Praying in public may very well be the Christian equivalent of public speaking, which is our greatest fear as the general population. And this fear is not restricted to ordinarily timid people. Even leaders sometimes have trouble leading in prayer.

Frequently, in Christian ministry, we are told about a situation and are invited to make a response. And often we know only one small part of the whole story.

Instead of allowing your struggles to isolate you from the body of Christ, feeling yourself to be in a unique category, you can use them to find connection with dozens of others who seek grace in the same situations.

"I cannot say what my marriage would be like if my husband were not a pastor."

I worry that an endless litany of blame-the-ministry could cause faithful pastors and their wives to view the local church as their marriage's enemy rather than its best ally.