Who Are You Accountable To?

Who Are You Accountable To – Part One

I am not someone who jumps in feet first. No, no, no. I have to test the waters and then slowly wade into the water. So, as you can imagine, I looked at quite a few blogs before starting this one. In particular I looked at other minister’s wife’s blogs. Some were cute, some not so cute. One late night I found a few blogs that broke my heart. They were all about minister’s wife’s who had called it quits. All of them shared their stories about heart-ache, bitterness, guilt, shame and sadness. Some of them did have happy endings, but some of them didn’t. As I was reading through their stories I started to think, “What happened?” and “Why did this have to happen”.
I believe that one of the reasons why is, they simply had no one to talk to. I don’t care who you are or what type of profession you are in, as a woman you will always need someone to talk to.
Two years ago a sweet friend in our church decided to start an accountability group with myself and a few other ladies in our church. I can honestly say it has changed my life. Every Tuesday night I swing by Starbucks, get my drink of choice and head on over to my Porch Pals meeting. As an associate Pastor’s wife I KNOW that I have a safe place to share my struggles, my fear, my joy and my life.
Why is this important? Well, come back on Wednesday and I’ll share why.
How can you start this? Come back on Friday and I’ll share that too!

Saturday

I love people who post on the weekend, so I thought I would return the favor! Nothing serious, just a yummy recipe I have been using over and over since I learned how to make it.

So who doesn't like a recipe that starts out with one of these?

Yummy BBQ Pork

8-9 lb. Boston Butt

1-2 bottles of Sweet Baby Rays Sauce (yes, it's at Walmart)

1/2 cup of your favorite mustard BBQ sauce ***

Place the meat in your crock-pot and pour in enough water just to cover the bottom. Salt and pepper it if you like. Put it on low and let it cook all night long (about 8-10 hours).

Take out meat (it should be falling apart at this point) and shred it. Drain out excess water from your crock-pot and put shredded meat back in. Keep it on the "warm" temperature. Add the sauces to the meat and mix. Cover and let it sit in your crock-pot for about another hour.

YUM-O!

My sweet friend told me that instead of the sauces, she uses a package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix and brown sugar. Then shreds hers and puts in over rice.

Uh, double YUM-O!

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend! See ya again on Monday.

*** I had to mention that I, being from the great state of TEXAS(!!!) did not have an affectionate feeling toward anything that called itself BBQ sauce and had the word mustard in it. But, I have to say that this is pretty good, and when you can't run down the street to pick up Rudy's BBQ you have to make the best of what you have! :)

Who Are You?

Hello blogging world! Let me introduce myself. My name is Leslie. I am a wife to an associate pastor and the mother of the two little one’s you see pictured above.
This is the first official day of my blog, Purposeful Steps, and I am so honored that you stopped by to take a peek!
The name of this blog comes from a verse in I Corinthians 9:26, “I run with purpose in every step”. This is the heart-beat I have for this blog. I want to encourage, up-lift and challenge all of you who read it.
As I have stated before, this blog is designed for women who are married to men that are on staff at a church, but please don’t let that stop you if that’s not your call in life. Everyone can relate to the topics that will be discussed here.
My agenda is simple. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I will talk about a serious topic. Any other day of the week will probably be random thoughts and family stuff.
I hope to see you soon!

More Topics!!

I'm getting really excited! Can you tell? HA!
Anyway, here are a few more:

• Five Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Entered The Ministry
• The Gamaliel Therory
• Whatever Happened To Joseph Called Barsabbas

See ya in a few weeks!

I just wanted to remind everyone that I will be starting this blog on January 01, 2009! I am super excited and at the same time a little nervous (a good nervous). Over the last couple of months God has been bringing more topics to my mind and I hope that those of you who take the time to read these posts will make honest and heart-felt comments. I do not mind criticism AT ALL. That's how we learn!
Anyway, please join me here on 01/01/2009! I am so excitied! I'm going to send out a couple of e-mail reminders/invites to some of my friends, so if you get one that's why! If you have any friends that are staff wives or know of someone who is on staff at a church please invite them to read this blog.
AND if you are ever interested in being a "guest blogger" (HA!) just let me know!
Thanks! And I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!
Leslie

Topics to Begin With......Part II

I have to admitt that I am becoming VERY excited about this blog. I can't wait to start it at the beginning of the year. I have thought of a few more topics I will try and tackle. Here they are in no particular order:

• Bloom Where You Are Planted
• Zip Your Lip and Throw Away The Key
• The High Wire Act

I hope that all of you were able to do something special for your senior pastor and his family this past month. I know that whatever it was it meant something to them.

Please feel free to tell any of your friends who might be in a support role at their church to come and join in on the discussions.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Topics to Begin With.....

Here are a few of the topics I'll be blogging about next year. For the two or three of you who are actually reading this now, please let me know what you think and any other topics you are interested in! Here they are in no particular order:

• How to support your pastor's wife
• How to deal with hurt from another staff or church member
• How to walk away from gossip
• How to learn to live in the shadows
• The best way to be a friend to your pastor's wife
• Who are you accountable to
• Sometimes you have to take the lead