Authentic Life & Leadership
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Most recent blog post…
Why Great Leaders Don’t
Try to Know Everything
When Larry and I were newly married and still in college, he had a baseball championship game. I was running late, so as I hurried up the hill toward the field, a group of friends came sprinting down, waving their arms like the place was on fire. “DEANNA! GET UP HERE...
It Happened to #MeToo
(The Power of a Leader’s Response )
I was a freshman in Bible college back in 1984. A few months into college life, I met a young man who I will call “K” who was a friend, but nothing more. K appeared to be so Godly. I enjoyed being around him a lot. He was an upperclassman, well respected and seemed to...
When Your Get Up and Go
Just Got Up and Went…
It is common for people to make comments about me always being energetic and motivated. The truth is that while I am sometimes that way, there are many times I am not. There are times I have literally walked into a building saying, "I can do this! I can do this! I can...
You’ve Got to Hold On Before Letting Go (Processing Pain)
Someone once explained to me that Tylenol (or really any drug) doesn't actually "take a headache away," it simply numbs it for 4-6 hours or however long the medication lasts. To get rid of a headache, the source of the headache has to be gone, otherwise you have to...
3 Blessings of Living on
a Word from God
People who sincerely seek God for direction and then move on what He says are a different sort of person. Those who live their lives solely based upon God's direction can be viewed as oddities or even mocked, but once you've lived in this way of allowing God to order...
Would You Like to Get the Help You Need?
(Here’s One Big Key!)
You will need help from somebody at some point. When you need help, it's important to you to get it, and you want the best that person has to give. So, why doesn't everyone receive the help they need, in the way they want to receive it? A lot of it has to do with...
3 Keys to Achieving Goals in the New Year
It's a brand new day, and a brand new year. What will be different this time next year? Absolutely nothing if you and I don't build the right habits. If you haven't read Atomic Habits by James Clear, run -- don't walk, to get this book. In fact, if you read only one...
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, the Holy Spirit, leadership development, marriage, mentoring, calling/purpose, healthy ministry culture, making leadership transitions.
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!
