Skip to main content

Meet Denise Brunner

Denise Brunner has been married to her "super cute and utterly irresistible" husband, Larry (an elder at Beltway Park), for 16 years.  When she married Larry, she inherited 2 step-daughters, Laura and Lisa, and 2 sons-in-law, Eddy Smith and Jay Lester.  Together, Denise and Larry have 4 grandchildren, now in 6th thru 9th grade.

Denise is an Elementary Library Supervisor for Abilene ISD, where she uses her spiritual gift of Teaching.  "I love to teach children -- especially how to discover answers on their own.  I believe the best thing we can do for our kids is to hardly ever answer their questions, but just show them how to get there."  She also has spiritual gifts of service and administration.

Denise grew up in a pastor's family, as her dad was the music minister at a church in Abilene.  Therefore, she had no desire to marry a pastor or elder.  She took her biggest step of faith, when she decided to marry Larry.  Not because he was an elder, or, as she says, "in the business," but because she had been through a previous 2-year marriage that had ended 10 years prior, after a great deal of turmoil.  "I believed that was my one chance at a happy marriage and had refused to consider that kind of commitment with any man.  I had always said that I would never remarry unless God, himself, came down and said, 'Denise, you can't get into heaven without marrying this man right here!'  When the Lord brought Larry into my life, that is just what He did."

Larry is an English professor, so he receives grants for study trips.  Therefore, the couple has had wonderful opportunities to travel abroad together, which is something Denise really didn't do much, prior to meeting Larry.  "Two months after we married, we left for England and spent 3-1/2 months there while he was teaching a semester on an exchange program.  Since then, I have been to Europe five times, and several other beautiful places God made.  We have traveled to Italy, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.  I keep trying to assure Larry that there were surely some English poets that visited Hawaii, but he hasn't come up with any yet."  Additionally, they traveled to Israel with a Beltway team a few years ago, which she described as "a truly special experience." 

Denise has a delightful sense of humor, and she admits that she likes laughing at herself.  She comes from a family of cut-ups, and she says they always have a good time together.

When she is not working or traveling, she enjoys quilting and sewing (although she doesn't have as much time to do those things as she would like).  She also loves singing, and enjoys all things technological (Mac, iPod, iPad, iPhone...) "I know I've gone too far when Larry says, 'I wish I was that computer!!' Yipes!!"  In addition, she enjoys baking cookies for her grandkids, doing jigsaw puzzles on her computer, doting on herself with a bi-weekly pedicure, and serving the Family of God.

We hope that you will join us for Let's Get Together on Thursday, September 26th at 6:30pm, at which time you can get to know Denise a little better!!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meet Cara Dowdy

If you've ever met Cara Dowdy , you know that she epitomizes the word sweet.  Kind, caring and genuine, Cara has a heart for her family and others and loves use her gifts to bless others. Cara is married to Brenton who is the Associate Pastor of Worship at Beltway Park.  They have been married for five years and have a son, Josiah who is a year and a half and are expecting their second child soon.   One of their favorite past times as family is playing disc golf together in their free time. During the day, Cara is a stay at home mom with her son.  She also loves getting to volunteer at her former place of work, Pregnancy Resources of Abilene.  Cara has been gifted with the spiritual gifts of compassion, service, and encouragement.  She uses these gifts most effectively in her role at PRA once a week, counseling and praying with women who find themselves in crisis pregnancies.  Cara's extreme passion for LIFE is also a natural fit for her ro...
Post a Comment
Read more

Beltway Women Volunteer Equipping Day

Beltway Women has a passion to reach every woman for Christ, and encourage them to connect with other women in genuine community and worship.  In order to do this…we need your help!  All women who are currently a part of the Beltway Women team (or women’s ministry) are encouraged to attend a Volunteer Equipping day on Saturday, January 18, 9-11:30 a.m. in the Chapel.  We will recast the vision of our women’s ministry, plan for 2014 calendar events, provide training for each individual team (hospitality, etc.), spend time in prayer and fellowship, and discuss ways that you can be involved.  Any woman interested in joining the Beltway Women team is welcome to attend…we would love to have you!!  Some of the activities and events we will be discussing are the spring RELEASED Retreat, Women’s Bible Studies, Women’s life groups, and the SHAPE Retreat.  I hope you will join us! Please register online here . Deadline for registration, especially children’s minist...
Post a Comment
Read more

Breakthrough by Audra Butler

I have been feeling some very strange and growing emotions since quarantine began.  I can’t define them. The only way to describe them are jumbled and cloudy.  It’s as if my mind and heart are growing cloudier with each day. I was texting back and forth last night with a dear sister (because that’s what you do in quarantine 😂 ).  Her texts to me were the exact feelings I had been experiencing.  It was confirmation that we were to start praying for breakthrough. I woke up early this morning and was so ready to sit in His presence, open His word, read what He had for me and hear His sweet voice.  But, when I looked outside, the sunrise caught me!  I immediately ran out to enjoy the pinks and oranges filling the sky.  Then, I turned the opposite way and I was in awe of the almost full moon and a Great Blue Heron sitting so majestically on the neighbor’s pier.  Our Creator’s beauty always outdoes itself and speaks an infinite amount of word...
Post a Comment
Read more