We all have a story to tell! Personal Connection is just one of the ways we share stories here at Circles of Faith. Ordinary women are doing extraordinary things for God. We hope Jena’s story encourages and inspires others to take that next step to what God is calling them to do.
IN OUR SPOTLIGHT THIS MONTH IS JENA FISHER
Worship Leader, Singer/Songwriter, and Pioneer of the Worship Soul genre
FAITH
Tell us your FAITH story.
I grew up in a Christian home, in my father’s storefront Pentecostal church. Ever since I can remember, God was drawing me closer to Him through songwriting. As early as age seven, I began to develop a relationship with Christ although I didn’t know it at the time. I loved being close to God, talking with Him, journaling my thoughts and, of course, singing to Him.
It was my father who shaped my faith. His teaching of giving God your best will always be with me. Though he is still alive, this is part of my inheritance—his legacy to me. Dad was very “big” on knowing the Word. He would instruct me to read Bible stories each day after school and then share with him what I learned. I hope to instill that same fervor for God in my children.
I went through a phase, like many children raised in Christian homes, when I lost my faith. During college, I was so far away from God and wasn’t sure how to get back to Him. After graduation, I moved to New Jersey from Wisconsin and stumbled upon the church I now attend. It was my experience there that led me back to God and a process of healing and discovery began that is ongoing today.
Faith has played a major role in the decisions I make in life. It was only through faith and God's leading that, after ten years as a high school history teacher, I was able to take a step and leave teaching to stay at home with my newborn daughter. It was that step that opened the door to God's purpose for my life.
LIFE
What does LIFE look like for you?
My family encompasses so much of who I am. My husband Ron and I are just two people on the love roller coaster! Our two daughters Olivia and Nia energize our lives. Ron’s and my relationship is shaped by our love for God and worship, our passion for fitness, and love of laughter. Laughter has helped us to remain sane even when times are tough. We love sharing a big bowl of popcorn and watching a funny movie. As simple as it may seem, sharing humor with someone means a lot.
An important part of our relationship is learning to balance parenting in the 21st century! Ron is an excellent caregiver to our girls—his love is huge for them and he almost never seems stressed by them. His supportive and caring personality really helps to keep me balanced. We are working as a team more than ever. Nearly seven years into our marriage, we have truly begun to build a rhythm for our lives.
While I am not doing any one thing full time, I am doing a mixture of things that are fulfilling to me. The purposeful choices I've made make it possible to focus on my desire to create and minister in song as a volunteer worship leader in my church. I’ve also been able to pursue my passion for fitness. I currently teach classes, and do personal training at my gym, while working towards my personal training certification. In addition, I work part-time at Lululemon, a yoga store and athletic clothing retailer.
COMMUNITY
How does community inspire your life?
My church family is a big part of fostering my faith. There are people in my life who have mentored me…especially women in our church. They have really helped me to come into my own. They have helped me grow tremendously as a mom, a women in ministry, a wife, and as a person. There women have taken time to pour into me and help me to see myself clearly, always pointing me toward God. I am so grateful for their influence in my life. I hope to be a mentor to young women some day too and make the same investment others have made in me.
Community boils down to investing in people and allowing people to invest in you. Small groups play a big role in our life. One of the things my husband and I love to do is host LIFE group (small group) in our home. Our group is diverse, fun, and we truly feel valued by them.
God has also blessed me with a core group of friends and I am energized when we laugh together—again, laughter is key to me!
The friends I’ve made at church, work, and the gym are all amazing women! I love to get people together and help facilitate relationships by having little gatherings. Not only do I get to connect with my friends, but they can connect to each other too.
Lululemon is not just a place I work, it has become a community of sorts for me as well. I love being a part of what they are doing. Their focus includes investing in the development of their employees not just in the area of fitness but personal purpose development through goal coaching sessions and vision casting. Lululemon has allowed me to utilize my skill of connecting to other women, having real conversations about fitness, life, and purpose. I am able to motivate people to do the things that they love.
INTERSECT
Where and how does the above all come together for you?
Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to inspire others through music. I am blessed to have that dream come true by creating authentic worship music for others to connect with God and be inspired to live out their lives purposefully.
I am in the process of finishing my recording for congregational worship. I can’t wait to see how God uses these songs to help people connect with Him. My hope is that these songs will be used in the lives of congregations across the nation!
In 2009, after I had my first child, I decided to start recording some of the music I was creating. It was this process that began leading me to my true call. Right before a recording session for my album entitled Where I Belong, I was talking with a friend from church. I shared with her the things that were in my heart--a desire to connect others to God through worship in a fresh way. It was then that the song Discovery: Show Me the Way was birthed and my path became clearer.
Since then, I have written two songs, in particular, that I believe will really move people into the presence of God. I am producing them as an independent artist, meaning that I am not signed to any label. My hope is that these songs, especially Have Mercy and Lord You Are, will touch many. My desire is to break past racial, cultural, and denominational barriers through my music. My prayer is that my music speaks to people from all backgrounds!
NEXT ROUND
I hope God will continue to use me in worship and worship ministry development—praying that I can know his heart for me in each season of life.
Jena recently teamed up with Kickstarter to successfully fund her dream to record the two songs she has written, Have Mercy and Lord You Are. Here is the video of her sharing with others her passion for what she is doing.
Let us know what your favorite worship song is in the comments HERE and be entered to win a MP3 download of Jena's song Discovery.
You can follow Jena on Twitter at @jenaworshipsoul