# Mary Shearer Eckert on Trusting God When Everything Seems to Go Wrong at Once

Mary Shearer Eckert on Marriage, Faith, Forgiveness, and the Hidden Wounds of Pastor’s WivesIn this special simulcast of The Neil Haley Show and the Wounded Sisters Podcast, bestselling author Mary Shearer Eckert reflects on thirty years of marriage, the power of faith during hardship, and the deeply personal themes behind her novel Wounded Sisters. On the day of her 30th wedding anniversary, Mary looks back not only on the blessings she and her husband have shared, but also on the painful seasons that tested their faith and strengthened their relationship.Mary explains that her husband has been her rock through many difficult experiences. Their shared faith has been central to their marriage, especially during moments of profound grief, including the heartbreaking loss of their grandson. Rather than pretending that faith protects people from pain, Mary believes difficult experiences can become opportunities for spiritual growth when people allow God to work through them.That idea is at the center of Wounded Sisters.The novel includes several interconnected stories, including a retreat held at the historic Limpia Hotel in Fort Davis, Texas. The retreat brings together a small group of pastors’ wives who outwardly appear strong but privately carry grief, shame, anger, regret, loneliness, and unresolved trauma.Mary says women of faith are often expected to remain composed regardless of what is happening behind closed doors. Pastor’s wives may feel an even greater pressure because they are expected to support their husbands, protect the ministry, serve the congregation, and present a strong public image.But strong women hurt too.Mary introduces several of the women readers meet in Wounded Sisters. Rosie loses her husband and son within a short period of time and begins struggling with her faith. Maggie is unable to have children and believes God may be punishing her for something from her past. After moving away from Marfa and trying to leave those memories behind, she eventually returns when her husband becomes a pastor there.Norma has survived an abusive marriage, two divorces, and estrangement from her children. Much of her emotional struggle centers on learning how to forgive herself.Sissy carries a dark secret connected to abuse and mistakes made when she was young. She believes what happened is beyond forgiveness and spends much of her life running from her past.Sue Ellen once dreamed of becoming a pianist, but those dreams slowly disappear as her husband’s ministry grows into a megachurch. Eventually, she feels as though both she and her children have been placed behind the needs of the church.Barbara Ann experiences another kind of pain when her husband’s actions within the church create questions of integrity, embarrassment, and shame.The Wounded Sisters Retreat gives these women something they rarely have: a safe place to tell the truth.They can talk about what hurts without worrying about protecting appearances. They can acknowledge anger, disappointment, grief, resentment, fear, and guilt. Most importantly, they begin the difficult process of forgiving both themselves and others.Mary points to Romans 8:28 as one of the scriptures that has influenced her life and writing—the belief that God can work through all circumstances for a greater purpose.She emphasizes that this does not mean painful experiences suddenly become good. Instead, she believes God can use even the most difficult seasons to create growth, compassion, wisdom, and strength.Mary says she spoke with pastors and pastors’ wives while developing the book, learning more about the private struggles that ministry families sometimes feel unable to discuss publicly. Many protect the reputation of the church or pastor while quietly carrying their own emotional wounds.That silence can become incredibly isolating.For Mary, Wounded Sisters is ultimately about creating permission for women of faith to acknowledge their brokenness. A woman can be deeply faithful...