Carrie found herself weary after a busy season of ministry.

“During the fall of 2022, I found myself weary after a busy season of ministry,” Carrie Geimer said. For the past fifteen years of her marriage, Carrie has served alongside her husband, Ian, currently pastor at Kingstree First Baptist Church, in ministry at several churches in North and South Carolina. Each time the Lord called her husband to a new ministry, they had to rebuild community and relationships.

Finding Soul Refreshment

After praying for an opportunity to rest, a friend reached out to Carrie about attending the Ministers’ Wives Retreat hosted by the SCBaptist Convention. “I was so refreshed just by seeing how God answered my prayer so quickly and directly,” Carrie said. Although she was nervous about attending without knowing anyone going, she knew she had to be faithful to accept the opportunity that God provided for her.

“This retreat was life-giving for me because I was in a small group of women who were able to encourage one another,” Carrie said. The weekend consisted of worship, small group meetings, and free time to rest or meet with other women. They heard from teachers who encouraged and equipped them for ministry.

The SCBaptist Ministers’ Wives Retreat provided countless moments of connection. “We were able to identify our shared experiences as ministers’ wives. Friendships were born in those moments,” she said. Her experience at the retreat would soon fuel her own desire to begin serving other ministers’ wives by sharing the same level of connection, encouragement, and support that she received.

Serving Other Ministers’ Wives

After finding spiritual refreshment herself at the retreat, Carrie had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles, CA, to help lead a retreat for LA Church Planters’ Wives in partnership with Send LA. This event brought together 26 church planters’ wives from diverse backgrounds to foster connection, provide support, and inspire these women as they serve alongside their husbands in planting churches. Retreats like these “provide women with an opportunity to pursue health and growth and move forward with the best next steps for their journey,” Carrie said.

At the retreat, Carrie facilitated a small group of young women. “It was beautiful to see them make connections with one another,” she said. “I came home knowing that I had a responsibility to share about the Send LA network and to be committed to giving. After hearing their stories, I was reminded of the great privilege we have as Southern Baptists to give to the North American Mission Board.”

Equipping Ministers’ Wives

For Carrie, retreats like these are vital to the health of a church and, more specifically, the health of church leadership. “We know that the spiritual and emotional health of pastors affects the church, but we often fail to acknowledge the importance of the wife’s spiritual and emotional health,” she said. “We must take our awareness a step further and ask as a convention how we can support ministers’ wives to help equip them on their journey of emotional and spiritual health.”

She expressed how grateful she is to the SCBaptist Convention for investing in the women of SCBaptist churches. “Ministers’ wives serve such a unique role,” she explained. “Retreats provide women with an opportunity to be in a safe space to share. The women are able to talk through the joys and burdens of their lives during this time.”