You’ve probably know about the buzz that surrounds the pastor’s wife.  Every church is different, but drama can unfold at the smallest event.  For some reason, people tend to expect more from a pastor’s wife, as if godliness is somehow endowed upon the minister and his spouse.   She didn’t show up for Wednesday night dinner?!  Did you see that she wore jeans to the Christmas party?!   It’s like being The First Lady on a smaller scale.  When I received this book to review, that image is kind of what I had in mind. I hate to admit that sometimes Christians are the hardest critics to please.  Instead of being accepting, loving, and non-judgmental, sometimes Christians can be extremely picky and haughty.  I know of many strong Christians who left the church after having a difficult time at a church or a biblical school, and it is heartbreaking to realize that the very ones who should be welcoming are possibly the ones driving people away.  Petty things belong in high school, it’s time to start behaving like Jesus wants us to act.

One of my dearest friends is a pastor’s wife and I have witnessed her struggles.  The pressures from the church family as well as the outside world are just overwhelming for these women.  The new novel Pastors’ Wives is a glimpse into this world which is at the same time private and very public.  The setting is a mega-church, which isn’t typical of most houses of worship, but the message still translates to other churches.   Although it’s a book about pastor’s wives, it’s not exactly a Christian book.  The story is about the characters, not about how to deepen one’s faith.   If you’re looking for a devotional or some uplifting messages for pastor’s wives, this is not the book you want.  This is a novel and reads like one.  It’s really a great read, one that made me care deeply for the characters.  It gave me some food for thought about the way I’ve underappreciated the pastors’ wives in my life.  If you are involved in a church, reading Pastor’s Wives might give you some insight into the lives of the women who stand behind the men in your leadership.  It’s also a good reminder that we’re all girlfriends in the end….let’s start acting like it!

I participated in the book tour for Pastor’s Wives. I received a copy of this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.