Deanna Doss Shrodes

(New church sign on our property - it also lights up at night as well as the part below that has letters that we can put special messages on.)
"But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." I Peter 4:13

Today is the day! I am filled with exceeding joy that few can completely understand. Only some loyal people who have lived it with us or are my few confidants that my guts have been spilled to over the years truly know the entirescope of what I'm feeling today.

Our church campus was full of people here yesterday for the unveiling of the sign and hitting the community with our launch advertisements. We had thousands of full size chocolate candy bars with our church launch info printed on it that we handed out at the local intersections when the cars were stopped. We had huge signs that said, "FREE CHOCOLATE!!!  NO KIDDING!!!" Groups of men, women and children…

"Forget the former things; do not dwell onthe past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."  Isaiah 43:18-19

It's amazing what you can forget when you make up your mind to.

People say you can't forget difficult things.  All I know is what God says.  He says to FORGET the former things -- that must mean it's possible.  Instruction or encouragement wouldn't be there in His Word if it weren't doable. 

Never in my life have I been so happy to forget - wipe clean from my mind altogether -- (and I do mean completely as if it never existed) many former happenings, people and circumstances and move on to the new thing God has for me, for us. 

The new thing springs up, even today it springs up.  This morning the new church sign is unveiled, Celebration Church is founded, and a new day has come, a new beginning -- out with the old in with the new.

He has already mad…

One of my favorite worship songs is You’ll Come by Hillsong. “Chains be broken, lives be healed. Eyes be open, Christ is revealed…” Actually I never noticed this song until Dustin’s girlfriend Becca led it in worship one day and then I went, “oh man…I love this song” and was hooked ever since. My favorite version (aside from Bec’s) is the one on the I Heart Revolution album, the part I enjoy most being the intro when those words above are sung over and over.   I listen to this song a lot as I prepare to preach or just when I'm in my quiet time with the Lord. 
We’ve been working extremely long days and nights in preparation for the grand opening of Celebration Church on Sunday. This is the start of something amazing. The main work we have been doing for months is on our facilities. It’s an exhaustive list of what has been done and it hasn’t all been “bandaid work” like just painting a room here or there but in some cases we’ve done major surgery. We’ve knocked down walls, pulled c…

Oh my gosh, other people are actually thinking this too!  So funny.  After reading my blog post yesterday about the Apple I-Pad, Becca sent this to me.  I hadn't seen it yet and almost fell off my chair laughing...enjoy!

As you might guess my brain is still frying.  We are basically working 16 hours days in prep for the launch.  There's so much I could say here about the launch but I have to be honest, I'm looking for a diversion to write about.  I just need a break.  Here's all I'll say about it -- if you live in Tampa, BE THERE.

Next week I have a new blog series planned (when I have more time for it).   Now, on to today's diversion.   Not to be outdone by yesterday's 5 wacky facts, I thought I'd share three random questions I have right now:

1)  Why has Apple named their new computer the I-Pad?   Sorry, that sounds kind of gross to me.  I guess this new product will ALWAYS give the consumer NEW FREEDOM to STAY FREE of glitches that would come about as the result of a  poor APPLICATION, helping things to FLOW better. [sigh]

2)  Why is Joy Behar still breathing?

3)  Can chocolate ice cream be considered protein in any way?  I really need it to be for this diet I'm …

My brain feels fried as I have been going almost non-stop for the launch on Sunday.  We have done so much but still have so much left to do.    Last night I was at the church with Adam putting large portraits on boards for hanging in our foyer and I couldn't stop yawning.  He said, "I can't even imagine the exhaustion you guys are feeling right now..."  It's true we have been going 90 to nothing, but it's all going to be worth it this weekend.

Since I'm  really tired and not up to write anything that requires significant brain power I thought I'd share five random facts about me today that might give pause to somebody there from Seattle to Singapore who is reading this.  I'm not going to qualify them, just put it out there and you can wonder...

Five wacky but true facts about Deanna:

1)  I never finished kindergarten.  
2)  As a kid I almost burned our house down by toasting marshmallows. 
3)  My legal name used to be Melanie.
4)  When I was a p…

Stuff that happens with two dogs in the house... 

This is what we came home to after leadership meeting.  Looks like they had quite a time with this Ficus tree.  Maddie continually eats these leaves and henceforth only the top portion of the tree is filled with leaves.  She gets in the dirt occasionally but usually only a tiny bit and I quickly vacuum it up.  I see she had a partner in crime who helped her make quite a bit more mess. 

