Deanna Doss Shrodes

Tired to the bone is how I feel after I have spent a week or more preaching in Africa. Most times, the trip involves preaching more than once a day and there's nothing more I absolutely love. But it is also exhausting -- pouring out physically, spiritually and emotionally. At the end of the trip I'm soooo ready for a little bit of R & R, and my friends, missionaries Bill and Barb Kuert, never fail to disappoint. We have the most amazing adventures! This last time was no exception and our son Jordan was there, which was extra special. On our last morning there, we were out on safari a few hours before breakfast, which was scheduled to end at 9 AM.  Jordan, Barb and I had been up for several hours and riding around on the African plains, working up an appetite and pulled up in front of the lodge with about five minutes to spare before we could get in on breakfast. Walking up to the restaurant, one of the staff members spotted us ...

This happens to me all the time! In addition to going through it myself, I have a front row seat when unexpected things go wrong in other people's lives, being that I'm a pastor. When senseless things happen, I witness people's frustration up close and personal and I grieve with them. Many times people want to know, "Why?"  I saw this coffee cup recently in my travels to thrift stores. (Second hand stores are my favorite places to shop.) I have more than enough coffee cups at home and the office but I knew I had to have this one for my collection. It's my new favorite! There are problems that will never be understood in the natural. When ungodly actions are involved, it's doubtful it will ever be explained. This is because sin never makes sense. And there we go, always trying to figure it out!  Although I don't know have an explanation for why things happen the way they do, I do know God. And in those times, it's all that matter...

Some people have a hard time understanding God's love for them because they think He planned what hurts them so much. I'm passionate about sharing that God is a good God. Until people understand that, they won't ever see Him clearly and be able to freely receive His love. Something that makes this difficult are people who tell others that God planned the process that caused their pain.

If someone is investing into you in any way, guard that as a sacred gift .  They have a choice as to where they invest.  If you aren't faithful to their investment -- if you don't take it seriously and respond with faithfulness to that deposit, they will not keep investing.  Before you know it somebody else will be reaping the blessing you once had. Many people don't realize the value of an investor in their lives until they aren't pouring into them any more.  As one of my mentors, Sis. June Coker, says:  "they won't miss the water til' the well runs dry." Here are five ways to make sure an investor keeps investing, not to mention making sure you don't burn a bridge altogether with an investor: 1)  Show up - on time.  When you're expected to meet with them, be faithful.  When people don't respect my time that's a signal to me that they don't respect my wisdom either. 2)  Take notes.   Not just in meetings but during informa...

So many people get frustrated by all the needs they see around them and think, "I can't do this.  I can't handle all this -- I can't make a real dent in the needs in this world.  I give up." Here's an important truth.  God never asked you to do what you can't do.  He asks you to do what you CAN do.  His power is there to handle everything you can't do, and it will kick in at just the right time...trust me.  Better yet, trust Him! I can't help everyone.  But I can help someone.  So I reach out to help that someone.  And you know what?  God enables me to do more than I thought I could do .  And before I know it I've usually helped a few people, not just that one. When I started out I may have thought I couldn't really do anything at all of significance.  Looking back I see God helped me do exponentially more than I ever thought possible. We are unlimited, really because God is unlimited. God never asks you to do what...

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."  I Corinthians 12:9 Do you know how many people have asked me advice lately on how to forgive?  A LOT!!  Many people in my life both in person and through social media have talked to me about it, not really so much using me as an example, but just reaching out to a fellow struggler.  If anyone has listened to me preach lately or read my blogs or ezines or just had a cup of coffee with me they've heard that this is what's on my mind lately.  Knowing that I'm going through a particular journey has prompted others who are hurting to reach out, even if  just to have a hand to hold.  I don't mind -- it's just been one more thing to add to my list of things that make the emotional trek worth it. When people ask me, "how are you doing it?" my first response is grace.  I ...

  "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...i...