Welcome back to The Woman Beside the Man! It's my complete pleasure to introduce you to Shane at Heart Reflections. Don't forget to take note of the question she asks of us in #7. I'm loving the interaction so y'all chat it up! And lay people? Don't feel left out. Please chime in with your own responses and feel free to contribute your thoughts regarding the relationships between congregations and the ministry wives who serve them.


1. Share your real name and blog name:

Shane at Heart Reflections

2. In what area/areas of ministry do you serve alongside your husband?

I serve with my hubby in worship – as I am a praise team leader. I also started a women’s ministry approx 5 years ago. You can read more details about my journey into women’s ministry here:

http://heartreflections.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/how-it-all-began

How long have you been in ministry? I grew up in the church loving music. So, music started way back when. But as I stated above it’s been about 5 years being really active.

3. What is your favorite part of being a ministry wife?

My favorite part of being married to my preacher-man is the first-hand experience of God’s work in others lives. Often, the life is my own. My hubby, Marc, really was the first one to introduce me into a relationship with Christ. Growing up in the church it was just a piece of my life, Jesus wasn’t ingrained into every part of me. So, watching our church grow into a deeper relationship with Christ is amazing.

4. Describe your personal giftedness. How do you exercise that within the church?

Do I have to? Can’t I write about my weaknesses? Well, actually that might be my gift. Let’s see here… I believe God has gifted me with a sense of being REAL. This gift came wrapped up in an ugly package of postpartum depression. Through this journey (and my ongoing battle with depression) God revealed the beauty of humility and vulnerability. It takes one woman to share her story to reach other’s hearts. Once the doors open, suddenly you find yourself in a community of believers who are real, honest, and understanding.

5. If you have children, what’s the most embarrassing PK thing they’ve ever done?

Where do I begin? My little one, in Kindergarten, loves telling people her Daddy is the Pastor. She goes to our church school. Everyone already knows who she is and who her Daddy is. But I think it’s so cute that she continues to let everyone know just who were Daddy is. Couldn’t we all be like this with our heavenly Father?

But, the MOST embarrassing probably comes from a sermon series my husband did a few years ago. The series was entitled Home Makeover: Church Edition (I think!). It was based upon our home’s need for reconstruction because our daughters FLOODED the house. Yep! They played slip n slide during their nap time. These ingenious girls (at age 3 & 5) let the water run full blast in the tiny sink upstairs. The water then flowed into the hallway, where they took clothes, towels, anything they could use to water down their runway. It was all fun and games into the ceiling in the lower level collapsed! True Story!

6. What is the single most important piece of advice you would like to offer other ministry wives?

Be yourself. If you don’t know who that is, spend time in God’s Word and have Him reveal it to you. Don’t rush into any commitments just because you think it’s the right thing to do. If people criticize you, let it roll off your shoulders. Remember the Beatitudes, Matthew 4:11-12: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

7. Do you have a question about ministry life you’d like answered by those who reading this spotlight?

How do you stay fresh in your relationship with Christ?

8. Where can we visit you on the web? (blog url)

http://www.heartreflections.wordpress.com/ and www.ShanesHeart.com