trusting God in Every Season

Some stories just stay with you—and this one will.

In this episode of The Pastor Wife Life Podcast, I sat down with Shannon, whose journey took her from college in Canada to living in a dangerous region of Colombia as a missionary’s wife. In the middle of uncertainty, she experienced God’s protection, provision, and power in ways that forever shaped her faith.

But what impacted me most wasn’t just what God did there—it was what came after.

When Shannon and her husband returned to the States, ministry looked very different. The urgency and intensity were gone, and in their place were quieter, more ordinary seasons—ones that felt harder in a different way.

And yet, God was just as present.

Through the ups and downs, Shannon learned that faithfulness isn’t just about the big, life-changing moments. It’s about showing up in the everyday, even when it feels unseen.

If you’re in a hard or quiet season of ministry, this is your reminder:

God is with you there, too.

You don’t have to carry the weight of expectations. You don’t have to prove your worth. Just stay rooted, stay faithful, and let Him pour back into you.

CONNECT WITH SHANNON

Grace Christian Church

Email Shannon: Shannontrigos [at] gmail [dot] com

LINKS WE MENTIONED

Overhearing the Gospel by Fred B. Craddock

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!

Send Ashley a text!

Kristen Smith’s journey into ministry is anything but typical. She didn’t grow up in church, and neither she nor her husband were believers when they got married. But during a really difficult season in their marriage, everything changed. In a moment of complete surrender, Kristen cried out to God—and what followed was a powerful transformation in their lives, their marriage, and their faith.

Just a few years later, they’ve stepped into ministry together, now serving in a small town in Kansas. What’s so encouraging about Kristen’s story is that she didn’t feel ready or equipped—she simply chose to be obedient. And that’s where so many of us find ourselves too.

If you’ve ever felt unqualified or unsure in your role as a pastor’s wife, let this encourage you: God isn’t looking for perfection—He’s looking for surrender. When we say yes to Him, even in our weakness, He equips us for exactly what He’s called us to do.

CONNECT WITH KRISTEN:

Email Kristen

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!

Send Ashley a text!

Ministry is sacred. It’s beautiful. It’s powerful.

But so is your marriage.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing practical encouragement about protecting your marriage in the middle of ministry life. Because if we’re not intentional, the very calling God placed on our lives can slowly begin to erode the covenant He gave us first.

Your marriage is not secondary to ministry.
 It’s foundational to it.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure of leadership, the weight of expectations (spoken and unspoken), or the constant pull of being “on call,” this episode is for you.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why marriage must come before ministry
• The subtle ways ministry can overtake your relationship
• How to guard your time together (even in busy seasons)
• Becoming your husband’s safe place
• Setting healthy, biblical boundaries with the church
• Processing ministry challenges wisely
• Warning signs that ministry may be overtaking your marriage
• Why protecting your marriage is stewardship—not selfishness

4 Practical Ways to Protect Your Marriage

1. Guard Your Time Together

If you don’t schedule connection, it won’t happen.
 Protect date nights, family dinners, vacations, and simple moments of laughter and conversation.

2. Be His Safe Place

Your husband carries a heavy leadership load. Let home feel like refuge—not evaluation. Ask how you can pray for him. Listen without always correcting. Protect tenderness and unity.

3. Set Clear Boundaries

Not every request requires a yes.
 Not every text requires an immediate response.
 Boundaries are wisdom, not unspiritual.

4. Process Ministry Wisely

Guard confidentiality. Protect unity.
 If you need to process something difficult, choose one mature, trusted, biblically grounded person—not an audience.

Warning Signs to Watch For

• You only talk about church
• You feel more like coworkers than companions
• You’re more patient with church members than with your husband
• Quiet resentment is growing

A Truth to Remember

Calling cannot replace covenant.

A healthy marriage strengthens ministry far more than constant availability ever will.

Protecting your marriage is not selfish.
 It’s wise.
 It’s biblical.
 It’s necessary.

LINKS I MENTIONED:

Quiet Waters - Pastors Vacation Program 

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!

Send Ashley a text!

Life is hard, and rushing through it only causes us to miss what God is doing right in front of us. In this episode, Amanda Ball-Knight shares why staying present—especially in both joy and sadness—matters more than having life perfectly planned. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, embrace the moment God has you in, and learn to dwell fully in the life you’re living.

CONNECT WITH AMANDA

Amanda on Facebook

CHECK OUT AMANDA'S BOOKS

Worship Notes & Activity Journal for Kids

Growing With Christ - a 30 Day Youth Prayer Journal 

Magdalyn's Heart

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!

Send Ashley a text!

Have you ever felt like you’ve lost yourself somewhere in the middle of ministry?

In this episode of The Pastor Wife Life Podcast, Jacque sits down with Carrie Brown — a pastor’s wife and licensed marriage and family therapist — for an honest, hope-filled conversation about identity, mental health, boundaries, and what it looks like to dwell in who God says you are.

Together, they talk about:

• Why so many pastor’s wives struggle with people-pleasing and imposter syndrome
• The difference between striving to meet expectations and resting in God’s truth
• How faith and therapy work together in healing
• Setting biblical boundaries without guilt
• Learning to ask, “Who told you that?” when lies and self-criticism creep in

If you’re feeling unseen, overwhelmed, or unsure of who you are beyond your role, this episode is an invitation to slow down, lean in, and remember that God hasn’t lost you — and your identity is secure in Christ.

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!

Send Ashley a text!

Reset with Encouragement ✨

Encouragement isn’t small—it’s powerful.

In Day 11 of the Pastor Wife Life 2026 Reset, we talk about how your words carry weight, how encouragement shapes the emotional culture of your church, and how a simple kind word can strengthen a weary heart—including your own.

Today’s challenge is simple: encourage one woman.
It’s inexpensive, but it makes a huge impact.

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!

Send Ashley a text!

Reset Your Boundaries ✨

Boundaries aren’t unspiritual.
They’re biblical, wise, and protective.

In Day 10 of the Pastor Wife Life 2026 Reset, we talk about why boundaries matter, how Jesus modeled them, and how setting just one healthy boundary can protect your calling, your home, and your heart.

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Join the Private Facebook Community

The Pastor Wife Life group on Facebook is a private group just for you! We'd love to connect with you.

Be A Guest on The Pastor Wife Life

Go to the FAQ page to find out how you can be on an episode of the PWP. I promise - it's painless!