Recently, a female Christian from South China shared her experience of being a pastor's wife and a working mother.
Liang Qionghua (pseudonym) has been married to her husband for a duration of five years and they have a four-year-old child. Liang is engaged in weekday employment, while her husband, a pastor, is occupied with his duties on weekends.
The following is an excerpt from an interview between Liang and the Christian Times, an online Christian newspaper in China.
Christian Times: Could you share your spiritual journey with us?
Liang Qionghua: I actually embraced the gospel during my initial job experience, as my employer was a Christian who frequently organized gatherings. Initially a nonbeliever, he later became a believer due to an accident. Witnessing the positive impact of his newfound faith, he encouraged his colleagues to join him in following the Lord.
During my early days of faith, my elder brother strongly opposed it. While I listened to hymns, he would play Buddhist songs in an attempt to dissuade me. Being from the Chaozhou and Shantou regions, where local customs involve idol worship, my parents and other relatives subjected me to severe persecution. However, I managed to bring my brother to a praise meeting, which deeply moved him, eventually leading him to become a believer. Given his influence within the family, when he shared the gospel with my mother, my parents also came to believe in Jesus.
Christian Times: How do you balance your roles as a pastor's wife and a full-time working mother?
Liang Qionghua: My husband is a pastor, and I am in the workplace, so my involvement in church ministries is limited.
Being the primary caregiver for our child, I often find it challenging to allocate sufficient time to spend with my husband. Unfortunately, he tends to be busiest when I have some downtime, and this is where our main difficulty lies. I eagerly anticipate occasions when I can rest and enjoy quality time with our child, venturing out together.
He visits believers from Monday to Friday, a time when I am occupied with work and cannot accompany him. Additionally, there may be female Christians in the church who require pastoral care, but it is not suitable for a male pastor to attend to their needs. I conclude my work at 6 o'clock in the evening, precisely when he needs to pick up our child. Hence, I hope to be able to leave my professional occupation and wholeheartedly devote myself to caring for our family, thereby enabling my husband to serve more effectively.
Christian Times: What kind of education concept do you have to raise your children?
Liang Qionghua: The bottom line for our family is that our children must receive a Christian education. We are committed to regularly reading the Bible and engaging in prayer with our children, ensuring their growth and development is accompanied by a sense of security.
We have reached an understanding to entrust other matters to God while prioritizing our child's Christian education. Whenever necessary, we impose discipline upon our child.
Christian Times: Is there any message you would like to convey to today's young working mothers?
Liang Qionghua: In prayer and waiting, young Christian mothers can build up the confidence to become helpers for their husbands and companions for their children. Being a pastor's wife is by no means an easy task, and only through the grace and strength bestowed upon us by Jesus Christ can we build beautiful families and make our lives blessed.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
母亲节后，一位来自华南的职场妈妈就“作为牧师的妻子和全职妈妈的心得”这个话题展开了交流。
梁琼华姊妹，是一个年轻的职场妈妈，与丈夫结婚五年，育有一四岁宝宝。梁姊妹工作日要上班，丈夫是牧师，周末教会的事奉工作常常是非常忙碌。
以下是一网络基督教报纸基督时报与梁姊妹的交流核心内容：
基督时报：您是如何蒙恩信主呢？
梁琼华：我其实是在第一份工作里接受的信仰，我的老板他是基督徒，他让我们参加聚会。他之前是不信主的，但后来，因为一起事故，他就信主了。他觉得这个信仰非常好，于是他带着同事们一起信主。
初信之时，我的哥哥也是特别反对。我在放赞美诗的时候，他会给我放一些佛教的歌曲。因我是潮汕人，当地是拜偶像的。信仰初期，父母家人对我逼迫得厉害。后来我带哥哥去参加一个赞美会，他自己有感动，我的哥哥他就信主了。他在家里面有话语权，他每天跟我妈妈传福音。最后，我的妈妈和爸爸也都信耶稣了。
基督时报：作为牧师的妻子，全职的职场妈妈，您是如何平衡自己的时间和精力呢？
梁琼华：我的先生是牧师，而我是在职场，所以我没有过度的参与教会事奉。
我们是自己带孩子的，孩子目前四岁。因为我在职场，先生牧养信徒。我休息的时候恰恰是他是最忙碌的时候。我们的挑战主要是来源于这一方面。可能我会有软弱的时候会觉得，为什么我们不能像别人一样有共同的时间，休息的时候可以一起带孩子出去好好的玩一次。
