The Ministry Wives and Women Podcast with Andrea Griffith

Andrea Griffith
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Christianity

Ministry Wives & Women is a podcast for ministry wives and women seeking encouragement, spiritual depth, and honest conversation for the journey of faith. everyday life, and the challenges of church leadership. Hosted by Andrea Griffith, each episode offers thoughtful wisdom, real stories, and gospel-centered hope to help women live with greater resilience, authenticity, and grace in every season.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    Ministry Wives Don't Have to Do This Alone

    What if the isolation you feel in ministry isn't proof that something's wrong with you—but proof that you were never meant to carry this alone? In this episode, Andrea sits down with Luchrysta Caswell and Ashley Bennett, two longtime pastors' wives and Parakaleo leaders, to talk honestly about the ambiguity of being married to a church planter, the crushing weight of expectations we place on ourselves, and how the gospel becomes slippery even when we say we believe it. They open up about their own rescues—stories of feeling seen at the bottom of a cliff, of eyes that never look away, of friends who count "3, 2, 1" until you can jump. You'll hear why relational space, safety, and time are where healing actually happens, and why no one arrives—not the host, not the guests, not you. Wherever you're standing today, you are not alone, and Jesus is still the guardian of your soul.

  2. Aug 6

    I Can't Do Any More: Honest Conversation on Burnout for Ministry Wives

    Have you ever dragged yourself into another Sunday morning with a knotted stomach, a shorter fuse, and the quiet suspicion that you should be able to handle this? What if those symptoms aren't proof you're failing — but an invitation to stop performing and come home to Jesus? In this conversation, Ashley Bennett joins Andrea to talk honestly about burnout in ministry — the physical warning signs, the shame spiral of "everyone else could do this better," and the exhausting work of trying to be everyone's little-s savior. Ashley shares how learning boundaries as a way of loving, resting in the omniscience and omnipresence of God, and doing the internal heart work (not just calendar work) has slowly reshaped how she carries the weight of loving her church. If you're burned out, barely holding on, or somewhere in between, you are not alone. Come sit with us as we point one another back to the only One whose yoke is easy and whose rest is real. I'll be praying that you experience the nearness of Jesus.

  3. Jul 30

    Give and Take: Honest Marriage Rhythms for Pastors and Their Wives

    What if the most spiritual thing you did this week was take a walk, laugh with a friend, or tell your husband, "I can't hear that right now"? For ministry wives running on empty, self-care isn't self-indulgence—it's stewardship of the person God actually made you to be. In part two with Hollie Mendenhall, Andrea and Hollie get honest about the ditches on both sides of self-care, the exhaustion of trying to be someone you're not, and why Psalm 139 changes how you show up on Sunday. They swap real stories—hiding a mannequin head around the church, Styrofoam-peanut pranks on staff, Costco pizza run-ins with families who just left—because laughter and friendship are part of how the Lord sustains us. But the anchor holds deeper than any rhythm. Hollie names it plainly: resilience comes from prayer, from worship that breaks chains, from remembering that Jesus loves your people more than you do. If you're barely holding on, you are not alone. We'll be praying you experience the nearness of Jesus.

  4. Jul 23

    When the Pastor's Wife Breaks Down in the Back Pew

    What if the pressure you feel to be everywhere, do everything, and hold it all together isn't actually coming from Jesus? What if it's coming from an image of "the pastor's wife" that no one ever asked you to carry? In this conversation, Andrea sits down with her longtime friend Hollie Mendenhall — 27 years of marriage, 23 addresses, children's ministry, executive pastor's wife, Air Force chaplain's wife, and now an operations specialist — to talk honestly about resiliency, priorities, and the day Holly sat in a church service and wept through the whole thing because she had nothing left. You'll hear how she learned to advocate for herself, protect her home as a safe place, and let her husband speak wisdom into what she says yes and no to. Whether you're thriving, barely holding on, or somewhere in between, you are not alone. Shepherd your heart, run to Jesus first, and remember that you can't pour from an empty cup — but he never runs dry.

