Carrie C. Stone's Blog

Review for “Illegals” by Darrell Ankarlo

carriestone — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:29:40 +0000

When Glenn Beck said that “Illegals; The Unacceptable Cost of America’s Failure to Control It’s Borders” by Darrell Ankarlo was “a real and raw look at our increasingly lawless Southern border,” he was not kidding. This book is real and raw. So much so that I, being a person who tends to be overly sensitive, had to stop reading for now.

I really wanted to know the implications of ignoring the obvious problem of our Southern borders, and I do plan to complete this book. But in a world so full of fear where one cannot turn on the evening news without being bombarded with more bad news, I need my reading time to be full of life and hope. “Illegals” left me understanding the border problem is bigger than I anticipated, but each time I put it down, I found my spirit deflated.

I hope there will be many like my husband who will choose to get informed about this crisis, and to those people, I would highly recommend “Illegals.” Main stream media is not reporting this problem accurately. We as the American pubic have a right to know the truth and to make decisions about our futures based on that truth. I believe Darrell Ankarlo has captured the truth and has shared it in a very powerful way which may scare you at first, but will ultimately encourage you to take a stand for this country and it’s future.

Fear Makes You Stupid!

carriestone — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:50:34 +0000

Oh, friends, how I wish I could say that writing a book on fear makes you immune to the effects of it. But sadly, I must say, it doesn’t. This morning, I fell victim to fear. The good news is, because I did write the book on fear, I was able to recognize it right away, so my stupidity did not last very long! That allowed me to take the steps necessary to get back on track and have a successful day.
Now I know you are dying to know what could rattle my cage aren’t you? Well, without going into too much detail and to keep it simple – it was the icy roads. That’s it! The thought of my husband going out on the icy roads brought this warrior to her knees as I began to think about what “could” happen. Come on, he “could” get into an accident. He “could” be injured, or worse yet, die. He “could” risk losing the work he has worked so hard to secure for us. By allowing myself to fall into this pit, I was sinning against God. How you ask? By allowing myself to fall into worry, I was saying to God that I did not trust Him. Of course, I know this. I teach this. But in one vulnerable moment, I forgot. This fear not only led me to act stupid, but to sin against God and my husband, Rod, as well. I lashed out unreasonably, became controlling and demanding and made him feel like he was a child.
As I said, I figured this out pretty quickly, and here are the steps I took to remedy my stupidity.
First, I REPENTED – to God and to Rod! When you know you have sinned, do not be too stubborn to repent. You cannot move forward in freedom until you take this first crucial step.
Second, I REFLECTED. I took time to discover why I fell so quickly to this attack, so that the next time it comes, I will be more prepared to fight. In this time of reflection, I spent time journaling with God which usually brings more to light than just thinking does. Then, I also have a documented record of the event to research later.
Third, I got RESTORED. I went to the fountain and had a refreshing drink from the Wellspring of Life. In the Word of God, I found what I needed to build myself back up again, so I could continue my day in victory.

And finally, as I showered later, I was thinking of the events of the morning when this realization came to me. It matters not if you are right if you handle it wrong. You see, I was right. I should have been concerned for my husbands safety. It is good that I care so much about him. What was not good was that my concern for him turned to worry and fear which turned quickly to sinful and stupid behavior. And that was very wrong.
So, as you can see, I have proven once again that fear does indeed make you stupid! Maybe you have had some stupid moments lately too. Make sure you remedy the situation quickly. Your destiny is waiting!