他可能他在周一到周五去探访，那有时候我就需要上班，我就陪伴不了他。因为有时候可能教会的姊妹会比较多，可是弟兄他就不大合适就去探访姊妹。因为我下午6点钟下班，那他就需要去接送孩子。所以我希望可以脱离职场，全心的去照顾到家庭，让丈夫可以更好的去服侍。
基督时报：您带着怎样的教育观养育你的孩子呢？
梁琼华：我们家庭有一个共同的底线就是一定要让孩子接受基督教教育。我们坚持了挺长一段时间，就是会跟孩子每一天的读经、祷告，然后会发现在孩子的整个成长过程我们是非常省心的。
我们夫妻之间有一个很一致的观点，就是其他的事情我们交给上帝。但是我们需要在真理上去带领他。在原则上面去教导他，该管教的时候我们都是管教的。
基督时报：您对今天年轻的职场妈妈群体，您有没有要对她们要说的话？
梁琼华：年轻的基督徒妈妈们，在祷告与等候中，建立信心，来成为丈夫的帮助者和孩子的陪伴者。我觉得作为师母这条路真的是不容易走的。只有耶稣基督祂能够给予我们够用的恩典和力量，来祝福我们的家庭和人生。
2023母亲节专访(三)｜一华南基督徒职场妈妈分享：我个人蒙恩和养育的见证
Recently, a female Christian from South China shared her experience of being a pastor's wife and a working mother.
Liang Qionghua (pseudonym) has been married to her husband for a duration of five years and they have a four-year-old child. Liang is engaged in weekday employment, while her husband, a pastor, is occupied with his duties on weekends.
The following is an excerpt from an interview between Liang and the Christian Times, an online Christian newspaper in China.
Christian Times: Could you share your spiritual journey with us?
Liang Qionghua: I actually embraced the gospel during my initial job experience, as my employer was a Christian who frequently organized gatherings. Initially a nonbeliever, he later became a believer due to an accident. Witnessing the positive impact of his newfound faith, he encouraged his colleagues to join him in following the Lord.
During my early days of faith, my elder brother strongly opposed it. While I listened to hymns, he would play Buddhist songs in an attempt to dissuade me. Being from the Chaozhou and Shantou regions, where local customs involve idol worship, my parents and other relatives subjected me to severe persecution. However, I managed to bring my brother to a praise meeting, which deeply moved him, eventually leading him to become a believer. Given his influence within the family, when he shared the gospel with my mother, my parents also came to believe in Jesus.
Christian Times: How do you balance your roles as a pastor's wife and a full-time working mother?
Liang Qionghua: My husband is a pastor, and I am in the workplace, so my involvement in church ministries is limited.
Being the primary caregiver for our child, I often find it challenging to allocate sufficient time to spend with my husband. Unfortunately, he tends to be busiest when I have some downtime, and this is where our main difficulty lies. I eagerly anticipate occasions when I can rest and enjoy quality time with our child, venturing out together.
He visits believers from Monday to Friday, a time when I am occupied with work and cannot accompany him. Additionally, there may be female Christians in the church who require pastoral care, but it is not suitable for a male pastor to attend to their needs. I conclude my work at 6 o'clock in the evening, precisely when he needs to pick up our child. Hence, I hope to be able to leave my professional occupation and wholeheartedly devote myself to caring for our family, thereby enabling my husband to serve more effectively.
Christian Times: What kind of education concept do you have to raise your children?
Liang Qionghua: The bottom line for our family is that our children must receive a Christian education. We are committed to regularly reading the Bible and engaging in prayer with our children, ensuring their growth and development is accompanied by a sense of security.
We have reached an understanding to entrust other matters to God while prioritizing our child's Christian education. Whenever necessary, we impose discipline upon our child.
Christian Times: Is there any message you would like to convey to today's young working mothers?
Liang Qionghua: In prayer and waiting, young Christian mothers can build up the confidence to become helpers for their husbands and companions for their children. Being a pastor's wife is by no means an easy task, and only through the grace and strength bestowed upon us by Jesus Christ can we build beautiful families and make our lives blessed.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Mother's Day Interview: Christian Mother Shares Conversion, Parenting Experience
