How I Balance My Family and Ministry Responsibilities

by Karen A. Wrobbel

Balancing family and ministry is a continual challenge for all married missionaries (men, too!). For me, two things have been key—priorities and discipline.

Balancing family and ministry is a continual challenge for all married missionaries (men, too!). For me, two things have been key—priorities and discipline.

Finding balance starts with determining priorities. I learned early in our ministrythat there was far more to do than I ever could—and that’s just counting the worthwhile things. So, I need to decide what is important and what I can realistically do, and then say No to the rest. That isn’t always easy, and those decisions mean that people aren’t always happy with me, either.

Priorities do not mean, however, a family idolatry philosophy that can cut off our involvement in ministry (because there are always needs at home). Priorities mean that spending time with our daughters every day is important, but that the house doesn’t need to be as clean as I might want.

Sometimes my involvement in ministry makes supper a little late, or causes another nonessential to be adjusted. But that’s the key—the nonessentials are adjusted. What I won’t adjust is daily time for my husband and children and being available to meet their needs.

Self-discipline provides feet to carry out priorities. It takes discipline to stick to your priorities. For example, when the girls were young, I planned to be available in the evenings to help with their homework. I didn’t grade papers or do other ministry duties until Beth and Rebekah were in bed. My availability was important, even when the papers were piling up. As they’ve grown and have later bedtimes, I try to limit my other evening activities so that I have time for them.

Self-discipline also helps me stay ahead of deadlines. If I’m a bit ahead, a sick child or other complication won’t wreak havoc with my schedule.

Lest I sound perfect, let me assure you that it doesn’t always go as planned, nor am I always (or even close to) the perfect mother. I make mistakes and blow the balance at times, but I keep working toward a healthy balance.

—–

Karen Wrobbel and her husband, Paul, have two teenage daughters, Beth, a high school senior, and Rebekah, a sophomore. The Wrobbels serve with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) at the Evangelical Christian Academy, a school for the children of missionaries, in Madrid, Spain. Paul is the school’s headmaster. Karen, the assistant headmaster, also teaches.

Copyright © 1997 Evangelism and Missions Information Service (EMIS). All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMIS.

Comments are closed.