Entertaining Thoughts

carriestone — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 23:27:03 +0000

Reading is like singing to me. I do not remember a time I have not done either one. Although there have been seasons when they were lacking, my life has been most fulfilling when they were present.
I have never been one who enjoyed being instructed on what to read (i.e.- school). But that fact aside, I am an avid reader. You may even say I am a voracious one to be more exact. If I have invested in anything to a great extent, I have invested in books and knowledge. Wisdom, as the Word says, is more valuable than silver or gold. I whole heartedly agree!
I love the power of reading. I read for the purpose of learning, growing in wisdom and understanding, knowing God at a deeper level and being better at my positions in life. I have never read one book at a time that I can think of. I usually have a stack of three of four screaming out for my attention, and I do my best to please the pages by making time for each one. Maybe that is why I felt so compelled to take on the new title of “author” last year. My love for the written word drove me to creating 200 pages of it for others to read. I will soon begin writing my next one!!
I was taken aback the other day when I happened upon a blog which recommended my new book “Defeating Fear” as a must read for 2011. I was excited about the mention needless-to-say, but what surprised me the most was my inability to get the blog off of my mind since then.
The author of the blog mentioned all of the books she had read over the year and why. It made me wonder how many books I had read in 2010. (It made my husband wonder how much money I had spent on books over the year!!) As I quickly added it up off of the top of my head, I was well over 25 books and that was without traveling for the year (which always increases my reading). That was also not including my intensive Bible study, the countless books I have read to the kids about history, the Bible, character, the Great Depression, etc., or the books I have read and loaned out or borrowed and returned and cannot remember to add to this list. After reading over my list, I realized it is no wonder people find me to be such an anomaly!
I cannot say that I recommend all of the books on this list, but if I read them all the way through it was either because I was writing a review for it, interviewing the person who wrote it or I love loved it and learned much from it. A few of the books fall into all three categories. So without further ado, here is my reading list for 2010 in no particular order.

1. The Spirit of Divine Interception by Dr. Francis Myles
2. Fearless by Max Lucado
3. Captivating by John and Staci Eldridge
4. Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets
5. Defeating Fear by Carrie C. Stone (seriously, I read this one about 15 times in 2010!!)
6. Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O’Dell
7. Revealer of the Enemy by Jack Serra
8. Esther by Charles Swindoll
9. Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado
10. Jesus on Leadership by C. Gene Wilkes
11. Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham by Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley
12. Get Out of that Pit by Beth Moore
13. Home Educating with Confidence by Rick Boyer (A must read for home schoolers)
14. Everyones a Coach by Ken Blanchard and Don Shula
15. The G Free Diet by Elisabeth Hasselbeck (great for new Celiacs)
16. The Bondage Breaker by Neil T. Anderson
17. The Truth Behind the Secret by James K. Walker and Bob Waldrep
18. How to Reach Your Full Potential for God by Charles Stanley
19. Fasting by Jentezen Franklin
20. The Bait of Satan by John Bevere
21. Jesus by Charles Swindoll
22. The Way of the Worshiper by Buddy Owens
23. Unmasking the Jezebel Spirit by John Paul Jackson

I ended the year by reading three Richard Paul Evans books in three days while I was sick. I have never read one of his books which I would not recommend. When you want a fast read which will have a good, positive story, he is a great choice. I also concluded 2010 in the middle of reading “Intercessory Prayer” (for the second time) and “12 Extraordinary Women” by John MacArthur.
I can already see that 2011 is going to be a year of learning more about Christian leaders of the past. I am already enamored with Charles H. Spurgeon and am reading his devotional “Evening by Evening.” I will focus more on books about people who have overcome great obstacles to live out their destinies. I will also focus heavily on any books which will draw me into a closer and more intimate relationship with God.
What will you focus on this year? What will you put into your mind through the written word? Whatever you use to entertain your brain will impact your life for good or for bad. Which will you choose? I pray you will decide this year to go deeper than you have ever gone before. You have a destiny and a purpose only you can accomplish. Choose not to waste time on the trivial when you can be triumphant instead. Do it now! Your destiny is waiting!!

Fear Not!!

carriestone — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:10:15 +0000

I remember the first time I heard Pastor Kim Ryan from North County Christ the King preach. Conviction oozed from him as he led his congregation through the touchy subject of abortion. By the end of the evening, the entire assembly was on their knees in repentance for the nation. It was a powerful service. One my husband and I will never forget.
We have never lived close enough to Pastor Kim to be an active part of his church or to be able to benefit from his excellent council, but when we get the opportunity, we really enjoy learning from him. He is one person I have always felt linked to in purpose and destiny. We just “get” each other. Even my husband sees that and often comments on the similarities which leads me again to sit in awe of my God and how He always provides these moments of “coincidence” to leave our minds reeling!

