I love it when flowers and a legacy of encouragement go together as in the life of the late Dr. Lois Evans. After her homegoing on December 30, 2019, the same month she turned 70, Lois’s family wrote, “In lieu of flowers, we would love your help in continuing the ministry to Pastors’ Wives that was dear to Lois’ heart.”
Her husband, Pastor Tony Evans wrote, “In honor of Lois, I would also love for you to consider sending flowers this week to your Pastor’s wife. Lois loved receiving flowers but she also loved giving them. Because her passion was ministering to pastors’ wives and making sure they felt loved and cared for, your gift of flowers in her memory would be a gift to us as well.”
I (Denna) am a part of the PW group Lois started on FB, a safe place to share ministry concerns, fears, and prayer requests as well as ask questions pertaining to the life of a ministry wife. Lois touched many a timid pastor’s wife as they were just starting out and remained faithful over the years to encourage and equip many ministry wives. I had only been a part of this group for about two years when Lois passed away. Her legacy continues as others keep her ministry of encouragement to PW’s going.
What about you? Does your pastor’s wife know you appreciate her?
A couple of years ago in October, a couple from our church showed up on our doorstep with a gift for me (Wendy). It was the largest glass flower vase I’d seen before full of bright and bold blooms and a homemade apple pie. What was I feeling at that moment? Surprised. Pleased. Appreciated.
When you do something like sending your pastor’s wife flowers you encourage her. That is exactly why we named this ministry “Flowers for the Pastor’s Wife.” Our theme verse for the ministry sums it up best: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing,” Thessalonians 5:11.
To encourage means to come alongside another person. Your pastor’s wife needs someone to come alongside her as she juggles her daily responsibilities as a wife, mother, co-worker, friend, servant in the church…so many roles with so many challenges.
Our goal at Flowers is that every article we write will be like a special gift of encouragement to the women reading the blog, like receiving a bouquet of flowers.
We can write the articles, but you can give the flowers.
Consider doing that today for your pastor’s wife, and you will be giving so much more than flowers. You’ll be giving appreciation, encouragement, love, blessing, thoughtfulness, life. The message a gift of flowers sends is even bigger than an arrangement of colorful blossoms.
You could start a new legacy of encouragement to your pastor’s wife. I think Lois would approve.
