Last week we had an opportunity as a pastoral team to take our wives and to retreat to a conference center near Valley Forge, PA–all 14 of us.  Now you might question my math: 5 pastors + 5 wives = 14?  No, but when you add in 4 babies, you see that our retreat had a unique dynamic this year.  We not only filled the church van to overflowing with luggage, pack-n-plays, bassinets & car seats, but we also filled up the Plank’s van as well.  We should have included photos of those two vehicles…

As you can see from the picture above, we are a blessed pastoral team.  Between our 5 families we have 21 children (10 boys, 11 girls), ranging in age from 1 month to 31 years old.  We have all experienced God’s kindness over and over again; but here I want to highlight our wives.  These 5 ladies have consistently sacrificed many times for their husbands, and for the church.  They have willingly chosen to forego many of their own desires for the sake of the gospel–and we don’t say that lightly.  It is no small thing to move your family out-of-town for a year’s training, to completely re-imagine your understanding of a “work week,” to release your husband for evening meetings, conferences, and emergency hospital visits.  Yet these ladies do it joyfully.

Had you joined us on our retreat, you would have seen these mothers (and grandmother!) tenderly caring for babies, engaging in fellowship, and loving their husbands.  You would have seen them losing sleep to care for their newborns, yet fully involved in our meetings and ministry.  You would have been impressed by their energy levels!  Thank you Grace, Cynthia, Brenda, Barbara and Lori for how you love your husbands, love your children, and love God’s church.  We are so grateful for you.