As I released my first book, Defeating Fear, in November, I just knew I had to give one to Pastor Kim. After all, much of the book was influenced by several of his sermons, especially the closing chapter. I have always had a strict rule of not working on Sundays, but the week I heard him speak on the acorn and the oak tree, I begged my husband to give me an hour to write so that I could “get it off my chest.” It was that night that I wrote the conclusion to my book long before most of the pages were even written and thanks to the inspired preaching of Pastor Kim.

Two weeks ago, we were blessed to be able to attend North County Christ the King to witness the baptism of one of my sons best friends. Pastor Kim once again gave an inspired talk. I took the book I had signed for him so that I could give it to him in person. I had no idea he was preparing to do a series on fear. I just wanted to thank him. He told me he would read it right away (which I doubted since he is a busy man!) But guess what? He did. And the following week, he honored me by quoting my book in his sermon on fear. Here is the sermon. It is powerful, from the heart and I believe truly inspired.

Never Alone (Fear Not – Week 1) from North County Christ the King on Vimeo.

I could have let fear keep me from releasing the book, I almost did. I could have allowed fear to keep me from giving Pastor Kim his copy, I almost did that too. But instead, I chose to walk in complete obedience to God as I forged ahead and did the hard things so that I could truly live out His purposes for me. So fear not, for He is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He cares for you and He has great plans for you. So go ahead. Do the hard things today. Your destiny is waiting!

The Fear of Failing; From a Mother’s Perspective

carriestone — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:22:22 +0000

I think all of us in business tend to have a firm understanding of the fear of failure. Especially if you are in network marketing or sales. I mean, let’s face it, if you fail – you starve. It’s just that simple. That is the reason we spend the money on classes, books and seminars to help us get better at what we do. But often those in the business field tend to overlook the masses of women around the world who have chosen to put aside their careers and personal ambitions for the higher calling of raising up the next generation. And those mighty women are faced day after day with the responsibility of not failing, for if they do the result will be far more devastating than hunger. Now add to that mix the responsibility of home educating and you have the perfect combination to bring on a severe case of the paralysis of fear caused by the fear of failure.

I am a home school Mom and I have a calling which often takes me away from the nest. That gives me the opportunity to feel that fear at an even deeper level!! I often talk to other Mom’s who have chosen the same path, and every time I do I discover we are all struggling with the same challenge. What if what we are doing is wrong? What if we choose the wrong path for our kids and they are rejects in society? What if we do too much, or too little, or not the right things, or the completely wrongs things? What if we make these sacrifices to only find later this was not our destiny after all? What if….???? These endless questions can keep us up at night and if we choose to dwell on them in our waking hours, they will rob us of all peace and joy.

I have yet to meet a home educating Mom who hasn’t made great sacrifices to be one. By making this decision, you are choosing to live on less income, to be mocked by your neighbors and often your family, to die to yourself so you can live for you students, to make endless sacrifices for no visible return and to put yourself into the position to learn to say repeatedly “please forgive Mommy for…”. That sounds treacherous doesn’t it, yet I know for me, I would choose nothing else.

So how do you overcome this paralysis of fear caused by your desire to do an excellent job raising your kids? You keep trusting God who promised to complete His good work in you. (“He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” Phil. 1:6) You keep reminding yourself of all of the reasons you chose to take this path to begin with. (I highly recommend the book “Home Educating with Confidence”) You submit your life, your kids and your schedule before God every day and allow Him to lead you in the paths of righteousness for His name sake. You seek grace and mercy while administering grace and mercy in abundance knowing that whatever you sow, you will reap. And you get yourself surrounded by people who motivate and inspire you to live out your greatness. I am so grateful for my friend Diana Morse who reminds me consistently of who I am and why I am here. She is the reason I have continued home educating my kids and I will be forever indebted to her for that. And it is to her that I dedicate this blog.

