A few weeks ago, some of our Amish friends, who had been traveling, stopped by our home for a visit. Traveling in their driver’s van, there were four Amish couples, plus their driver and his wife. Soon after they arrived, my husband fired up the barbecue grill and we shared a meal on our patio with these dear friends from Indiana. Afterwards, we gathered in our family room and had a wonderful time of singing, with the accompaniment of my husband’s guitar and our Amish friend’s harmonica. I even did a short routine with my ventriloquist figure, Randy Right.

In a few days we will be visiting several of our Amish friends in their Indiana homes. Most of those visits will involve a meal, as well as singing and fellowshipping with one another. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with friends, when we can share prayer requests and get caught up on one another’s lives.

Have you enjoyed the company of a friend recently? If so, did you gather for a meal, talk on the phone or do some fun activity together?

In my novel, The Healing Jar, Mary Ruth became a widow. At first she felt lost and like her life had no meaning. Having members of her family around helped to fill her lonely days, but she still grieved the loss of her husband. She took comfort, however, in knowing that her beloved husband was with the Lord and no longer suffering.

What can be done for a person who has suffered such bereavement? If you have lost someone close to you, what helped the most as you moved forward?

In my novel, The Healing Jar, Brad was a pastor, dedicated to preaching God’s Word and helping others. Sara had taken on the role of a pastor’s wife. Can you think of ways these responsibilities are fulfilling as well as stressful?

My husband served 20 years in the ministry, and he had numerous responsibilities during that time. As a pastor’s wife, I did my best to be supportive and helpful to him. Like Richard, I cared about the people who attended our church, and we enjoyed reaching out to those in our congregation with love.

Do you pray often for your pastor, as well as the pastor’s family? What are some things we can do to show love and appreciation of the clergy and their family in the church we attend?