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Worthy To Be Found: An Unforgettable Story of Reunion, Resilience, and Restoration
A truly unforgettable memoir, "Worthy To Be Found," chronicles the joys and obstacles of a Christian adoptee relinquished at birth in the 1960s American South. Deanna was called by God from a young age. Driven to serve, and gifted in music and preaching, she excelled in her calling. She worked hard in her personal life, too. Coming from an adoptive family of divorce, she was determined to create the stable marriage and family she constantly longed for. She had always wondered about her origins, and as she embarked on motherhood, Deanna was compelled to search. But even getting the chance to look her natural mother in the eye as an adult would prove to be an epic emotional and logistical task. Reunion was only the beginning. Readers will be moved to laughter and tears as they journey through the rollercoaster ride of reunion with Deanna’s natural maternal family and later grief at facing further devastation from the woman who gave her life. Time and again, Deanna draws upon her immense personal resilience, her faith in God, and a healthy dose of humor to restore her emotional health. Anyone who wants to move beyond mere surviving to thriving amidst life’s complexities will find hope and healing in the pages of "Worthy To Be Found."
- GenresAdoption
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 25, 2014
2 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 5, 2015
REVIEW OF ADOPTEE MEMOIR, WORTHY TO BE FOUND, BY DEANNA DOSS SHRODES:
Deanna Doss Shrodes, a writer, pastor and adoptee in Florida has recently written a memoir about her relationship with her birth family, specifically her birth mother, whom she found in the early 1990s. She shares her account of the search and reunion stages with candor, feeling and humor. The title of her book is: Worthy to be Found.
One, (of many), important points Shrodes makes in her writing is that every adoptee's experience is unique, and what works for one person or family doesn't always work for another. For Deanna, her connection to faith and the support system of her husband and children have kept her grounded and serve as reminders that no matter what happened in the past or what happens in the future, she is loved.
Another significant concept Deanna Shrodes addresses is the notion of worthiness. Many folks representing the adoption constellation, (biological parents, adoptees and even adoptive parents), struggle with feelings of low self-esteem. This is usually due to perceived expectations of society regarding conception, and how we conduct our personal and family life. Adoption may be an option, but it isn't "traditional" for forming a family, and some members of the triad can feel stigmatized and frustrated by unanswered questions, physical limitations and assumptions sometimes made by non-adopted people.
In Worthy to be Found, everyone involved has value, regardless of past actions, familial status and abilities. There are "good" and "bad" people everywhere, but it has nothing to do with the adoption process. Everyone has worth. This memoir is a great reminder of that.
Deanna Doss Shrodes, a writer, pastor and adoptee in Florida has recently written a memoir about her relationship with her birth family, specifically her birth mother, whom she found in the early 1990s. She shares her account of the search and reunion stages with candor, feeling and humor. The title of her book is: Worthy to be Found.
One, (of many), important points Shrodes makes in her writing is that every adoptee's experience is unique, and what works for one person or family doesn't always work for another. For Deanna, her connection to faith and the support system of her husband and children have kept her grounded and serve as reminders that no matter what happened in the past or what happens in the future, she is loved.
Another significant concept Deanna Shrodes addresses is the notion of worthiness. Many folks representing the adoption constellation, (biological parents, adoptees and even adoptive parents), struggle with feelings of low self-esteem. This is usually due to perceived expectations of society regarding conception, and how we conduct our personal and family life. Adoption may be an option, but it isn't "traditional" for forming a family, and some members of the triad can feel stigmatized and frustrated by unanswered questions, physical limitations and assumptions sometimes made by non-adopted people.
In Worthy to be Found, everyone involved has value, regardless of past actions, familial status and abilities. There are "good" and "bad" people everywhere, but it has nothing to do with the adoption process. Everyone has worth. This memoir is a great reminder of that.
August 4, 2015
Worthy to Be Found, by Deanna Doss Shrodes, is a beautifully written memoir of an engaging Pastor and adopted adult. She relates her path to learning about, searching for, and reuniting with her natural mother. Her writing style is insightful and engaging, delivered with a healthy sense of humor, even on such a personal and sometimes painful topic. Her writing style, her compassion, and her love for God give her the tools to tell her story in a way that is entertaining, thought provoking and educational.
In her memoir, Shrodes tells her story as a baby born to a single mother in 1966 and placed for adoption. Her journey to learning her identity and developing relationships with her natural family is fascinating, but this book is about more than Shrodes’ personal experience. She includes details of the history of adoption in the Baby Scoop Era. She also educates about the rights adoptees should have to access information about their original identity. She is clear about the cold, hard truths of the American adoption system, and she articulates the struggle, the joys and the pain of living adopted. She also gives readers a first hand look at what living a life without secrets looks like, including the personal cost of living a secret-free life.
Another aspect of Worthy to Be Found that I appreciate is that the author’s faith is a central piece of her story. Many times, because of the role the church played in adoption and secrecy, adoptees and birthparents felt betrayed by Christianity and have turned away from their faith. Shrodes makes a strong case for the role of faith and God in an adoptee’s journey.
I first “met” Deanna Shrodes through her blog, Adoptee Restoration. She states that the comments she received by readers of her popular blog led her to put her story in memoir form. It has been a joy to read her experiences in book form. I highly recommend this memoir for birthparents, adoptees, adoptive parents and adoptive professionals.
In her memoir, Shrodes tells her story as a baby born to a single mother in 1966 and placed for adoption. Her journey to learning her identity and developing relationships with her natural family is fascinating, but this book is about more than Shrodes’ personal experience. She includes details of the history of adoption in the Baby Scoop Era. She also educates about the rights adoptees should have to access information about their original identity. She is clear about the cold, hard truths of the American adoption system, and she articulates the struggle, the joys and the pain of living adopted. She also gives readers a first hand look at what living a life without secrets looks like, including the personal cost of living a secret-free life.
Another aspect of Worthy to Be Found that I appreciate is that the author’s faith is a central piece of her story. Many times, because of the role the church played in adoption and secrecy, adoptees and birthparents felt betrayed by Christianity and have turned away from their faith. Shrodes makes a strong case for the role of faith and God in an adoptee’s journey.
I first “met” Deanna Shrodes through her blog, Adoptee Restoration. She states that the comments she received by readers of her popular blog led her to put her story in memoir form. It has been a joy to read her experiences in book form. I highly recommend this memoir for birthparents, adoptees, adoptive parents and adoptive professionals.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews