Ruth Nieves

Lately I have read, received texts, gotten calls from friends, family and colleagues who are in this very hour experiencing one of the toughest battles of their lives. Not too long ago I also experienced physical pain, mental and emotional turmoil. It wrecked havoc on my body like I never experienced before. Sounds like Midol would be in order, but it wasn't that type of pain or turmoil. I couldn't understand where it was coming from or how I got to that point. Waking up drenched in a cold sweat, not sleeping, worrying and fearsome. Totally not  like me at all. Especially with the whole sleeping thing (just ask Joe and he will tell you just how much I love my sleep!). Then I would get up in the morning and do it all over again, sick and exhausted. Right now, someone very close to me is experiencing this very same thing. The tests are all coming back negative. Sonograms and blood work. Doctor's are not sure why she is having so much pain. Why she can't sleep. Why she is

I did a mini survey of Pastor's Wives and Women in Ministry and of the oddest, funniest, coolest gifts they had ever gotten. There is a reason behind the madness. I start laughing at the thought of the gifts that people give ministry families. I asked myself this question as I was putting away a food basket that had been given to us by a church as I had to throw out most of the food items because some of them had been dated as old as I was. One in particular can of string beans, if that's what they still were, was dated 1972. 1972??? Really??? I was shocked and then I started to laugh taking note of the person who had given us the item so that we would avoid dinner dates at their home...LOL!! In our short years of ministry I've received self help books on how to avoid conflict in my life, how to become spiritually mature, what not to wear, and how to pray as a Pastor's wife, Weight Watchers cook books, tips on how to clean and maintain a home and the list goes on. But I