A “Sweet Gift” for Weary Souls

How Geneva’s Cherish Program is Caring for Pastors’ Wives

March is Pastors’ Wives Appreciation Month—a time to honor the women who faithfully serve alongside their husbands in ministry. Many carry unique and often unseen burdens. Through Cherish, Geneva offers confidential, Christian counseling and care to support them in every season. Susan’s story is one example of how that care can make a meaningful difference.

For more than three decades, Susan Kendrick has faithfully walked beside her husband, Justin Kendrick, through the unpredictable terrain of pastoral ministry—from campus ministry at Appalachian State to church planting in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Pastor Justin Kendrick and his wife, Susan.

Along the way, she has discovered the unique challenges that come with being a pastor’s wife—and the power of trusted, confidential support.

Although she never envisioned herself in this role, according to Susan, “It’s been a privilege.” But it hasn’t always been easy.

“As far as I can tell, there aren’t a lot of other occupations that impact the spouse quite as much as full-time ministry,” she said.

The Joys and Challenges of Ministry Life

Susan and Justin met at Auburn University. While dating, Justin began law school but soon felt called to seminary. They married in 1995 and moved to Charlotte, NC, where he studied at Reformed Theological Seminary. After seminary and an internship, they launched Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) at App State. Later, after serving three years as an assistant pastor at Mt. Calvary Presbyterian Church in Walnut Grove, SC—their sending church—Justin planted Grace Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg in 2010, where they continue to serve.

Over the years, Susan has experienced both joyful seasons and difficult ones. Church growth brought excitement but also new challenges. “ God has been faithful and surrounded us with an amazing group of people, but personally, these last couple years have been hard,” she shared. “The church has grown tremendously, which has been wonderful, but it’s just a weird place to be. We’ve always been in really small groups with people that knew us well. And now to have this larger congregation…we rejoice in it, but it’s hard to navigate.”

Expectations—both self-imposed and perceived—added to the weight. “I just felt ill-equipped; that I wasn’t made to do what I was being asked to do.” And often, the things she most needed to say couldn’t be voiced to friends in the congregation.

Susan is far from alone. According to a Geneva survey, 70% of PCA pastors’ wives feel they have few people they can confide in. And 90% believe they are perceived or treated differently from other women in the church.

“God Cares for Me as Much as He Cares for Our Church”

In that space of Susan’s isolation and pressure, Geneva’s Cherish program made a difference. Designed to provide Christian counseling for pastors’ wives, Cherish offers a safe, structured, and affordable path forward. “It would’ve been a harder bridge to cross if I didn’t know the grant already existed,” she said. “It felt like a safe place to start from.”

Through the program, Susan connected with a trained Christian counselor who helped her process challenges and see a different story.

“She helped me see that God cares for me as much as he cares for our church,” said Susan. “That there’s a space for me…She helped me see that I have giftedness, because all I saw was my inadequacy.”

“A Sweet Gift from Our Denomination”

For Susan, Cherish represents more than counseling sessions—it’s a “sweet gift from our denomination” and a tangible expression of God’s care for her.

When asked what she would say to other pastors’ wives considering it, Susan offered these words of encouragement: “It’s never too late. God is a God of renewal and purpose and he is kind to love us and meet us…You have nothing to lose by trying it.”

To learn more about Cherish or to make a donation to care for pastors’ wives, visit genevabenefits.org/cherish.