by Joan Brandenburg
PRAISE is the word I chose for 2024, a sold out, crowd cheering voice of Praise to the only One worthy of my Praise!
Psalm 145
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
Growing up as a pastor’s kid in a solid evangelical denomination, you would think the journey of my siblings and me would have been one of walking closely with our Heavenly Father, but that was not our experience. Our parents were loving and kind, but our home life was so very strict and protective and God seemed stern and out of reach. As we grew up, our mother told us we could lose our salvation. All three of us siblings were adults before we heard and understood the truth of scripture freeing us to choose God’s wonderful salvation of grace. As siblings we have always been close, and years later we chose to take what was good and positive regarding our upbringing and move forward in our walk with Jesus.
At age 23, I graduated nursing school and infrequently attended various churches. I was still living and doing what was right in my own eyes trying to be morally good, but I felt empty and guilty.
At age 24, after several “almost” encounters through the years, I met Eric at a party on the University of Minnesota campus. He was so morally good that I thought he might be a believer. After all, he was raised in the Presbyterian church. Ha! One month after dating, Eric proposed and I accepted even though I was scared out of my wits. He was calm and fun and he pretty much matched my guy list. We were married by my dad six months after we met.
We moved to Ames, IA, so Eric could complete his degree at Iowa State, and I worked at the small hospital there. It was during this time that I felt God drawing me to Him. My parents shared years later that they along with the entire church were praying for us. We began to occasionally attend different churches, and it was after a visitation team visited our home that my heart felt open to fully believing in Jesus. One day while Eric was attending classes, I gave my entire self to our Lord Jesus. I didn’t share my decision with Eric, but quietly began praying for him. At the time, he wasn’t into being close to God.
Upon graduating, we moved back to Minneapolis to work, and there God put people across our path to further His work in our lives. We started attending an independent Baptist church down the street where Eric said he finally and clearly heard the gospel for the first time. At age 26, he fully accepted Christ as his Savior. Following this we were baptized together. I realized God’s timing was perfect, I could fully trust Him, and that He would never cancel or cause me to lose my salvation.
Eric was transferred to Kansas City in 1977 and after being married for nine years, our sweet daughter was born. Due to how I grew up and my late time of salvation, I gave our daughter completely over to our Lord Jesus praying that she would choose to believe and accept Jesus at a much earlier age than I did. Praying for those we know is so important. At age three, our daughter asked for help to know Jesus as her Savior. After asking her questions to be sure she understood, Eric prayed with her to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She loves and walks with Jesus to this day. I cannot emphasize enough that we can trust our Father as we pray!
In 2016, we moved to Rochester to be near our daughter and four grandchildren. We enjoy being part of this Calvary family, and as grandparents we pray for our grandchildren every day that they too will know and love our Savior beyond measure.
I have never selected a life verse as there are so many verses that are precious to me. The following verses are especially meaningful to me:
Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)
23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
John 10:27-30 (ESV)
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Psalm 145: 18-19 (NLT)
18 The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
Joan Brandenburg, wife to Eric (her bestie for 52 years), mom to one lovely adult daughter, grandma to four fun active grandchildren, quilter, lover of God’s outdoors, gardener so she can play in the dirt, is part of our Calvary Coffee Connection team and whatever needs to be done behind the scenes.
1 thought on “Testimony: living a life of praise”
Thanks for sharing your story Joan!