The truth is I have been so busy with Celebration's launch on Sunday, regular details that I handle on a weekly basis and my other job that I have not even vacuumed this up yet!  (Critic:  "You didn't vacuum this up yet, yet you have time to blog?! "  Spare me, Mr. or Ms. Critic.  The truth is I can type this blog post in about 30 seconds and it would take me longer to find the vacuum and plug it in than it takes me for a blog post!  True story.) 

It's been a L-O-N-G day at work, and YES I did the Shred today even with all the ins…

Have you seen our new addition yet?

If you didn't read my blog yesterday you probably haven't.  You might want to go back and see all the photos I posted yesterday but for now, here is a photo of Max and Maddie enjoying a meal together. 



We are really impressed by Maddie's giving spirit.  She is getting along GREAT with Max.  Yesterday Dustin gave Maddie a piece of pizza crust.  Normally she would just scarf it down as she loves them.  Instead she took it right to Max!  It's like she's mothering Max in the way she lovingly cares for him whether she brings him a toy or lets him have the pizza crust.  She even stands back and offers her food or drink in the bowl to him first!

This is what happens when you raise Christian dogs.  The follow the golden rule and prefer one another in love.  :)  

In other news, we had our last service yesterday as Northside AG!  Somebody shout now!  Six more days til' Celebration!  We had a fantastic service yesterday as well as lea…

We have been talking for a while now about Maddie having a dog friend in the house.  I  know many will think it's silly but I hate being away from Maddie and if I am working late it's even worse.  I can't bear the thought of her being by herself for that long.  I am always concerned about her.   We have been discussing it but yesterday was the day, after searching for the right dog and calling several places we were able to find a combination English Bulldog and American Bulldog, the same colors as Maddie and a boy that we have named Maximus (Max). 

Max is 10 weeks old and has all his shots.  Besides being a boy there are some other differences.  His tail was not docked like Maddie's.  Also he doesn't stick his tongue out like Maddie.  He is also not deaf!  Yes, we now have at least one dog that hears.  This will be interesting as we are not used to it and will have to be aware that anything we do will wake him up. Maddie on the other hand sleeps through anything …

Today we begin a new  year in women's life coaching!  I'm so excited and everyone else seems to be too.  Great things happen through life coaching.  People have breakthroughs with issues that have held them back for years.  Some change careers.  Some go back to school.  Some heal.  Some go to the next level from wherever they were at before.  Others are returning life coachers (some for the 4th year!) who have grown in past years and are just ready for the next level.

 We meet monthly and learn and grow together, we go on trips together, we eat a lot of great food, and we do a lot of laughing. 

 It's no wonder why a lot of us can't imagine ourselves without this very special group!

Yesterday my post was about flakes and I got some good feedback on it, both on the blog and off.  Today I just wanted to mention that an unfortunate reality about flakes is that they create confusion and cause people to be skeptical of what is real.  When God really moves some people don't even recognize it because they've seen so many shenanigans they don't even know what to believe anymore.

I have scores of friends and acquaintences in ministry who are so in tune with God.  They are not charletons, on the contrary they are truly God's men and women of power and they are anointed.

Last week one of my close friends, Pastor Melissa Kelly spoke to me by phone and said God had given her a word for me. She was right on target.  I'll be honest it was a hard word, but I received it.  Actually God had already spoken it to me but this was a confirmation and it came from a trusted friend that I've opened myself up to.  Melissa is an intercessor who moves in many gifts -…

This request comes from one of my co-workers at NextJob, a job coach named Dale Falini.  I was very touched by this request and am asking all of my blog readers to join me in praying for this miracle.

This is a note from Dale that I am copying here with her permission:



" I am asking that you join me in prayer today for my next door neighbor, David Hames. He was in Haiti, as a videographer for Compassion. He is still missing. He was in the Hotel Montana lobby when the quake hit. He was with another Compassion worker, Dan Woolley, who was pulled out of the rubble on Friday. Dan attends my church and just came home last night. Dan has been able to give details to rescuers about where David was in the Lobby. David had his backpack with him that he takes on video shoots and his wife tells me that it is always full of water and granola bars. So we are praying for a miracle and I hope you will join me. David and Renee have 2 small boys. Renee is clinging to her faith and Psalm 91. But …