One of the greatest challenges for pastors’ wives is Sunday. It’s the one day when their husband needs to care for everyone (in a sense) except for his own family. Some laymens’ wives, whose husbands are involved in some sort of ministry, have a semblance of what this feels like. But for pastors’ wives, they tend to be a widow for the day, taking care of all of the children and often having a mere couple of words in edgewise on Sunday.

So for my wife Shua, who has been a Sunday widow for the past 10 years, I want to say, “Thank you for your heart for the Lord and your love for the church.”

Janelle Bradshaw has a great post from her own personal experience on this subject and she gives these three helpful thoughts to women in such a circumstance, especially when that thought of, “Why did I even go?” props up:

1. “Going it alone” shows my kids I love the church. It proves Daddy and Mommy really mean it when we tell them: “Sunday is the most important day of the week” and that’s true for all of us, not just Daddy. It shows them what it looks like to be committed to the church even when it is not convenient or easy. Sure, they may not understand that lesson now, but someday, by God’s grace, they will.

2. “Going it alone” shows the church I love the church. Whether we’re aware of it, or not, people are watching us. They notice when we attend and when we don’t. (Actually, sometimes, when my kids are screaming, they can’t help but notice I’m in attendance!) But simply by showing up at a picnic, the Sunday morning meeting, or any other church event, I am showing the people in the church that I care about them and that I want to be with them, even when it isn’t easy. And hopefully I’m encouraging them, (with actions, if not with words) to love the church too.

3. “Going it alone” shows I believe God is at work. God is always at work in the church! He’s always up to stuff—conforming us all to be more like His Son, building us together in unity, using our lives to display the gospel and using our words to preach the gospel. If I truly believe this then I’ll go expecting God to work, even through an overwhelmed mom with two crying, hungry children (and no sunscreen!).