Deanna Doss Shrodes

Leviticus 26:9-11 " 'I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year's harvest when you will have to move it out to makeroom for the new."

Here is the final word from the Lord for me in these last hours of 2006. I need to be packing for vacation and cleaning but I simply had to reflect for a few moments on closing out the 2006 year. If there's anything I want to close my year out with, it's writing. Because, WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN. If every year was like this...my oh my.

We have been so blessed. What a year of harvest. The final count at the church is 122 souls saved for 2006. We had a salvation and one rededication this morning in service. And onward we go. Of course the most important thing has been salvations, however there has been so much MORE. I see blessings in my family, in our church families, in our church as a whole. In my life personally...I c…

Times change. Seasons change. Feelings change. But some things NEVER DO. Okay, so scripture tells us that the Word of God will never change, never fade away. Most things in this life you can't count on staying the same, in fact very few things. However today I'd like to share with you ten things about me that will NEVER CHANGE.

1) I love Jesus with my life, not just my heart. A lot of people can say they love something/someone with their whole heart, but does what they do with their life reflect it?

2) If I say I'll be somewhere, I'll be there. (If not, call 911 because something is REALLY wrong, such as...my pulse has stopped. )

3) If I commit to do something, count on it. (Again, the 911 rule applies)

4) I'll always like pink.

5) I'll always savor my coffee and tea. (Not just in the morning but pretty much all the time.)

6) Writing to me is as essential as breathing.

7) Sunday School is a close runner up to that. If I couldn't write or teach Sunda…

"You shall not go out with haste . . . ." As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ. Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.--

Just starting this last morning of 2006. It's 6:45 and I'm just quieting myself here with a cup of coffee getting ready to leave for church. And, getting ready to step into the invincible future.

Proverbs 4:18 says, "The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day."

I know my path was planned ahead of time by God but I sure wish he would have told me about my schedule today last night. I planned on being at home ALL DAY doing nothing but getting ready for tomorrow's service (last minute stuff) and then cleaning and packing. No dice. But that's alright, I am used to leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Remember, it's all about keeping the plates spinning, and balls juggling! THIS I know how to do.

Larry and Jordan had the men's golf tourney. Larry's team won which happens most times. Jordan did real good though. He's talented no matter what sport he tries. Got a call late afternoon to pick up Dustin from work...and to take him and Savanna for haircuts. Basically this took me 1/2 my day once I got on the road. But that's alright. Somehow despite being gone half the day, and not…

It was a beautiful day in Tampa today. Wednesday it was so cold I wore my leather coat all the way through our dinner out. Today it was so hot I wore shorts and a tank top. Upon coming home from riding my bike I couldn’t wait to get in a cool shower. I got all cleaned up and picked out some more summer clothes to wear. Here I am – above - sitting on my back patio on my swing. Also a couple of pics with Larry and Savanna by the lake in our backyard.

We still had more returns to do tonight from Christmas. Returns and exchanges – after tonight they are OVER! I needed to take my Mp3 back before vacation to make sure I had enough tunes/podcasts to last me for a 10 hour ride plus exercising in the workout room. Also had to return Savanna’s sneakers and get a bigger size. She is a LADIES 7 and ½ now. That’s unbelievable to me for her age. She’s the tallest in the class and she also has larger feet to go along with it. All this means…she may just be the next Tyra Banks? Who knows. I tell her…

"Wow, that's a lotta restyou're getting there, PastorDeanna..."Yep, you're right. I'm unabashedly, unashamedly...RESTING. (Except for services this week, and any emergencies...and, knock on wood, we haven't had any emergencies this week so far.) For those reading who have never been aware of what we do here at NS this week...my husband and I close the office down from December 26 until January 2. Staffers only have to come in and be prepared for regularly scheduled services, necessities that can't wait like bank deposits, etc., and we are also on call 24/7 for emergencies. It is not our actual "vacation time" because we still prepare for and do services and "must do paper work" or things like our ezines, plus we stay on call. The only difference is, we don't keep office hours. But it's a wonderful gift we all have, to move at a slow pace and be home with our families, excepting these other few mandatory things. It's al…

I really hope our church keeps growing next year at the same clip it is now!
I really hope I reach my next weight loss goal.

I really hope Whitney Houston really goes through with her divorce from Bobby Brown.

I really hope Cold Stone Creamery keeps their "sinless cake batter" flavor. (it wasn't there last week. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?)

I really hope my husband stays on weight watchers with me. (He's doing so well. He was a fine man before...but look at him now!) 

I really hope I can be a part of changing many lives in this coming year.

I really hope to be in the best shape of my life in 2007.

I really hope I get enough sleep with Dustin having his own car and all now.


I really hope I make some major strides in writing this year.

I really hope Rosie O'Donnell gets fired from The View and any other network show where America has to put up with seeing her face or hearing her anymore.

I really hope Sawyer and Kate stay together on Lost. If either one gets k…

Today in My Utmost for His Highest (Oswald Chambers):

" . . . unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 18:3

"These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must "put o…