So go on! Trust God to complete what He started, remind yourself of all of the reasons you embarked on this journey, submit your household, give grace and mercy and connect with someone who inspires you to keep on keeping on. And then, Mom, release your babies to fly. Know that you if you poured your life into theirs, they will soar as an eagle! Do it now! Your destiny is waiting!!

Is the Fear of Lack Holding You Back?

carriestone — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 05:16:47 +0000

Do you have a dream waiting to be birthed?

Have you been putting your destiny on the back burner?

Is your business or ministry becoming stagnant?

Is the fear of lack holding you back?

If so, you are not alone. Every day, everywhere dreams are dying, destinies are destroyed and businesses and ministries are declining simply because of financial needs. Everything seems to cost something. There are generally two approaches to fixing this problem. First we whine and complain about not having the money we need to accomplish the task. Or we do what we Christians do best and pray and wait for God to send the money flowing down from Heaven like manna. I have tried both of these approaches and let me tell you this – the whining has never worked and although God is a miracle working God who has moved mightily on my behalf many times, when it comes to living out our destinies, He wants us to be actively involved with Him.

Recently I like so many others, was experiencing the “deer in the headlights” approach to my destiny. My book “Defeating Fear” was finished, but we had just gone through a painful foreclosure and lost all of our retirement. For the first time in my life, I had no where to turn for funds. It was a humbling place to be. Here I had this book God had led me to write and yet, I had no way to share it with the world. But one day an encouraging call from a friend changed everything. The words she spoke freed me from the box I had escaped to and I began to think outside of that comforting box. Within 30 days my book was in print!! Was it a miracle? Yes, it was. As I look back on the details, I know what happened was impossible for mere man, but I don’t serve mere man. God moved mightily, but I needed to move with Him. I won’t kid you, it was an exhausting month, but boy was it worth it. The funny thing is, nothing changed in my financial situation. The only thing that changed was me and my thinking. Everything I needed was right in front of me and deep within me all along. God works that way you know. When He assigns destinies, He supplies all you need to accomplish them.

So, if the fear of lack is holding you back take the time to stop, pray and ask God to open your eyes to the things, people, resources and talents around you and within you. Write down everything He shows you whether it makes sense to you or not. And see if you do not start finding a way where there seems to be no way!

Stop allowing the fear of lack to hold you back! Get out of the box and step into the Promised Land. Do it now! Your destiny is waiting.

“What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?

Not at all! Let God be true , and every man a liar.”

Romans 3:3-4

Review for “Transforming Church in Rural America” by Shannon O’Dell

carriestone — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 22:05:03 +0000

When I was asked to review “Transforming Church in Rural America” by Shannon O’Dell, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But coming from a small town and having attended rural churches on and off throughout my life, I was interested to read what a pastor who has defied all of the odds in rural America had discovered.

I must admit that I am hesitant to critique this book too strongly because although there are definitely areas to improve, the underlying foundation is obviously a deeply rooted passion for Christ.

My first visual impression of the book was negative. The cover and interior are more reminiscent of a poorly done self-published book than one done through an established publisher. There is a very noticeable lack of editing or proofing done which became distracting as I read. The “shameless self promotion” which could be found in every chapter of the book served to be the greatest distraction of all. And it was completely unnecessary because what God has done through this man will sell itself.

I appreciated the honesty poured out by this first-time author. I was challenged by the content of each chapter, and I loved the constant exhortation to seek excellence in all we do for the Lord. The author’s true voice comes shining through in the final chapter as he leaves the reader inspired, motivated and ready to take on the world for Christ. I would have liked to have seen more of that throughout the entire book.

I have recommended this book to anyone building a church or ministry. This is not a sugar coated message, and it serves to remind those called to ministry that this life is not for the faint of heart. But with the call of God, the heart of a leader and a strong emphasis on V.A.L.U.E.’s, God can use you to reach the world with His message.