  5. Jul 16

    Letting Go of the Pressure to Hold It All Together

    What if the very things that make you feel like you're failing in ministry — the sullen teenager handing out bulletins, the elder critiquing your husband's jeans, the text from a family leaving the church — are the exact places Jesus wants to meet you? In this conversation, Denine Blevins returns to talk honestly about the unique vulnerabilities of ministry wives: the relentlessness of Sunday mornings, the loneliness of conflict inside the very community meant to be your safe place, and the lie that we have to be omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent for our people. Denine names her own near-burnout a year ago and the slow, ordinary work of counseling, safe friends, and gospel reminders that brought her back. The invitation isn't a how-to. It's an operating system shift — repenting of the omnis, embracing our limits, and trusting that God can work in, around, despite, or without us. You are not alone, and Jesus is enough.

  6. Jul 9

    Church Planting Is Hard: Why Wives Need Their Own Lifeline

    What if the very ministry you're pouring yourself into is quietly draining the life out of you—and you've convinced yourself that's just the cost of being faithful? In this episode, Andrea sits down with Denine Blevins, Executive Director of Parakaleo, to talk honestly about the unique weight women carry in church planting. Denine shares her own story of nearly burning out while building beautiful Sunday experiences she didn't even want to attend, and how Parakaleo didn't hand her better ministry tactics—it handed her a mirror to see her own heart through the lens of the gospel. If you're a church planter's wife, a woman on a planting team, or a sister in ministry who feels forgotten in the resource pile, this conversation names the chaos, the loneliness, and the identity questions you've been carrying. You are not alone. Your heart matters to Jesus more than the institution—and there's a community ready to point you back to Him.

  7. Jul 2

    When Suffering Knocks You Down: Building Resilience as a Ministry Wife

    What if resilience isn't about being tough — but about being curious? What if the very moments that knock you flat are the ones God is using to write a story better than the one you'd hold the pen for yourself? In this conversation, Angela Davis is back with us to unpack the misconceptions that keep us stuck — stuffing emotions, isolating, distracting, and white-knuckling control. As a counselor and pastor's wife, Angela walks us through Romans 5 and Curt Thompson's work on suffering, helping us see perseverance as the long road and resilience as the strength to get back up inside the hard thing. She shares honestly about a two-year lawsuit in the middle of a church exodus, and what it looked like to keep trusting Jesus through it. You are not alone, friend. Whether you're persevering or just trying to get back up today, we want to point you to the Author who is writing a good story, and to the names of God that meet you right where you are. I'll be praying that you experience the nearness of Jesus.

  8. Jun 24

    When Friends Leave the Church: A Pastor's Wife on Isolation, Counseling, and Hope

    What do you do when the people who welcomed you into the church are the same ones now walking out the door — and saying hard things about your husband on the way? In this conversation, counselor and pastor's wife Angela Davis sits down with Andrea to talk honestly about the 2020 season when a wave of people left their church, and how she defaulted to her old pattern: isolate, stuff it, hide behind her kids, and quietly let bitterness take root. Angela walks us through what finally moved her — a counselor's curious questions, the Holy Spirit's nudge back toward community, and the slow work of letting Scripture rewrite the narrative she'd been telling herself alone. If you tend to withdraw, numb, fight, or fawn when ministry hurts, this one is for you. Angela reminds us that you cannot be critical and curious at the same time, that some weight is not yours to carry, and that Jesus is still the friend who sticks closer than a brother. You are not alone.

  9. Jun 18

    When a Pastor's Wife Says 'I'm Done': Teresa Whiting's Story

    What do you do when you've loved being a pastor's wife for two decades, and one morning you hear yourself say, "I'm done"? What do you do when a petition arrives by certified mail, signed by people you called friends? And what do you do when the bitterness scares you more than the wound? In this conversation, Teresa Whiting returns to talk honestly about a season that nearly took her out of ministry — and how the slow work of forgiveness, spoken out loud, broke something open. She and Andrea sit in the real cost of being hurt by the church while still loving the Bride of Christ, and name the cynicism that creeps in when we harbor hurt instead of bringing it to Jesus. You'll hear why Scripture, journaling, safe community, and stepping away matter — and why Jesus' invitation, "Come to me, all who are weary," is still the anchor. You are not alone.

