This is a tribute to my wife, Lindsey.

Sundays are especially difficult for her. She’s a single mom each and every Sunday.

That’s not to take away from those who are single mothers everyday. Rather, it’s to say thank you to her and the other wives of pastors who spend Sundays wrangling kids and losing sanity.

From breakfast to bath to getting them dressed and over to the church on time and preparing her own heart for worship to what’s for lunch and giving the afternoon over to meetings and the like…my hunch is that most Sundays for my wife are a mixture of joy, sadness, loneliness, and despair. And it isn’t a hunch. She’s told me this.

I get the handshakes and “atta boys” and pats on the back. I sit up front and am reflective–when I’m not stressed over the details. I meet others and listen and respond appropriately. And that’s the routine for most pastors on Sunday morning.

That world doesn’t exist for my wife.

She is the unsung hero of every Sunday in my book, though.

She makes possible what I get to do. She sacrifices her focus and calm for the sake of my own and that of the church congregation. She puts aside her desire to be fully present in a serving capacity in order to serve the body by doing what only she can do–being my wife and being mommy to Ben and Nora Jane. She is as much responsible for the well-being of our church body as I am, but nobody thinks of her in that way.

To her and all the other Sunday single moms, thank you. You’re under-appreciated by pretty much everyone, and some of the time by your own husband. But we love you. We are so thankful for you. Your work is for the joy of God’s people and the glory of His name.

Here she is at baby #3’s gender reveal party. Even in the madness she looks stunning and keeps her incredible wit. Love this woman!