The Importance of a Support System

The events of each passing year is a reminder of how important a sturdy support system is. To me, a support system consists of people who are like minded and rally alongside you in every turn of life. They are the people who bring us closer to God, remind us of how good He is and push us towards our dreams in a healthy way.

It’s only natural for us to desire a support system and to feel alone when we don’t have one. Think about it: we were born with or placed in the care of parents to feed, change, love, guide and care for us. We grow up seeking to expand our support system as our lives change. My husband and I quickly found in the ministry that we could not survive without one in place. Our support system is multi-dimensional, dependable and loving. This is what our support system consists of:

God: Our biggest supporter and strongest foundation. Our faith in God, relationship with him and knowledge that he is ALWAYS good has carried us through everything. God loves, encourages, brings peace, and guides us every day. It doesn’t matter if we feel like everything is falling apart, God is always there to build us back up. His hand is in everything and his love surrounds us. He is all we ever need to survive.

Family: We are blessed with a family who loves God and seeks after him with everything they have. They have housed us, fed us and loved us since the beginning. Without our families and God, we wouldn't be where we are today.

Doug White

Elders: The elders in our church are men who are a force to be reckoned with. They hear from God and are obedient to his word no matter what. They love without abandon and guide with wisdom. They are like extra dads for us that we desperately need. From finances to matters of the heart, they are always there to show us God’s heart. We know we can go to them for a hug, advice or prayer any day, any time.

My daddy

Apostles: A fancy word for messenger. Personally, I see these men as fathers in the faith - men who have walked closely with God for so many years that you can see His light shining right through them. They operate with wisdom, love and patience in every circumstance. When they speak, everyone is silent because we don’t want to miss anything. I feel so blessed because one of our two apostles is my dad. He has been a rock in our ministry and mentors us through so much. I am constantly amazed by his wisdom, gift of teaching and perseverance in EVERYTHING he does. He is an upright man of God who lives and breathes to please Him. We feel incredibly blessed to grow under his mentorship.

Co-laborers: These people work alongside us in the ministry as volunteers with the same cause. They constantly offer support, service, a hand to hold, a shoulder to lean on, or an ear to listen. Hearing from God and carrying out his desires are their first priority. They help us bring life to the church and love to the congregation. They are there when the doors open and when we close it down; they set up and tear down, clean, cook, and fellowship every possible chance. These people have become our closest friends, and we definitely consider them family. We are beyond grateful for them; there aren’t enough words to show our appreciation.

Matthew 12:50 - “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Two denominations
sitting at this table.

Preachers in the Community: Like other towns, we have a ministerial alliance. It is a group of ministers that gather to pray for each other and the community. Our alliance is multi-denominational but they serve one God. When gathered, they lay down all the denominational differences and together, they shepherd the body of Christ as one church serving the same God. Since these ministers carry the same cause, they have been knit together as best friends and brothers in Christ. God has such a unique way of bringing unity across the spectrum of churches in our community. I am constantly amazed at the bond that has been created between my husband and the other preachers; I love that he has someone he can talk to that totally understands what he does.

Romans 12:5 - “So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

Each other: I’ve talked in previous posts about my role as a preacher’s wife and what that entails. The ministry can sometimes feel like a lonely place with no one to really talk to (some things are confidential and too sensitive to bring out with others). However, through everything, we’ve had each other. I lean on my husband more than I lean on anyone else (except God). He is always there for me, supporting me, encouraging me and guiding me closer to God. He is a strong man of God that I know I can depend on every day. I know he feels like I am a support system for him too. I would drop everything to be there for him or answer the phone when he calls. Our bond is strong because what knits us together is unbreakable: God’s love. We are best friends, and when we are together, I feel a strong sense of safety, peace and love.

I think whether you’re in the ministry, military, college, high school, or working in any other industry that everyone needs a support system. Please be encouraged to base that system on God and like-minded people. With a strong support system in place, you are unstoppable.