Pastor Ira Carty is an ordained minister, author, educator, counsellor, and certified ADHD and relationship coach based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. For more than 15 years, he has supported individuals, families, students, and faith communities through pastoral ministry, church planting, teaching, coaching, counselling, and community engagement.

He is the founder of Next Dimension Coaching & Consulting, where he helps people and organizations overcome obstacles, gain clarity, and realize their God-given potential through inclusive, faith-informed, and evidence-informed support.

Ira is the author of "The Searching God: From Genesis to Revelation—God's Pursuit of Lost Humanity," "I Am Not Broken-I Am Different: A Neurodiversity Story for Brave Kids," and "An Introduction to English: I Will Follow You." Throughout his ministry and writing, he shares a consistent message: no one is beyond God's pursuit, no person should be defined by perceived limitations, and healing often begins when people recognize that they are seen, valued, and called.

Ira is married to Tricia and they are the proud parents of their son, Josiah.

Author page and books:

https://ira-carty.author-pages.com/books

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Our prayer is that this listening space brings growth and transforms your life forever.

Praise God for you, Ira.

It's a great pleasure to connect with you.

What part of the world are you in today?

I live in Mississauga, Ontario, which is pretty much just outside Toronto with my wife, Patricia, and of course my son, Josiah.

However, you know, I was born within Antigua and Barbuda, so my Caribbean roots remain very important part of who I am.

I came to Canada in 2000, which was in response to God's call, so this is like 26 years ago now.

How did you meet Jesus?

I came to faith at a very young age, so that would have been at the age of six.

I grew up within a Christian home, and at that particular age, I may not have pretty much understood everything about, you know, who Jesus is, but, you know, I accepted him as a friend, as a father, as someone that I could talk to, and of course that childhood decision became deeper and more personal as I grew.

So at the age of 12, I remember having this encounter with Jesus, just going to revival service, and I said, you know, God, if you're real, you know, reveal yourself to me, and I had this moment of awakening where my heart was just fully stirred in terms of the Spirit, and at the age of 18, I sensed a very clear call to ministry, and so eventually that brought me to Canada in 2000, you know.

Looking back, I see that faith has been defined, you know, my faith has not been defined by one single moment within of itself, but it has been like this lifelong journey of being sought, of being shaped, and sensed by God.

So yeah, I met Jesus as a child, but I've spent the rest of my life and continuing to do that in terms of discovering the depth of the one who first came looking for me.

How old were you in 2000?

2000, I probably would have been 26, okay, about.

You've given me three, and this is the fourth version of six, or is it the third version of the number six?

Like you gave me six years ago, one, then you give me six years after 12, then you give me six years after 18, and then you're in Toronto when you are, right, when you were 26.

So have you seen that pattern of life in the six years where you're taking steps, if you look back now intermittently?

You know, I didn't even make that correlation in the sense of the time, the age that I came, but I looked in terms of significance or key moments within my own life and faith, and absolutely I've seen particular patterns.

So I would say, even when you speak, the way you answer questions, there's a summarization, yet a clear perception of what a specific time meant.

Where did you learn that from, or who did you learn that from?

I would say it's a combination in the sense of looking at scripture, and of course, in terms of my own life, and of course, spiritual mentors within my own life that have spoke about the significance of numbers.

But I would say it's, you know, it's being attentive, it's being attentive and being present, where God has been at work, and those significant milestones and really marking them.

So I would say that that has been what has been helpful for me.

And take those moments and and seeing, you know, the full scope or the providential hand of God that is at work, and being even aware of seasons within my own life, and what he's doing, and where ultimately I will be within particular.

So I would say it's probably also a testament to God's faithfulness, or within moments of maybe uncertainty, or not having the clarity, knowing that yeah, maybe, maybe moving into the next six, where I will see a greater, you know, move, a sense of God, or God is doing something.

So yeah.

Preparing for this conversation, I would have seen the work that you've done around ADHD and neurodiversity.

Do you believe that your attentiveness to those particular scenarios or situations or experiences of other people have provided for you some level of mastery in navigating your life and the way you have conversations?

I would say, yeah, absolutely true.

I think that it's very important to live and to be present with within the moment.

