Spotlight on Denise Anderson
Denise is someone who is a bit hard to "spotlight", mainly because she doesn't, (or perhaps can't is a better word) hold still long enough to have the spotlight trained on her! What a busy mom! Denise is wife to Neil, and mother to Steven-16, Hannah-15, Elizabeth-12, Olivia-6, and 4 year old twins, Samuel and Rachel. Add a dog, 3 cats, a chinchilla, and whatever else you might to the mix, and you have a rather active household! Then sprinkle in some part-time work as a nurse for Hospice of Holmes County, volunteer work at church and in her children's schools, and a passion for young people that drives her participation in the Circle of Friends "GIRLFriends" ministry. Mix this all together and add the most important ingredient - God's grace - and you get a wonderful wife, mother, and friend to every age group there is!
I first saw Denise at a soccer game about 8 years ago. She and her family had just moved back to Ohio from Colorado. Little did I know that God had a plan for us to work in ministry together some day, but first He needed us to meet one another. That didn't take too long as we have daughters in the same grade at school. It was our daughters and their friends who drove us to put together the first "Girls Night Out", and it'' been quite an exciting ride since then!
Most of the plans that are developed for the GIRLFriends events are by phone - that's what happens when you bring together two moms with 11 children between them! But every once in a while we do take the time to sit down - just bring the pot of coffee and some big mugs, and we're good to go - and work out some details. It was at one of these brainstorming sessions that I finally cornered Denise long enough to shine the spotlight on her life...
I first saw Denise at a soccer game about 8 years ago. She and her family had just moved back to Ohio from Colorado. Little did I know that God had a plan for us to work in ministry together some day, but first He needed us to meet one another. That didn't take too long as we have daughters in the same grade at school. It was our daughters and their friends who drove us to put together the first "Girls Night Out", and it'' been quite an exciting ride since then!
Most of the plans that are developed for the GIRLFriends events are by phone - that's what happens when you bring together two moms with 11 children between them! But every once in a while we do take the time to sit down - just bring the pot of coffee and some big mugs, and we're good to go - and work out some details. It was at one of these brainstorming sessions that I finally cornered Denise long enough to shine the spotlight on her life...
I know Denise as a fervent prayer warrior, passionate lover of people of all ages, smiling friend, and creative volunteer; but what brought her to this point in her life? Denise describes her "Aha!" moment as happening on the day that her mother passed away. As her teenage heart was broken and crying out to God, she felt a "kiss" from her mom on her forehead, and she knew, without a doubt, that her mom was with God, and God was there with Denise. Growing up in church Denise always "knew" about God, but God became REAL that day.
Fast forward to her first year of college, alone in her dorm room, Denise again was crying out to God, recognizing how alone she felt in this world, missing her mom, and realizing that she was on the very edge of depression. In that moment she felt His physical presence, wrapping His arms about her and keeping her from falling over the edge.
With those experiences still at the forefront of her mind, is it any wonder that Denise desires to convince young people how loved they are by God.
Life has given Denise many opportunities, but the most precious in her eyes was the opportunity to care for her Grandfather Weiss during the last six months of his life. Given her husband's blessing and her children's cooperation, she was able to move him into their home and care for him until he took his last breath. Months later her twins were born. Denise recognizes God's love, grace, mercy AND timing are perfect, and all that we will ever need!
This busy mom resembles the energizer bunny in many ways (except looks =), but even she enjoys her "down" time. When asked where her favorite place to visit or be is, she responded, "in a mountain setting, cool, quiet, sitting at a table with coffee, and family and friends".
Denise Anderson, lover of God, lover of life, lover of people - and a great addition to your Circle of Friends.
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