Review for “The Boy Who Changed the World” by Andy Andrews

carriestone — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 20:55:36 +0000

When I was asked to review a book by Andy Andrews, internationally known speaker and author of New York Times Bestsellers The Traveler’s Gift and The Noticer, I was really excited. This man is certainly someone who has been leaving his mark on the world. In a time were heroes are made out of men and women who are esteemed as important because of what they do and how much money they make, this book was a breath of fresh air! The stories were captivating, the illustrations were exceptional and my two children were drawn into the excellence of this work from the first page.

The next generation needs to inspired by the previous generations of men and women who have selflessly impacted the world with their God-given gifts and talents. With more books like this one, we will change the world one boy and one girl at a time!

I highly recommend this book to parents, grand parents, teachers and childcare providers who want to make a difference in the life of a boy or girl destined impact the world and disciple nations! So get out and buy this book today! Somebody’s destiny is waiting!!

Review of “Captivating” by John and Staci Eldridge

carriestone — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 03:21:51 +0000

I must admit, when I first began reading this book, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it. I have been on such a rampage lately about the demise of femininity that I was sure this was just going to be one more book in a line of recent releases full of lies and leading more women astray. I am happy to say, I was wrong.

It took me quite some time to read Captivating in its entirety, but not because of the book. I was in the midst of chaos in my personal life, and time slipped away, but I found myself carving out every moment I could to spend time in the pages of this book. I have been trying to find something spectacular to write for this review which would nail how I felt as I turned each page and learned more about myself in the process, but there only seems to be one word which fits. I found this book to be aptly named, because it truly is captivating!

Women everywhere need to read Captivating to discover the absolute treasure they are to their Father. Men need to read it to have a better understanding of the vast differences between the sexes, and why that is such an invaluable gift from God.

Aside from the usual Eldridge trademark of quoting movies some Christians may find questionable, I loved this offering from the dynamic Eldridge duo, and will look forward to reading more from them in the future.

Tangled and Full of Knots

carriestone — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:40:24 +0000

It was a winter evening in 2001. I was sitting in our living room in Nashville, TN when my husband walked into the room to find me sitting in a pile yarn and crying. I was trying to learn to crochet, and my skeins of yarn had gotten tangled and knotted. I was losing my cool as I grew more frantic by the minute when I looked up at my husband who lovingly asked if he could help. Calmly, he took the yarn into his calloused hands and went about the job of freeing the skeins one from the other.
We must have spent two, frustrating hours working on this task, but he never abandoned me. What is even more astounding is that he never complained! Was there something more important that he could have been doing? I am sure there was, but a person stealing a glimpse of our encounter would have never guessed it.
And that is the story of our relationship. When Rod and I met on September 28, 1995, I was a pile of knotted yarn. Another man would have walked away considering me too much work to take on, but not this man.
For 15 years, my husband has lovingly maneuvered around this pile of tangled emotions, gently tugging here, pulling there and gracefully releasing the binds that held me. And with the love and guidance of our Savior, we have been knitted together for all of eternity.
Even now, there are days in which my sweater will pull and fray. That is when I look up and see those same loving eyes, and suddenly, as if by magic, I am restored.
Rod and I are celebrating 14 years of marriage today. We were not the couple anyone in their right minds would have put together, but we were the couple that God saw to be a perfect fit. We have shared a lot of laughs, a few major disappointments, two great accomplishments in the lives of our babies and a couple of down right scary moments we hope to never relive. We have been abandoned by others, but never by each other. We have been attacked, but never stopped. We have been struck down, but not destroyed.
Many have asked what our secret is. I can honestly say there is no secret. The truth is this – we both love God more than we love each other. It seems so simple, yet it is so true. It was that love which drew us to each other, and it is that love which keeps us loving each other even when we do not feel like it. Rod felt compelled by his love for God to release me from the knotted hold of the enemy, and I will spend the rest of my days in gratitude and utter devotion to him and to God because of it.
Who has taken the time to release the knots in your life? Take the time to thank them today. Do it now! Your destiny is waiting!!