  10. Jun 11

    How Ministry Wives Stay Resilient: Grief, Hope, and Real Conversations with Teresa Whiting

    When everything familiar is stripped away and your roots are pulled up yet again, how do you keep your heart soft and your hope alive? In this heartfelt conversation, Teresa Whiting and Andrea Griffith open the door to the real challenges of a life called to ministry. From eight cross-country moves to deep wounds and restless transitions, Teresa shares the pain of goodbyes, the ache of being misunderstood, and the practical ways she’s learned to grieve and rebuild each time. Together, they refuse to downplay the cost but point back to the solid ground of God’s promises, the power of community, and the comfort of Scripture. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re alone or if the anxiety and grief are normal, this episode is for you. Come sit with two friends—honest, vulnerable, and full of grace—who’ve been there and are still in process. In every uprooting, loss, or battle, you’ll find fresh reminders that it is possible to walk forward with resilience, open hands, and hearts anchored in the hope of Jesus. Resources Mentioned In The Episode: Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop

  11. Jun 4

    When Authenticity Hurts: How Ministry Wives Build Resilience Through Vulnerability

    Have you ever wondered if genuine honesty in ministry is worth the pain? What do you do when your vulnerability leaves you feeling exposed, lonely, or even rejected by those who should understand? In this candid conversation, Andrea Griffith invites Ann Wilson to pull back the curtain on a lifetime of leadership, confession, and grace. From unforgettable small group moments to the raw ache of church hurt, together they explore why true authenticity draws us closer to Jesus—and to each other—even when it stings. With real stories of missteps, longing for approval, and daily surrender, you’ll discover a blueprint for finding hope in the honest middle of ministry life. If you’ve ever felt alone in your struggles, unsure if you can keep pouring out, or desperate for someone to just be real—this episode is your invitation to exhale. Grab your coffee, settle in, and come be reminded that our broken places are where God loves to meet us. There’s beauty on the other side of the veil. Resources Mentioned:Welcoming Prayer The spiritual practice of letting go of false patterns and welcoming the Holy Spirit in the ordinary moments of life. Trusting that the Holy Spirit does the work of transformation, we need only become aware. 1. Focus and sink into the body sensation; do not resist, experience the sensation. 2. Gently say the word, Welcome embracing the Holy Spirit. I let go of my attachment to security/survival. Welcome I let go of my attachment to approval/affection. Welcome I let go of my attachment to change (any situation, event, person, feeling, emotion) Welcome Holy Spirit

  12. May 25

    Building Resilience in Ministry: Honest Stories & Gospel Strength with Ann Wilson

    When was the last time you felt like hiding, weary from carrying the weight of ministry, and wondered if you could ever bounce back? Today, we open the very first episode of The Church Hub Ministry Wives & Women Podcast—diving headfirst into the often unseen struggle for resilience. Join Andrea Griffith and special guest Ann Wilson as they talk openly about the sting of criticism, the temptation to withdraw, and the powerful breakthrough found in gospel grace, trusted friends, and honest conversations. Through laughter, pain, and lessons from decades in ministry, their stories will point you back to Jesus. If you’ve ever questioned your calling, mourned your weakness, or longed for a safe place to be real, you’re not alone. Tune in and find hope, insight, and encouragement rooted in the Word—reminding you that resilience is possible, one surrendered day at a time.

  • 12 Episodes

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Ministry Wives & Women is a podcast for ministry wives and women seeking encouragement, spiritual depth, and honest conversation for the journey of faith. everyday life, and the challenges of church leadership. Hosted by Andrea Griffith, each episode offers thoughtful wisdom, real stories, and gospel-centered hope to help women live with greater resilience, authenticity, and grace in every season.

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