WOMEN OF THE WORD: DEANNA SHRODES

This is one of my dearest darling dollas welcome her loudly, Deanna Shrodes pastors with her husband Larry in paradise, so I am told and can see from her beautiful pictures on her blog, they are the senior pastors at Northside assembly and you can go see the church website here, they have three beautiful children, 2 boys and 1 delightful princess. When I think of Deanna, the word that comes to mind is a true dolla, from her beautiful blonde hair right now to her delightful pedicure. Yet this dolla is a woman after God’s own heart this is no superficial dolla, but one with deep integrity. I think she would be a blast at any party; she is passionate about every aspect of her life. She has a mentor’s group running for women in her church and they run a conference every year for other women in ministry call “UNSTOPPABLE” and I think that word summons up my darling friend Deanna; you can go over and visit her blog here:



1) What is your ideal date night, give a short detailed answer

My ideal date night is going out to dinner with my husband Larry - either to have seafood or to Carrabbas restaurant (my favorite place here in the America). Dinner and conversation are an unbeatable combination for me! I like double dates too, with other couples but it depends on my mood. Sometimes I just like having my man's full attention.

2. Physically what would a person remember the most about you (nails hair)

Wow, I'm not sure about what another person might remember. I've never asked anyone else what they remember most about me, except for Larry. He loves my hands and legs. But I would say probably with others in general, probably my hair or my hands, which I always keep nicely manicured.

3. In women’s ministry who is your mentor and what did you do to make sure this mentorship has made you grow.

In life and ministry in general I have mentors. However you have asked about "women's ministries" specifically and honestly I just realized when you asked that I have no women's ministries mentor. When it comes to that particular area, I've been a trailblazer in my life/church. Honestly my drive for women's ministries came out of frustration. Growing up, the women's ministries in my church served only to do things like collect sheets and pillowcases for missionaries and set up or clean up after social church events or plan fundraisers. When my husband and I married and started in ministry 21 years ago I saw not much had changed. In the churches we served in those early years it was the same thing. The first WM meeting I went to as a youth pastor's wife, the entire meeting consisted of the ladies arguing over details for their sandwich sale fundraiser that was upcoming. I came home and told Larry how ridiculous I thought that was and how women's ministries could and should be so much more. I dreamed of women's ministries being a place where women actually ministered to women and dealt with their hurts and problems and applied the Word of God to their everyday situations. I determined that once Larry and I began to pastor our own church I would set out to make it my priority to develop that kind of ministry. That was my dream and to be honest I had not had mentors to guide me or people to show me how it was done. I just started doing ministry to women out of God-given dreams. And God has blessed it! Now things are different. Many churches have women's ministries that are truly ministering to women in a relevant way. Evidently many other people shared my same frustration and they were driven to blaze a trail in their local place and make a difference. I have many sisters in the Lord that I admire who are doing the same thing, and those I learn from at this point in my ministry -- as colleagues and peers. But as far as a mentor in this area, I never had one. That would have been nice!

4. What is you favorite piece of scripture and why.

Wow. There are so many and as with most people I'm sure, It's hard to pick just one. Honestly my favorite changes from time to time! For a while now my favorite has been John 17 - Jesus's prayer. I love to read it and preach from it. I think it's such a rich passage that we can learn from as women, and mothers in the natural and also spiritual mothers. It's my favorite chapter to look to for encouragement on parenting (I pray Jesus' prayer for my own children), although I know many people would never see that chapter from the Bible as "advice on parenting" I think it is rich with information.

Thank you my precious friend living in paradise. Know you are a woman that I admire and know that anytime I need a straight answer on lifes questions this is one woman that tells it as it is. We keep thanking God for you everytime we think of you! Love you precious one.

Love always me