Daily Inspiration: Meet Denisha Workizer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Denisha Workizer. 

Hi Denisha, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When hard things and painful experiences happened in my life, my way of coping was to shove that pain under the proverbial rug of life. In my late thirties and early forties, I began tripping over that rug. All of those experiences that I had not dealt with began to deal with me. 

I got curious and began to notice patterns in my behavior, coping mechanisms that served me as a child that no longer served me as an adult. Through this exploration, I began to break free from the things holding me back in life and making me feel stuck. 

I offer a transparent look into my life as I experienced sexual, spiritual, and emotional abuse–and discovering, as an adult, that I survived my mother’s abortion attempts. 

I served as a pastor at my church for almost ten years. During that time, I worked with a lot of hurting people. One of the things that I began to recognize was that I was not alone. Many women felt stuck and wanted to boldly embrace their purpose without being held down by their past. I felt led to leave my position at church and start a non-profit organization called “Reclaimed Story.” 

Reclaimed means to rescue from an undesirable state and restore to a previous natural state. Being rescued from the things holding me back and restored to my potential is what I experienced in my story and what we get to help other women discover. This ministry is led by an incredible team of women; Nancy Nelson, our Executive Assistant. Jenni Johnson, our Administrative Assistant, and Valerie L. Mc Mahon, our Content and Ministry Coordinator. Together, we are passionate about helping women reclaim their stories through Jesus.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As with starting any business or ministry, there have been struggles along the way. We launched at the beginning of the pandemic, which made finances and meeting in person quite challenging. Yet, as the pandemic progressed, the need for our services was great. We found that we were in the right place at the right time. 

A large part of what we do is speaking at conferences, churches, etc. The pandemic definitely forced us to get creative about getting our organization out there to the world. In turn, we have an incredible community of women that connects online. 

Most days, the need far outweighs our capacity. Therefore, we are working on training up mentors who can work one-on-one with women and lead groups that create a safe place for women to explore their stories and find healing in community with other women. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Before serving as a pastor, I was a jeweler for 20 years. When I knew that I was starting a non-profit, I also designed a jewelry line that speaks to identity. It reinforces the message of hope and healing that women experience while in our community, groups, workshops, and online. It is a passion for me because we live out a reclaimed life and have reminders of our freedom from our past. 

I also started a podcast called “Living the Reclaimed Life.” When we believe that Jesus has reclaimed our stories, it is time for us to begin living out that freedom in our daily life. That is when the rubber meets the road. We share stories of lives that have been reclaimed (or are in process) and share the good, bad, and messy middle on the podcast. 

During my time as a pastor, I was the first female to serve on our preaching team on a regular basis, in over 50 years that our church had been established. That public speaking experience gave me the training to now speak nationally at conferences, fundraising events, churches, etc. 

One thing that sets our ministry apart is that we are not here for the ‘masked’ Christian life. We want a safe place where women can take off their masks and truly talk about what is really going on in their lives and be accepted, known, and loved through it all. 

We understand how trauma affects our lives. As we started working with women, one of the first things I did was become a Certified Trauma-Informed Coach. I am working toward international accreditation. We want to be known for how we love, accept, and meet women right where they are without judgment. We see the purpose and potential in women, and we carry that with them until they can carry it for themselves. 

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I am a book hoarder! I love a good book. I believe the words of the Bible are alive and active in our lives, I have a huge stack of different translations that I love to study. Hosanna Wong’s “How not to save the world.” was amazing in my journey. Karrie Garcia’s “The Exchange” was also life-giving for me. I read a lot of leadership material, Carey Nieuwhof, Craig Groeschel, and Michael Hyatt are some of my favorites. They also all have great podcasts. 

Pricing:

• Our jewelry is between $15-$25 a piece.

Contact Info:

• Email: connect@reclaimedstory.com
• Website: www.reclaimedstory.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ReclaimedStory/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReclaimedStory/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbAlzNzyL0J7KwdnQjDUs3g
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-the-reclaimed-life/id1554921893

Image Credits
Reclaimed Story