By: Denise Fenske
“A garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness"
Isaiah 61:3
Life keeps coming… but… I GET TO!
Being the oldest of four siblings, a preacher's kid (transplanted close to the inner city at the age of 10) and a growing teen in the 80's, I was influenced by two major forces - a jaded community and my parent's faithfulness to God!
A year after my dad stopped being a pastor and joined the trucking community full time, my mom found our new church home. Pastor Craig Altman and his youth group in Temple Terrace became my new community. He was saying then what he says now, “Being a Christ follower isn't easy, but you don't have to do it alone! Come, let's grow in God TOGETHER!”
But, I was broken! I was 15 and didn't know I was pregnant until the day I was miscarrying. Through that brokenness God was gently inviting me to live FOR and WITH Him in a different way. I rededicated my life to Him and spent the first 6 months at our new church allowing the Holy Spirit to renew my mind with how He saw me— His princess daughter. Soooooo grateful for His mercy & grace!!
Five and a half years later I married the pastor's son and loved ministry at the church! After 13 years, with three beautiful children, and four years of counseling I said good bye to that marriage … because life keeps coming! But, again, through God's mercy and grace, I felt Him up close and personal and He restored my soul!
God brought me a promise in Isaiah 61:7 through a sister friend. In five months I was remarried and my redemption story began. I had three more children, an EXtended family (not EXcluded family), and an amazing church community— many who walked alongside me through the craziness of all those challenges. Now I'm blessed with 24 GOOD years of marriage, four priceless spouses to my oldest four children and sweet grandchildren from Heaven!
All along, I've been at the Temple Terrace location. All through the years of constant changes and challenges I've had the privilege of serving, ministering and being on staff in different capacities. Through it ALL, God's mercy and grace has been consistent!!
Soooooo, if that is how it has been ALL through the years, why not CHOOSE to PUT ON the garment of PRAISE when challenges come? I GET TO put on a garment of praise in whatever situation I find myself in!!! Like choosing what to wear for a work day, an outing with sister friends, a casual Sunday morning… any heaviness I feel regarding ANYTHING….I GET TO pick out a garment of praise and put it on!!!
Maybe that's turning up worship music in the car, asking the Holy Spirit for a verse to BELIEVE BIGGER in the face of a struggle, taking cookies to a new neighbor or making muffins to bring joy to the household… I GET TO put on a garment of PRAISE!
How about you? What garment of Praise will you put on for your supernatural power today?