Deborah Smith Pegues

Deborah Ann Smith Pegues (/pəɡeɪ/; born June 30, 1950) is an American author, television host, motivational speaker, and businesswoman. She is known for her self-help devotional, 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue, which has sold over a million copies. Pegues hosts a weekly, faith-based, how-to television program, Winning with Deborah, on Trinity Broadcasting Network's TBN Salsa.

Early life and education

Deborah Ann Smith was born in Texas to Rube and Doris Smith. She is the second oldest of seven siblings and the only daughter. She grew up during the civil rights movement, and had worked part-time as a domestic maid. She attended A.M. Story High School in Palestine, Texas. After desegregation of the schools in Palestine in 1967, and the closure of A.M. Story, she attended Palestine High School in her senior year. She graduated as the school’s first African American valedictorian in 1968.

She attended University of North Texas and was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She received her Bachelor's degree in Accounting in 1972, and attended University of Southern California, where she received her MBA in Finance in 1975.

Career

Financial executive

Pegues worked for MCA / Universal Studios for 10 years, and became vice president of their venture capital division. She also worked for three years at Hughes Aircraft Company as a budgeting and forecasting manager in their Space and Communications Division. Afterwards, Pegues worked as an independent CPA and financial consultant. She prepared the initial financial projections for the Magic Johnson Theatres chain, which opened in 1994.

In 1998, Pegues joined the staff of West Angeles Church of God in Christ, a mega-church in Los Angeles, California, as their Chief Financial Officer. In 2000, the church received a $35 million loan, the largest for an American church, to construct their cathedral building.

In 2006, Pegues left her CFO position at West Angeles Church to become a full-time author and speaker. In 2008, she joined World Vision USA as a board member, and noted in her website profile that she served there for 9 years. In 2015, Pegues also was an advisory board member of the Christian Women in Media Association. She is a board member of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Author, television host, and speaker

Pegues has written over 16 self-help books published by Harvest House. Her best-known book, 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue was published in 2005. It challenges readers to a "tongue fast" or abstinence from negative verbal behaviors such as complaining, gossiping, retaliating, and half-truths for a 30-day period. In turn, the book offers "effective communication strategies to strengthen personal and professional relationships". The book has sold over a million copies, garnering a Platinum sales achievement award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Lyudmila Bloch, in her New York Times Ask About Etiquette column, referred to 30 Days in one of her answers.

In addition to books in the 30 Days format, Pegues has written other books including Forgive, Let Go, and Live, Emergency Prayers, and Confronting Without Offending. She has guest blogged on websites for T.D. Jakes and Magic Johnson. She has contributed articles to Huffington Post and Charisma. Leslie E. Royal of Black Enterprise magazine referred to Pegues' book Financial Survival in Uncertain Times in her article "5 Ways to Build Your Budget".

Pegues hosts a television program called Winning with Deborah, which began airing on TBN Salsa in December 2017. The program focuses on teaching practical application of biblical scriptures to topics such as relationships, finances, health, and spiritual growth. Pegues has also been a featured guest on various Christian-based television talk shows, including Hour of Power, Today with Marilyn & Sarah, and My New Day with Bob and Audrey.

As a motivational speaker, Pegues has given seminars to religious and secular audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Her seminars employ what she calls a “life stool” analogy, where she compares a stool’s seat to foundational beliefs about the Word of God, and the stool’s legs to four key areas of life: the relational, financial, emotional, and physical. Pegues has been a guest speaker at Christian Women in Media Association (2016), Focus on the Family (2017, 2018), and Platform Workshop for Christian Artists (2018).

Personal life

She married Darnell Pegues, a financial executive, on April 14, 1979. Darnell serves as the Chief Operating Officer of their financial consulting and personal development company, The Pegues Group. They have no children.