"Deana Carter: Celebrating Life "

Five years ago this month, I met my favorite Country singer, DEANA CARTER, before one of her concerts in New York City.  I handed her the manuscript of a book about her that I had just completed, entitled "Deana Carter, Before & After."  The book expressed my belief, based on her recent statements and actions, that Deana had now become a Bible-believing Christian, and I was very happy about that.

I never heard back from DEANA about the book...I was looking for her input before I self-published.  However, I did, perhaps wrongly, listen to a few voices who questioned Deana's profession and said my book was premature, that she wasn't really saved. One of those voices was one of her ex-husbands.  I therefore held off self-publishing the book, even though my son Rob, the graphic designer, had already created a COVER for me (above).

Well, shortly after that, my mother-in-law (my first wife's mom), who lived with us, got sick and died and then BETH (my first wife) did the same over the next few years.  And before you know it, five years have passed and only recently I decided to look up Deana Carter again and see what she was up to since I shelved my manuscript. Here's what I've found, as I've "caught up" on Deana...



     1.) Deana has not released a new album since "Southern Way of Life," which debuted five years ago this month.


     2.) The only NEW song she's recorded, as far as I can tell, is a single lovely ballad called "Celebrate Life" (more later.)


     3.) Every Friday, Deana leads a BIBLE STUDY on YouTube, entitled "TGIF...Thank God I'm Forgiven." She is up to broadcast #100, and I like her commitment to Scripture AND her zeal.


     4.) She has had minor roles in two very wholesome "family-type," straight-to-DVD movies.  These are called "Painted Horses" and "Runnin' From My Roots," the latter of which which just came out a few days ago.  (I saw "Painted Horses" when it debuted in 2016, and I just ordered the NEW movie, but haven't seen it yet.  I base my assessment on the synopsis of the movie and my faith that Deana IS now a believer who wants to please the Lord in everything.)


     5.)  Deana remarried for the third time, this past summer.  And this will come as a shock to some Christians, but some folks who get divorces DO have Biblical warrant to do so, according to what Jesus taught.  Let's be clear...God hates divorce and so do I...I've never BEEN divorced and never intend to GET divorced, but we must not judge those who've done this (especially when we don't know all of the facts.)  I emphasize this because one of those who advised me to hold off on the book five years ago questioned Deana's salvation because she'd been divorced once and had a child out of wedlock once.  This was in the "Before" of Deana's life...not the "After."



On November 21st, I wrote here about how GOD kept my Bio of a celeb from being successful because it turns out that that person (whose birthday it is in two days, by the way) lied to me about her age several times.

..............But I now wonder if it wasn't "the accuser of the brethren," Satan, who kept me from self-publishing DEANA'S story!!

None of us are perfect, but I really believe Deana Carter has demonstrated that she IS a Christian, now more than EVER, and I'm contemplating dusting off my manuscript and updating it (perhaps after my new bride and I move into our new house and get settled.) And I feel TOTALLY vindicated for my assessment that Deana IS now a believer, a conviction which I came to in early 2013!!  The past five years, in my opinion, bear out my assessment..



The song "Celebrate Life" is a BEAUTIFUL ballad as part of the soundtrack for a documentary about an elderly homeless woman, "Queen Mimi" (that's the name of the movie).  The title ALONE is much-needed in our world today, for we live in a culture of death and destruction thanks to the legalizing of abortion 45 years ago.  The lyrics to "Celebrate Life" start out by saying we should celebrate life in all its glory because it's our story.  The story of Deana's transition from death to life in Christ has grown all the more compelling over these last five years!! Before she knew the Lord, one of Deana's albums was "The Story of My Life" but now she REALLY has a story because she really has LIFE in the fullest sense.

In 20/20 hindsight, I never should have listened to those who said Deana Carter wasn't saved five years ago, but one thing I know.  If I do dust off my book and expand it to cover these last five years, the TITLE will get changed!! It will no longer be "Deana Carter, Before & After" as if she had JUST come to know the Lord, you see.

My new title will be "Deana Carter: Celebrating Life" because, as far as I'm concerned, the evidence is TOTALLY there that she is walking in the narrow way that leads to Eternal Life.