Sis. Ruth Nichols, wife of VP Rev. Don Nichols, has been a Pastor's wife for over 30 years, and has a true heart for those in Ministry.
You will love her insights as she draws from her many years in pastoral work.
She is the mother of 3 children, and is also a registered nurse.
Footsteps Worth Following
What a busy season of the year! Youth Camp, Family Camp, Vacation Bible School…all activities that we do not have during the school year! So, the summertime usually goes very quickly for those of us who are pastor’s wives.
Throughout all of those wonderful activities this year, I thrilled to observe what we usually refer to as “passing down the torch”. During Youth Camp, I watched as some “preacher’s kids” were serving in various capacities. To name a few, Leanne Leach Zeigler capably served with her husband as Youth Camp Director, Janae Zeigler was the photographer, Paul Gray was camp buyer, Stephanie Nichols Burley, Becky Hales Fish and Diane Burge Ranke assisted with Bible Bowl, Josh Ranke was boys dorm dean, Amber Plemmons Fish was working in the snack stand, Jalena Arnett Glick, Valerie Nichols Profitt, Darren and Bryan Line, Rob and Don Raines all served as team leaders. There were several second generation lay persons as well serving in capacities in which their parents served in years gone by.
Vacation Bible School at our church is over for this year. As I observed the current VBS staff, many of their parents used to work alongside my husband and myself conducting VBS. This year, the second generation capably conducted a wonderful VBS, offering the gospel to the children of our community. I thrilled watching as grandchildren of those that attended VBS in our early years in Lima, third generation children, excitedly participated in all the activities!
One morning at Youth Camp, while delivering questions to the arenas for Bible Bowl, I witnessed a sight that brought tears to my eyes. When I entered the Youth Chapel arena, there was a group of youth in the process of practicing for Bible Bowl. One was the Quizmaster, another the Jump Judge, a third one was the Scorekeeper and the fourth was the Timekeeper. The two sides of seats were full of Youth Campers actively responding to the questions being given. What a beautiful sight! Our next generation Youth Camp Leaders – in training- and they were doing a perfect job!
There is hardly anything more thrilling than to see our biological children, and the children of the church, “walk in truth”. We do our best to be Godly, Biblical examples, carefully hand down the torch, and then we pray!!! We pray that God will enable them to carry the torch with strength and integrity, holding high the bloodstained banner. There is nothing more painful than to watch the torch be carried for awhile, then laid aside.
As I look into the eyes of our church/camp children and youth, I realize that one may be my pastor or a conference leader someday. Let’s keep their names before the Father, asking Him to keep them from the enemy’s traps, and keep their hearts tender toward God. As I observed the patterning in that Youth Chapel, I realized anew that our children and youth are watching us. How important it is for us to be an example of Christ, an example worth patterning after! May our footsteps be ones that would safely lead them to Heaven!
Submitted by
Ruth Nichols
