As a former pastor's wife who was abused, her story was extremely believable to me. I was married 6.5 years to an extremely abusive pastor who used to throw things at me, push me against cinder block walls, call me names and tell me I was stupid almost on a daily basis. I didn't know where to turn for help as a pastor's wife. After all we were supposed to be the ones with everything together and helping others. However, when he told me that the only way I would ever leave him was in a pine box, that was my cue to high tail it out of there with my two year old son. My ex always told me that nobody would ever believe me because he was the pastor. So I could relate to what Mary was going through. There is a good book by James and Phyllis Alsdurf called "Battered Into Submission" which has up to date research on just how prevalent abuse is in the "minister's home. It is extremely sad. God hates abuse.