I do believe that there is a word that comes to mind and the whole sense of being fully awake, being fully awake to what you are seeing, what you are hearing.

And in the sense of my own calling, and I think in terms of by way, the way in which God has designed

me, has allowed me to, to listen beyond words, and to hear in terms of feeling and

to gain a greater understanding in terms of, you know, humanity's suffering and humanity's pain and

recognizing where a person may be within a particular moment, maybe because of something

that has happened to their life.

And so what I'm seeing before me, it's never the full story.

So how do I allow myself to see that person?

I would say through the lens of God, through the lens of God and seeing the sacredness within that person.

You know, something that I've learned within one of the courses, which is theological anthropology, that, you know, the image of God might be defaced within its creation.

But the issue is that, you know, it's undeniable that God is present within every humanity, you know.

And so if I can see that within people, that allows me to be able to see them, to hear them, and to respond, to respond to their needs, the way, the ways in which one, my calling or vocation has equipped me, but even beyond it in the sense of God's activity within my own life that allows me to hear and see Him, to respond, see Him.

How do people respond to your response as a result of the perspective you're applying?

I think in most situations, people are very, you know, it kind of unarms them.

They become vulnerable.

They open.

They recognize that the space that they are in, it's free from any judgment.

They can say what they want to say within that particular moment.

You know, most recently, I think about one of my clients, and one of the things that I typically do, I will check in and say, how was your week?

And on a scale of one to 10, how was your anger?

And I remember he came and, you know, he told me, you know, just a few minutes ago, it's like nine out of 10.

And, you know, he was at the point of, you know, almost shouting.

And I could tell within his mind, it's just like, is my counselor going to, you know, look at me different?

You know, is he going to try and shut me down?

So I watched as he processed, you know, whatever just happened within his own life.

And, you know, the fact that these are deep wounds that resurface is like a trigger.

And I gave him that space to vent and to be himself.

And for him, you know, he said, you know what, I felt like I tested you.

I was looking to see your reaction.

And you did nothing.

You just sat and you listened.

And I think, again, that's what people typically would experience in working.

And I would say, I use language of home.

I think people sometimes within key moments experience home within my presence and my working with them.

And it is not a home that I necessarily provide, but it's a sense of the presence of God who is ultimately home, who invites people within that space and allow them to, one, experience healing, experience moments of just relief, calm, moments of clarity.

So I would say, yeah, those are some of the things that people experience.

Does it work with your wife and your son?

I would say that it does translate within key moments.

I would say in terms of particularly my son, who is neurodivergent, and we've always had a very close relationship in the sense I've understood him.

And something that I recognize in terms of neurodivergent, and particularly it's ADHD, is there is this storm that is happening, and they're looking for that sense of calm.

And I feel lots of moments when he feels other people doesn't understand, or him not even fully understanding himself.

I've been that calm within the midst of the storm that I'm very predictable.

There's this structure.

And again, for me, it's about connection before correction, something I've learned.

So even within moments of correcting him, because that strong bond exists, the way in which he feels and experience safety and all of that is different.

And my wife has said it many times that I am a calm presence for her.

We've had arguments like every couple.

But again, my approach is normally very different.

So I would say, yeah, I think that they do both in their unique way.

Yeah, that's definitely the test of time.

Yeah, I get on here and I have conversations and the feedback has been, you're so calm.

And yeah, but you should see me when I'm with the children.

So five years from today listening to this conversation, because I invited you back onto the podcast and you could not remember exactly what we spoke about.

What's the message you'd leave for future Ira?

I would say, you know what, Ira, remain close to Jesus.

Be humble enough to keep learning.

I would say, be courageous enough to keep saying yes.

And I would say, do not measure your faithfulness only by numbers, platforms, recognitions, or how quickly maybe things happen, but measure it by whether you have someone, people to know Jesus better, or help someone to be seen, to be valued, to be loved and to be called.

Amazing audience links are in the show notes.

I'm sure if you want to find out more on how you can listen, right, more, we'll probably get more from Ira.

He's an author.

Yes, he writes as well.

He doesn't just speak here.

Of course, you can find out more about him in the show notes.

Ira, a pleasure.

I treasure.

Thank you for being on what is inspired by 12 Minute Converse.