Author, One Sunday (2013)
Her previous novel, Emily’s Reasons Why Not, was made into a ABC TV show
President, Anachel Communications, a corporate, entertainment and sports media-strategy firm
Married, Chuck (10 years)
Daughter, 8 years old
GUEST
The Emptiness of Fame and Fortune
CBN.com
–RUNNING THE CIRCUIT
Carrie grew up a part-time Catholic near a small town in Tucson, AZ with single mom and loved writing since 6th grade. After high school, she attended University of Arizona where she met and dated Chuck. She graduated from Arizona State University. Carrie says she and Chuck were Christians but not living out their faith. Carrie, uninterested in marriage, wanted to establish herself and moved to New York City to climb the corporate ladder. Carrie interned at entertainment networks and at night she bartended before taking a job in Los Angeles in public relations. She worked for the prestigious Rogers and Cowan Agency and with TV shows such as “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” starring Will Smith. Carrie was running the circuit: drinking, going to parties and dating celebrities. (She and Chuck still dated on and off; he was a college and NFL football star and she was focused on her career.) “I had it all in Los Angeles,” says Carrie. “The all which I though I always needed to feel safe, happy, fulfilled. I did not need a thing from anyone, particularly God.” In her early 20's, Carrie was offered a job with Turner Entertainment Public Relations in New York City, so she moved back to the Big Apple, becoming a part of the team that launched Turner Classic Movies. Then she moved back to LA and eventually launched her own business, Anachel Communications, and worked with clients like NASCAR and Sony. “I thought, If I could have enough money, I could be happy,” says Carrie. “It was big money,” she says. “You’d think that enough would be enough.” Despite all her material successes, Carrie says she always felt a pit. It was “a hole in my heart,” she says. “Darkness, fear. The shame of what it took to get on top…..I knew the reasons why; I just couldn’t change the ache.”
In her mid 30s, Carrie says she and Chuck decided to get married. At that point, her company was doing well and Chuck was offered a position as defensive coach for the Tennessee Titans. She found herself alone while her husband worked 16 hour days. With no friends and her career on hold, Carrie met her neighbors: Pastor Tim and Le’Chelle Johnson. Tim was a former Redskins lineman-turned-pastor then of Bethel World Outreach Center (he is now with Orlando World Outreach Center). “To this day, I believe God planted us in that neighborhood with our pastors as He knew we needed help within walking distance,” she says. Carrie thought Christians were hypocrites and judgemental, but Pastor Tim and Le’Chelle walked Carrie through what a relationship with Jesus looked like. She told Tim many times, “God doesn’t love people like me…Pastor Tim didn’t know the things I had done – the manipulation, lies, sex, drugs and rock and roll,” says Carrie. Little by little, Carrie started going to church. Pastor Tim and Le’Chelle’s unconditional love brought her to salvation. Once she surrendered her life to Jesus, He freed her. “That’s what He did on the cross for me,” says Carrie. “The final piece of the puzzle was in place. Jesus took the indescribable ache away.” About a year after moving to Nashville, Carrie was baptized.
HER GIFT FROM GOD: WRITING
Her first novel was Emiy's Reasons Why Not was published by Harper Collins and was a success and was made into a show on ABC. One day, Carrie felt the Holy Spirit prompt her to write a book. “I was like, what book?” says Carrie. She says One Sunday, based on her real-life experiences,is that book. “At some point, I realized that my writing was a gift from God. What am I gonna do to honor Him?” says Carrie. The book reaches people in a new way with an old message: God loves the broken.
In 2011, after Chuck was fired from the Titans, Pastor Rice Brooks asked Chuck to go to Israel with him. “He came back different,” says Carrie. Rice baptized Chuck in the Sea of Galilee. Soon he was offered a job as defensive secondary coach for the St. Louis Rams. Heartbroken to leave Nashville, Chuck and Carrie started a Friday night fellowship that has grown to over 50 people. Carrie teaches a woman’s Bible study in their home.
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
