Deanna Doss Shrodes

Have your hopes been dashed into pieces when you tried to make a relationship work and the other person didn’t respond as you wished? Have you asked someone to forgive you, but   he or she didn’t respond as you desired? Have you prayed for healing in a relationship, but your prayers haven’t been answered?    I understand these overwhelming disappointments all too well, as one of the most important relationships in my life was lost.  I am offering insights from the journey of that devastating experience to help not only those who have faced similar circumstances, but …   Restored brings a message of hope to everyone that you can be restored, even when a relationship isn’t.   YOU can be restored, even if the other person doesn’t respond as you wished. YOU can be restored, even if your spouse leaves you. YOU can be restored, even if your parent rejects you. YOU can be restored, even if a friend betrays you. YOU can be restore...

If you're going to discuss something that's stressful in the least, don't invite a leader out for a meal to do it.  Even if it's not stressful to you...if you have any inkling -- any feeling at all that the conversation will be such for them, don't ask to meet over a meal. Call them to discuss it, or set a meeting at their office. Over the years, I've had people invite me to join them for a meal to tell me that they are resigning, stepping down from a ministry, leaving the church, or to pitch a project to me they are doubtful I will support. Perhaps they want to press me for a position or a decision on something they already know I'm not too keen on. If I sense that any of these things are the case, I try to get them to set a meeting that doesn't include mealtimes. It’s a proven fact that stress affects our digestive system.   When these types of conversations happen over a meal, I feel pain sometimes as my food is digesting. Meals ...

The finances of our home have something in common with how I lead PF Women. If we don't have the money, we don't do it. Larry and I only have two things on credit -- our home, and our car. Aside from that we don't have any debt that isn't paid off at the end of each month. And, we're tithers who give generously on top of that. We have always been faithful in our giving, and have grown wiser with finances as our marriage has progressed.We are grateful to God for His provision and blessing. So, with these things established: I wanted to do a project in our yard. It wouldn't be a do-it-yourself project but one that we'd have to hire out. It would include a lot of things that are meaningful to me including multiple larger (more mature) dark pink crepe myrtle trees, rose bushes, hydrangeas, and a lot more. Plans were drawn up and we received an estimate. It would take at least six months to save up for the project. My favorite thing would be the area tha...

  "Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole." ~ Roger Caras Five days have passed since Maddie died and it’s still so hard. (Please don’t give me the advice, “Time for a puppy!” We don’t want another puppy and besides that, we have our beloved Max. ) Maddie wasn’t just an animal. She was family. I came across this article about how the death of a pet can hurt as much as the loss of a relative. People who haven’t ever have “fur kids” as many call them, will never understand that or much else about our relationship with them.  I have thought about why the bond between people and their pets is so strong and there are a myriad of reasons. The first that most people mention is unconditional love. That's true. I also believe the loss of a pet is so traumatic because no one else is in your personal space so much, except a spouse.  Max and Maddie (and now just Max) sit faithfully alongside while I put my make up on and blow dry my hair....