Deanna Doss Shrodes

I'm writing this post today because I don't personally need more income. Don't get me wrong, I could always find uses for money. But my point is, our family income is just fine. But at one time, it wasn't. And only someone who is making a decent salary can write this kind of post, otherwise it's taken as  begging for money. Photo Credit: ccstbp, Flickr Many years ago a woman in the church  where we were pastors at the time came to me with a box of things and said, " Pastor Deanna, I want to donate this to a family in need at the church, and I know you'll know exactly who needs it and who to give it to..." I thanked her. Once she left the room I peeked inside the box and said to myself: "We are that family." I took the box home and our family utilized the contents. At the time we may have been the most financially disadvantaged family in the congregation. We qualified for food stamps. Our kids qualified for free school lunches...

Today I'm blogging at the Pastoring Partners Network on the topic, "Pastoral Pride Will Kill You." I invite all of my friends who are pastoring a church to learn from my mistakes. :)  Have you heard the definition of wisdom? It's the benefit of experience without the pain of mistakes. I'd much rather learn from other people's mistakes than go through the pain of my own. Okay, so the topic of pastoral pride is heavy. I'm glad today's my day off!  :) It's Fun Friday and my man and I have plans for some much needed down time. It might be just a few hours, but it will be soooo good. We've got some work to do around the house to prepare for some company we're expecting for Thanksgiving, and we're so blessed to be spending time today with our former children's pastors, Trinity and Misty Mackley, who are coming into town for the weekend. Oh how we looooooove our Mackleys!! They might have left Tampa but they never left our hearts ...

Three weeks ago one of our board members, Bernie Currie,  came to the pulpit to share with our church about Pastor Appreciation.  He is great at doing this.  (We are so blessed!!)  He shared some alarming statistics he has found in his research, including that a recent survey reported that when it came to suicide, clergy ranked #3 as far as professions with the highest suicide rates.   That doesn’t surprise me.  I talk to people in ministry most every week who are on the brink of leaving their spouse, leaving ministry, or checking out on life altogether.  It’s why I started a ministry for them in 1998, because God has given me special compassion for those in vocational ministry.     Some other related statistics: 70% of pastors don't have a close friend. 1700 pastors leave the ministry for good, every month. 70% of pastors constantly fight depression. 90% of pastors work between 55-75 hours a week. 70% say they have a lower self wo...

Clique [klik] noun a small, exclusive group of people; coterie  Every time I hear this word in any form or fashion, it's always with distain. I've often pondered the subject of why.   I'm a compassionate person by nature and definitely don't harbor the "us four and no more" mentality when it comes to Christianity or church.  I believe it's important for us to welcome people with open arms. At the same time, my heart tells me that there is sometimes an appropriate setting for a clique of sorts in certain settings of life.  Are my husband and I not in a clique by literal definition being that we are an exclusive couple, not allowing another woman or man into the inner sanctum of our relationship? Is my family of five not a "clique" when we go on a sacred family vacation together or have a family meeting, "just us five"? Last night and for the better part of today my husband and I have been at a denominational leadership...

This true story in the "True Church Stories" series comes from the Experience Conference this past weekend.  In addition to being privileged to share in the opening general session Friday morning I also was asked to teach a workshop on both Friday and Saturday afternoon entitled, "Hot and Holy Matrimony." Both times this workshop was packed, and this afternoon we even had people sitting on the floor so many had interest in this topic.  I'm just setting the tone for you here that a lot of people evidently have interest in "Hot and Holy Matrimony"!!  ::smiles:: To further set the stage, I was rolling full steam ahead in teaching, and due to the volume of material I had to present, we had no time for a question/answer session.  If someone said something during this particular session, it would be classified as an interruption.  Some who were actually in the session later referred to the interruption as "heckling" but I'll let you decide. ...

Want your kid to walk away from God?  Here's a sure-fire formula, my friends.  Follow this easy-to-use guide to turn them away from God  and the church.  These are very easy things to do, in fact thousands are doing it with great results and their kids are turning away in droves.  It will work for you too!!     1)  Be a totally different person at home than you are at church. 2)  Switch churches.  Don't stay in one place too terribly long.  Keep 'em hopping.  The more churches you can expose your kids to without putting down roots, the better.  The second you're unhappy with something, uproot as soon as possible and head out to church shop again.  Tell them this is for their own good. 3)   Don't bother with sending them to kids and youth camp.  It can get expensive especially if you have several kids.  Think practically.  You need the money to pay on other things and besides kids ar...

Last night our friends Vito and Cherie Tunzi hosted a gathering at their home for any of our former church folks in Maryland who wanted to get together and see our family. They've been so gracious as to plan this event each time we've come back thru the area on vacation. We're always humbled and amazed when we pull up and see the amount of cars gathered on their several acres of property and realize, "wow...all these folks came to see us." Always brings tears to my eyes. I am equally amazed at their thoughtfulness in remembering, "I made this special dish to bring because I know it's Pastor Larry's favorite..." and things like dear friends Ron & Susan Morgan going down to Hermans bakery to pick up a strawberry cake to bring because it's mine. I'm also amazed at how Cherie pulls together successful events on short notice. :) But the thing I'm most amazed by is the family of God growing up. It amazes me how beautifully ...

