Authentic Life & Leadership
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The Gifts of the Spirit:
You, Too, Can Flow Anywhere!
This past Friday I woke up with a word of knowledge. As soon as my eyes opened, the Lord showed me this thing. I had no tangible evidence of it before I arose early with this in my spirit, but a few hours later I did some investigating in the natural and discovered...
How to Treat (or Not Treat) Grieving People
Last Thursday was a day I will never forget, one that I prayed to God none of my kids would ever have to face. On that day, my oldest son Dustin and his wife Taylor found themselves facing the most significant loss of their lives. During the anatomy ultrasound to...
Do People in Ministry Have to Hide or Retire to Have Fun?
I wrestled with the title of this post. I thought perhaps the title should be, "Do People in Ministry Have to Hide or Wait to Retire to Be Themselves?" At times the pull to suppress yourself or at least tweak yourself slightly to survive and thrive in the ministry...
Why Can’t My Problems Just Go Away?
(Lessons from Golden Hour)
I am a HUGE fan of “golden hour.” Golden hour is a period right after sunrise, and before sunset, when the light is much softer than when the sun is in the sky. It’s a wonderful time to take photographs. Many photographers refer to this time as “magic hour” although...
3 Things to Do When You Feel Overwhelmed
Everyone gets overwhelmed at times. I'm no stranger to it and sometimes I've handled it well and other times I've failed and the overwhelm has become even worse. Recently, I was overwhelmed as several huge deadlines converged at once. At the same time, I was...
There’s a Lot I Used to Believe
I wrote a book many years ago that is now out of print. I am so thankful it's out of print because I don't believe at least 25% of it anymore. I have lived, studied, and grown, and therefore some of the things I believe have changed since that time. I disagree with a...
The World Really Is Your Oyster.
Start Acting Like It!
Sometimes we get discouraged about our environment or our circumstances and we can begin to feel hopeless or trapped. And the truth is, we are less trapped or stuck than we think we are. In fact, rarely are we truly trapped, we just don't want to change or move. God...
Invite Deanna to speak at your next event!
Deanna is invited to return and speak at many of the same places time and again because the result has been an overwhelmingly positive experience with lives changed, and people encouraged.
BIO
Dr. Deanna Shrodes
Dr. Deanna Doss Shrodes is an author, speaker, and spiritual life strategist whose work has been featured by CBS News, People Magazine, The New Yorker, Woman’s World, GOD TV, and HuffPost. She holds a Master’s in Ministerial Leadership and a Doctor of Ministry from Southeastern University, where she also serves as an adjunct professor.
Dr. Shrodes currently leads as Women’s Ministries Director for the Pen Florida District of the Assemblies of God and directs the Stronger Leadership Network, where she mentors pastors and leaders through practical coaching, spiritual formation, and cohort-based development. A sole author of five books and a contributing writer to five others, her latest work, Uncommon Answers, was released by Chosen Books (a division of Baker Books) in April 2025.
Known for a warm pastoral presence and clear, actionable teaching, Dr. Shrodes speaks at conferences, churches, and leadership gatherings on calling and purpose, prayer and spiritual formation, women’s leadership, and organizational health. She is married to her college sweetheart, Larry; they have three grown children and five grandchildren.
Areas of Focus: spiritual formation & prayer, women’s leadership development, calling/purpose in midlife, marriage, healthy ministry culture, cohort-based mentoring.
Become Your Most Authentic Self
Free E-Book
Are you tired of being who and what others expect you to be, instead of who God created you to be?
If you find the pressure of other people's expectations exhausting and you are ready to be the authentic YOU that you were always meant to be, Deanna would like to gift you with an ebook, 29 Ways to Become Your Most Authentic Self.
It's time to break free and finally live according to your divine design!