Minister's Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Doubt, Friendship, Loneliness, Forgiveness, and More [Paperback]

She never expected to be a minister’s wife. And the life she discovered was more challenging—and more beautiful—than she could have anticipated.
We all wrestle with tough questions about life and faith, and Karen Stiller has learned that answers don’t come any easier when you’re married to the minister. What does it mean to live faithfully in our complicated world? Is there a place here for me—the real me? What does everyone expect of me, and what if I fail?In The Minister’s Wife, Karen shines a light on the rhythms and tough realities of the spiritual life for each and every one of us. She explores how community helps us grow; the unexpected beauty of doubt; the messy pain of families and funerals; how church can hurt and heal; and the beauty of showing up when sometimes it is more appealing to go to a coffee shop on a Sunday morning (even when you’re the pastor’s wife).

Warm, witty, and achingly honest, The Minister’s Wifeis a memoir in essays on choosing to belong, and an invitation to join a spiritual adventure.Stiller (Going Missional), senior editor of Faith Todaymagazine, wrestles with a role she didn’t expect to take on in this sharply funny memoir-in-essays. Stiller and her husband, Brent, had planned to help start a Bible college in Africa until Brent’s seminary training within the Anglican Church called for him to become a minister in rural Saskatchewan. Stiller speaks eloquently on friendship, the joy of newfound community, and the pleasures of Christmas: “I am the coach; Brent is the boxer; and the Christmas season is round after round of special services.” Stiller is also forthcoming about the struggles and rewards of being a minister’s wife, explaining the pain and joy of periodically moving along with her husband’s ministry. She also explores the triumphs (ilcI