Yesterday was a busy day -- in prayer, and wrapping things up for Christmas Eve Communion, food shopping, baking pies, ironing table linens, getting the china out, and all that good stuff.  Worked til' I dropped last night.  Savanna did do some cleaning while we were at work -- she wanted to have her friend Grace over to spend the night.  This works out nicely as we'll just reunite her with her family at Christmas Eve Communion.  Michele and Marcus came over last night too and watched the Steelers game and I made homemade hot cocoa with a recipe that a friend, Jeannie Tedder, gave me.  It's better than cocoa that you get in the stores.  And, it's real simple: Homemade Cocoa 1 and 3/4 cup of instant milk powder 1 cup of powdered sugar 1/2 cup of coffee creamer (powder) 1/4 cup of cocoa Mix ingredients.  Store in container - may be stored out on counter, in refrigerator or freezer.  When preparing, mix 1/3 cup of cocoa mix with 3/4 cup of ho...

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 w...

This morning the "plan" for Pastor Appreciation was revealed!  Michele Danielson was the board member who spoke this morning and came and said some wonderfully touching words.  She blogged about it here and included exactly what she said today.  After she finished sharing, a slide presentation  came up on the big screen and showed that they are sending Larry and I on a  vacation to Tennessee, just the two of us!  They have rented us this amazing place ,  We will have this huge place all to ourselves.  Taking a look at everything that's there I'm more excited every moment just thinking about it.  Mostly I'm just so excited that it will just be him and I. We have been really busy as usual burning the candle at both ends and last night as we laid in bed I nuzzled up to him and said, "We need to go away soon."  He just tiredly hummed in agreement (exhausted after the wedding).  I said, "I want us to go away where I have ...

This morning we did this song for the first time in worship in our church, and I just love it.  It characterizes just where so many are at personally in their lives, and also where we are as a church.  "What a moment you have brought me to, such a freedom, I have found in You, You're the healer, who makes all things new.  I'm not going back, I'm moving ahead, I'm here to declare to You my past is over!  You make all things new, yes You make all things new, and I will follow You, forward!"   Well this morning the big announcement was made.  On the weekend of January 31, 2010, we will officially become Celebration Church!   This morning we not only announced the new name but we also released our official core values and focused on our capital campaign for renovations of the facilities.  Our entire leadership team has already pre-pledged to this cause and stepped up to demonstrate to the congregation our commitment. ...

Tonight we performed the wedding of John and Sophia at Clearwater Beach, at sunset.  It was a beautiful night.  The ceremony was very special, one of the most meaningful that Larry and I have ever had the pleasure of doing.  The wrote their own vows and I particularly loved what Sophia prepared for John: I, Sofia, promise before God and these witnesses that I will enamor you with words of love daily, with passionate kisses and profound embraces. I will take care of your heart so that every heart beat will be one with mine. I will support you and encourage you my love, because your triumphs are my triumphs, your happiness is my happiness and your sadness my tears. Every morning you will have me nuzzled at your side to start each day, with the promise that our future is one and our love complete. I promise to love Jessie and Juan as if they where my own children and I will be with you to see them grow and become people of God. I love you John Torres...

I am currently in a church that is WONDERFUL about "Pastor Appreciation Month" not only in October but all year round.  I am so blessed.   However, I haven't always been in this situation.  And, I know countless others who experience pain not only every October when this rolls around, but all throughout the year.  Yesterday I received a letter in my box that is all too common.  I get these type of letters all the time, being that I am friends with many women in ministry and also due to the fact that back in 1998 I founded the Pastoring Partners Network , an international resource that helps and empowers women in ministry.  Through this organization, I receive much correspondence on a regular basis of this nature.  It is heartbreaking and gives me much to pray about.  I got this letter yesterday and asked the woman who wrote it if I could share it as part of this blog series.  She readily agreed, hoping it would h...

Savanna Rose with the famous missionary to Calcutta, Huldah Buntain .    Savanna met her at General Council on a day  when I was working otherwise, and wasn't there, and she talked with her.  Savvy talks of being a missionary someday so this was a special meeting for her.  When she came home, she brought me a copy of her book, signed with an inscription personally for me.  I thought she was joking when she (Savanna) gave it to me.  I've been in ministry for 22 years myself but never met Huldah Buntain!  The book is a treasured part of my collection now in my library.  By the way, I believe my daughter will go to the nations someday to bring the message of hope, further than her Momma has ever gone... Our son Jordan at national fine arts a back in August.  He had a leading role in the human video which received a superior with invitation rating. Jordan doing his drum solo at national fine arts this year.  He has...