The Pastor's Helpmate
A Wife’s-Eye View from the Parsonage Window
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"No, my husband isn't here. He won't be home until late tonight." No sooner had the words left my lips on that hot July afternoon than I regretted having said them. Since that was impossible, the only thing to do was talk to the strange man who stood at my door. Middle-aged, with weathered skin, he was sweating profusely with hair sticking to his foreheadd. However, this did not hide a scar stretching across the left side of his forehead and cheek. At first glance I surmised this was a man who had lived a hard life, a rough character, indeed. My eyes swept across the driveway and church parking lot. No vehicle in sight. Where had he come from? What was he doing here? It was not unusual for strangers to stop by. Usually they needed money for gas or a motel. At times they needed counseling or a meal. This one seemed different. I had the uneasy feeling that he was not the typical visitor. His first question was to inquire whether the pastor was home. I told him he was conducting revival services fifty miles away and would not be home until late that night. There, I had done it. In my first sentence I had blurted out the information that I was home alone and would be several hours. Fear gripped me. The longer he talked, the more frightened I became. He confirmed my first impression of his lifestyle by stating he was an ex-convict who was with the carnival in town. He wanted to leave the carnival and had walked six miles to get this far. Upon seeing the church sign, he decided to stop and ask about what it meant to be a Christian. Since my husband wasn't home, he asked if he could come in and discuss the matter with me. What if this were just a ploy to get inside the house? He could see there were no neighbors close enough for me to call.
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About the Book
For shy little hillbilly Altha Murphy, it was a long journey from the Ozark foothills to serving in twenty-one churches during a forty-six-year period. In this memoir, The Pastor’s Helpmate, Murphy shares her personal stories and anecdotes of what it was like to be the wife of a pastor who served in churches in the backwoods, small towns, and the inner city.
Filled with poignant insights, Murphy illustrates how God has worked in her life. She expresses the doubts, fears, and perplexities she and her husband, Truett, experienced throughout their life with the church. The Pastor’s Helpmate illustrates how she found comfort in the Bible and through relationships with parishioners, neighbors, family members, and students. She describes how her life was enriched by all of the people she met throughout the years.
With honesty and humor, Murphy provides a peek into the day-to-day life of a pastor and his family. From good to bad, and sad to funny, The Pastor’s Helpmate relates the joy gained from the lifetime bonds that were formed and the lessons learned during her long journey.
About the Author
Altha Murphy grew up on a farm in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. She holds a BSE and two MSEs in education. She had a career as a public school teacher and administrator. She’s been a minister’s wife for forty-six years and lives in Imboden, Arkansas.