Deanna Doss Shrodes

This photo was captured yesterday at the altar at Celebration, where God is moving in power, doing great and mighty things!!!  The blonde haired boy on the left in the American Eagle shirt is a young man named Daniel who has been coming to CC for just a week.  Invited by his good friend Ben, (who is one of our Celebrators) he came for the first time last Sunday.  Then on Wednesday he came to our youth ministry -- "Refuge", and when our son Dustin gave the altar call at the conclusion of his message, Daniel responded to the call to accept Jesus as His Savior.  This young man has a story that will break your heart.  Just recently his father died of a heart attack.  When his father died, his mother was so traumatized over the death that she had a stroke, and also died!  Daniel is now without natural parents in this world.  He lives with his grandmother.  But he has found REFUGE...literally.

Ben reached out to him and invited him to Celebration Church where he has been surround…

"Faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the misty future.
     It's  simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step."
                                                                - Joni Erickson Tada
Every year in our life coaching group I have the women select a "word of the year" to focus on as their theme.  Several of them have used "trust" as their word in the past and we've got some who chose that word  this year too.  I've never chosen the word, "trust," but probably should have.
To say I have had and still have trust issues is an understatement.  I won't go into why...it wouldn't just be a blog post for another day...it would probably be the longest blog series ever.  And I doubt anybody wants to read blog posts for several months about why I find it hard to trust people.  As a kid I went on one of those ropes courses that you go on to build trust with others, and  I miserably failed.  I'm…

My life this week reminds me of this song.

Last Sunday morning was one of the hardest days I've had in YEARS.  This was the last time felt like this...March 18, 2007.  That's not too bad I guess - almost 4  years ago.  (I have a better memory now that I'm a blogger.  All I have to do is look back in my blog notes to remember anything.  lol)  It also occurred on a Sunday, of course!  The enemy makes sure of that.

By the time the altar service was over Sunday morning I was in full blown fever, chills, nausea, headache, the works...and by Sunday night I couldn't speak a word.  This thing pretty well knocked me flat til late Wednesday night.  I've had an adjusted schedule all week long.

Now I'm pretty much trying to get to 100% by this Sunday.  Congestion, cough and issues with my voice are all that remain.  I would say my voice it at about 75 % -- it fades in and out.  I really need your prayers to see a miracle by tomorrow.  That's really what I'm longing…

I promised that today I'd be sharing about keys to leading an effective prayer meeting.  This post is going to be very practical, basically the nuts and bolts of what works for us at CC. It's just what we have found to be effective for us, not what I believe is "the plan of God for every church."  If something here helps you, take it and run with it.  That's why I'm posting it!  At the same time, if there's something you think I would benefit from in your experience, please comment and let me know. I'm ever learning and welcome your suggestions.

I've been in church all my life, and pastoring the last 24 years.  One thing I've experienced over the years is that prayer meetings tend to be a whole lot of sharing (sometimes even gossiping) and very little praying.  Sometimes people even come to prayer meeting with the intention of talking to those present, getting things off their chest, or spending time with the leader/pastor present.  I have ev…

One thing I realized  a while back was that if the climate was going to change in our church in the way of intercession and become healthy, the women were going to have to have a healthy biblicalunderstanding of it.

I do believe that while both men and women are powerful in prayer, many women seem to be more drawn to prayer.  In many churches the prayer groups are almost exclusively women.  We work hard at Celebration to involve the men in prayer and I'm so thrilled to say we have GREAT participation on the part of our men.  (Side note:  if men realized how attractive it is to us when they pray, more of them would do it!  lol  Really, is there anything more smokin' hot than a man who loves God?!  Booyah!)   Still I realized no matter how involved the men are, chances are if I have an issue pop up with someone who is out of line with intercession, it's probably going to be one of the ladies.

I lead our Wednesday night Fusion service and am the main speaker in that service o…

So yesterday I gave you many of the reasons why the last thing in the world I wanted to do was apply the label of "intercessor" to my life.

First let me say, I've discovered that labels aren't really that important but functions are.  I've come to realize that what you call a person - their title or label, isn't really all that significant, but the purpose they fulfill certainly is.

As a side note, I've found that although they don't advertise it, most pastor's wives are intercessors,  at least if they have been in the ministry for any significant period of time.  You have to be - you won't survive for the long haul in the pastorate without becoming a praying person.  All  pastors or their spouses won't label themselves an intercessor but most will tell you that they prioritize prayer.  Quite frankly most of them that I know don't care about receiving a title for it, or recognition - they just see it as an essential tool in their spi…