Deanna Doss Shrodes

Happy Sunday!! Today is a great day for several reasons, two of which are... First, that I'm posting this morning at Lost Daughters, a place I love to be. It's the place where adoption blogging started for me. I am part of the amazing sisterhood there and blessed to be the spiritual columnist as well. To read today's post, go here. Second, it's an amazing day because it's our Celebration Church beach day, picnic and water baptism at sunset, at Ft. Desoto. It's a day where we gather under a huge pavilion and grill out, and everybody brings tons of picnic foods -- sides and desserts. We eat and swim all day. It's so fun! I take one of my noodles out in the water and float and talk to friends out there most of the day. (And wear plenty of sunscreen!) When sunset is about to happen, we gather together at the water's edge and baptize people. It's the best day ever. I'm saying a prayer for everyone who reads here today. Just so you know. ...

Happy Sunday!! Anyone enjoying the cinnamon banana oatmeal recipe I posted yesterday ? Yummo!   Today I'm blogging at a place dear to my heart ~ Lost Daughters , where I'm the Spiritual Columnist. The topic is: The Beauty of Coming Out of the Fog and Finally Being True to Ourselves. If you'd like to follow me there, c'mon over! Either way, have a FAB-ulous day! Mine will be super busy with church and a newcomers gathering at our home. I always enjoy these nights of welcoming people into our home and the church family.  This is day 28 of the church 40-day fast. God has been breaking through in some areas we've long prayed for. I can hardly wait to see what He's going to do today!  

Hi. It's me. Deanna. I feel as if I need to re-introduce myself. :) Sorry I didn't show up yesterday.   Amidst making sure all the bases are covered at church and NextJob,  I'm taking a few days off here and there for family time during Christmas/New Years, and to accomplish some projects. Lost Daughters just got a book deal! That's right, Lost Daughters, "the book" is coming! An anthology of our work is being published, in book form, for the whole world to read.  Yeahhhhhhhhhh...super excited about that, and the LD sisterhood is in full swing preparing for this monumental endeavor. To say I'm excited to be a contributing writer on this project doesn't even begin to describe my feelings. I'm on deadline for a few articles that are due the first week of the year. Not complaining! Writing is what puts the wind in my sails. And, gives me a little money for hairspray. Most pressing on my mind right now is finalizing my personal adoption b...

Yesterday was an overwhelming day. I didn't blog. Yeah, I know...that makes two days in a week. People might actually think the apocalypse is coming since I haven't blogged two days this week. It's a sign of the times, friends. Get your cans or pork and beans ready, and prepare to flee to the mountains.  Seriously, I'm blogging today at Lost Daughters, writing at my spiritual column on the site, so check me out there today . I'm talking about why adoptees don't let go of the past. The answer may be a little different than you expect. For those who are adoptees or are those who care about them, it's important information to know. One more day til' Christmas Eve!!  Help us, all Lord! Something tells me the world shouldn't be this stressed out on Your birthday. Oh for an opportunity to just get quiet and focus on You!

Recently, Amanda Woolston who founded and leads Lost Daughters, asked me if I would serve as the spiritual columnist for Lost Daughters . I will have the privilege of unpacking the issues of adoption from a spiritual perspective and sharing about the hope and healing that is available. How amazing is that? If you would have told me even seven months ago that any of this would be taking place I would have thought you were crazy! It's been just six months since I started writing about adoption. I first shared here about my leap of faith in applying to be a writer at Lost Daughters.  And then I shared here about my first post when I was accepted to join the writing team.  So much has happened in just a few months time. I stand in awe of what has happened and how God has grown me and healed me in the process of writing there. I can't even fathom not being a part of this community. And I'm overwhelmed at the opportunities God has opened for me to somehow be a blessing...

God is in the business of preserving families. It is His heart. It's my heart too. And, I'll unabashedly say here that I believe it should be everyone's heart. Everyone likes good news and I've got some for you today. If you are in doubt that God still speaks today and that He uses people to accomplish His work, I pray this will speak to you. Last night I was sitting in service at Celebration Church where we are pastors, and my husband was preaching. His message was about what we want to be remembered for in life, and he made the statement that we can't change our past but we can change the future.  In that moment, God spoke to me. He began to give me my next post for Lost Daughters, where I'm also a blogger. To be honest it's more than just another place where I blog. It's a sisterhood. A lifeline. A place that has come to mean a great deal to me, because of the amazing women who are there. During the service I basically had this entire post...

