I must be honest.
I have struggled with adjusting to our new ministry style as Healing Hearts Ministry has grown.
God gave us an opportunity to participate in a pastor's retreat at Kerith Pines Retreat centre at East Braintree, Manitoba.  It was kind of a last minute thing, but we had the week open on our calendar.  We had wanted to check this out, for ourselves personally but also to see if it is a possible resource to recommend to our Healing Hearts staff.  So we packed up our Jetta and drove 8 hours.
A brand new lodge had been constructed on a lovely piece of forested land just before the Whiteshell Provincial Park.  We pulled in to the parking area and were greeted by the host staff.  Entering the beautiful spacious foyer, we probably looked like the Beverly Hillbillies gawking around at their Hollywood mansion!  We were shown upstairs to our private suite, tastefully decorated in very modern furnishings and artwork, in grey with orange accents.
The meals and the accommodations were definitely 5-star quality.  With the other two ministry couples and the staff, we were a small and intimate group.  Walter and I relaxed, took walks or drives, even rode the bicycle built for two-now that was an experience for trust-building and teamwork in marriage!
But the highlights for us were the sessions we had with the teaching/facilitating couple.  Three private sessions were scheduled for us to go over the Taylor-Johnson and Meyers/Briggs tests we completed prior to going to the retreat.  In this way, the staff could anticipate and get to know our needs and how they could minister to us.  So we wanted to take advantage of this chance to improve our own relationship and discuss anything God might point out to us while we were here.
Well, when you pray that way, God tends to answer directly!  Our first session was mostly evaluating the evaluation of our personal preferences.  It helped to know we are people in process, and that God is not finished His work in us.
Our second session was actually quite intense as we discovered some conflicts that we hadn't really resolved.  In fact, they were the type of conflicts that resurface and repeat.  We realized part of our personality differences (one of us being more impulsive and the other preferring "ducks in a row") played against our childhood issues and we had never really got to the bottom of these tensions.  After 26 years of marriage, we still had things to learn about ourselves and each other!
Sam and Pauline were very competent listeners and counselors.  It is not easy to counsel people who also DO counseling as part of their ministry!  So we appreciated their insightful questions and comments to us.  Gentle yet firm.  Direct yet loving.  God really met us.
We took the discussion beyond that meeting and continued to seek the Lord.  The next session we talked things through and then shared some specifics we wanted to implement in our lives, especially around keeping our home as a base for us and our family as our kids are in the midst of launching.
And I committed myself to trusting Walter and the Lord more in how our new ministry lifestyle is developing.  I needed to let go of the way things had been, the role I had settled into and the changes to the "ducks" in my life.  I saw how I do have a place and calling;  it just looks different as we work with missionary staff, not necessarily the folks who are yet to come to Christ.
As we drove away from the beautiful retreat setting, we set our sights on home, on the future.  I know I felt challenged and refreshed.  My attitude had been adjusted and I had hope that my ministry could have impact, not because of ME but as I prayed, "More of You, Lord and less of me."

P.S. ~ We would highly recommend Kerith Pines for those in ministry, whether married or single.  I was glad we went at a time when we were NOT in crisis, but could hear God's voice in the quiet of that place.  They hold retreats once a month so call or check out their website to see if this is something for you or ministry folks you know who could benefit from such an opportunity.