Oklahoma City - Pat Carr, author of “All Dreams Matter: Laws for Success from Science & Scripture,” believes that the solution to keeping people from re-entering incarceration is all of our responsibility, and that responsibility was handed down to us by God.
“There are 73 verses in the Bible instructing us to reach out to those in prison,” Carr said. “Mentoring is how the church can successfully respond to those scriptures.”
Carr asked the Bridge Assembly of God Church, Mustang, Okla., and Kris Steel, CEO of TEEM (The Education and Employment Ministry) to underwrite a video whose aim is to put a national spotlight on the proven results of mentorship. The video, entitled “Because You Can,” follows Carr as she mentors three women in transition from prison. It is free for church and public use and can be seen on Vimeo.com/369933989, and on YouTube.
“Because You Can” has taken off. This week, the Assembly of God District Office approved the video for statewide distribution. “Mentoring is absolutely free,” Carr says. “It has the potential to save millions of dollars and change millions of lives.”
Experts, including Carr, are convinced that the answer to recidivism lies in the hands of church and community volunteers. Citing the 90 percent success rate of TEEM Carr says, “Anyone can give one hour of their time, twice a month, and everyone should.”
Carr’s personal journey includes more than her share of tragedy and has only fueled her passion to minister to others. Her mentorship career began some 30 years ago, and her dedication has redoubled. Heartbroken by the loss of her son, who struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, she volunteered to mentor through TEEM. Her personal story of redemption, however, began in her own troubled youth.
Empowered by her commitment to self-improvement, Carr leveraged the most concise and powerful laws from science and scripture to elevate herself from high school drop-out to successful business owner and entrepreneur. She is a model, image consultant, home builder, decorator, speaker and author, and was appointed by Senate Pro Tempore, Greg Treat, in July 2019 to serve on the board for the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women which serves as a watchdog for legislation that impacts women.
Today Carr teaches personal development classes and speaks at churches and civic organizations to promote the concept of mentoring to prevent recidivism. She also donates one copy of her book to Oklahoma prisons for each book sold. “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. “Reading is another essential element in changing the cycle of recidivism,” she says.
“There is a movement across our nation, initiated by President Trump with his new program “First Step Act” to bring justice reform to the thousands of incarcerated men and women in our nation. Stopping recidivism by mentoring is a vital first step,” Carr says. “If the solution seems too simple, I refer you to a quote by Albert Einstein, which says, “When the solution is simple, God is answering.”
If you are interested in being inspired by this book and want to purchase it, please go to www.amazon.com
Contact: Pat Carr