Today I'm blogging at Lost Daughters , in a post entitled, The Unexpected . We're discussing things people would never expect about living as an adult adoptee. This is my last post in the NaBloPoMo series for National Adoption Month.  But... I encourage all my readers to stop by Lost Daughters each day during the rest of the month to read what the amazing bloggers at Lost Daughters are writing.  Together, the sisterhood is changing the world!!  I am so thankful for the life-changing team there and the difference we're making. We not only serve as agents of healing in one another's lives, but we are working for reform. And we shall succeed! 

Today I am blogging at Lost Daughters.  This month is National Adoption Month as well as NaBloPoMo . Many adoptees are focusing on bringing awareness to adoption reform. They are educating others about what it's like to grow up adopted, and what it's like to live as an adult adoptee in today's world.   This month we also celebrate Thanksgiving. It is particularly meaningful for me this year. It has always been my favorite holiday, and not because of the food. (Although I do love food. This cannot be denied.) I love it for many other reasons, some of which I'll share as the month goes on.  Today I'd like to give thanks for the sisterhood at Lost Daughters. The sisters there have been very instrumental in my life this past year, and I am so grateful to God for allowing me to be a part of such an amazing group. I'm writing posts at Lost Daughters three times this month for the series, but I encourage you to read the entire 30 day blog series because it wi...

Today I am blogging at one of my favorite places to be --  Lost Daughters . All month long Lost Daughters writers are participating in NaBloPoMo . For those who don't know, that stands for National Blog Posting Month. NaBloPoMo is a month long writing exercise that takes place annually in November. Participants write a blog post each and every day of the month. Anyone who has read my blog for a while knows that I basically do NaBloPoMo every day of the year, every month, for the past 7 years. :) I'm absolutely delighted to have the privilege of sharing at Lost Daughters during NaBloPoMo. The writers of Lost Daughters created a list of subjects concerning adoption that we are writing about during this time. It's going to be a powerful month of insight from those who understand and can speak to adoption best -- adoptees. My post there today is one of the most important things I've ever written.   Much love,

Today is Fun Friday, which means...it's my day off! I love Fridays. Adore them. Crave them. What could be better than a day to do what we want to do? (To have more time to do what you want to do, vs. what you have to do, go here , where I'm helping lots of people.) I am blogging today at Lost Daughters , one of my favorite places to be. I enjoy blogging there on occasion when I get brave enough to do so. :) More than that, I enjoy the sisterhood I've found there, with my adult adoptee friends who understand on a level that is impossible for others. Today at Lost Daughters, I'm sharing specifically about what I'm doing to help orphans. Here's my post, if you're interested in following me there today. Have a most blessed day! Much love,  

I've been away a few weekends in a row at conferences, so this weekend I've been catching up on a lot of  house and yard work. So much that my leg muscles ache with each move! I might just take some ibuprofen to get through all my responsibilities today... The best part of my weekend so far was connecting with my support system at Lost Daughters .  The writers group there provides something for me that I've never had before and I'm so grateful.  I don't post blogs there all the time, yet. Just a few. I have a lot of them sitting in draft that I'm just not ready to publish. A few times I've even set them to publish and then moved them back to draft.  When dealing with issues that aren't ready for public consumption, I'm able to process them privately with the writer's group.  I've gone to counseling before but I must say, this is better because I'm actually talking to people who share the same experience. It's the missing ingredi...

Today I'm blogging over at Lost Daughters .  This is my third time of blogging there as a regular contributor, and I'm loving it. If you missed my previous posts there you can find them here and here . Even more than writing there, I love being a part of the Lost Daughters community.  God is doing something big in my heart regarding reaching out to adoptees and I know it will eventually be used to help a lot of people, especially right here where I live in Tampa. I have so many dreams in my heart, and plans to get there. I just need more years to accomplish it all. I struggle at times with believing it can all be achieved in one lifetime. Thank God I know how to JUGGLE. (You knew I'd say something about JUGGLE, right? Of course.  If you haven't already gotten your copy, go here or here . And, remember, I'm giving away a coaching package next Saturday. Why not try to win?)    We're having something unique at Celebration Church today. Breakfast at chu...