Featured WAG Melody Carr-Supermom, Superwoman, Superstar
MCarrFamily
This week's WAG Feature Wednesday is with a woman who I found as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside: Melody Carr. Melody is the very awesome, Christ-centered, super mom of four and super wife to one handsome QB of a Husband, retired NFL Vet David Carr. Melody is the mother of three children with juvenile diabetes and a committed champion to helping to provide the healthiest lifestyle possible for her family while shedding light and love into a platform that she may not have prayed for but, God knew she was prepared for. PS: Don't believe in her superpowers? Check out her video below! Name: Melody Carr
Player/Team(s): David Carr/Houston Texans (#1 overall pick in 02'), Panthers, Niners and Giants
Kanye or Carrie Underwood? Carrie
Ice Cream or Potato Chips? Chips
Yoga or Spin? Spin
Manicure or Massage? Manicure
Interesting Fact: I am the nurse in my house. 3 out of 4 of my children are diabetic and David was just diagnosed as well so I am a Full-Time nurse. That’s all I’ve got for now!
Where are you originally from and how did you get to where are now?
I am from Bakersfield, CA and was born and raised here, David was too. We ended up back in Bakersfield because both of our families are here so when he retired; we wanted to come back home.
How did you meet your Husband?
We met in high school at a church “winter camp” and we started dating right away (like as in the next weekend when we got back home). Our first date was technically, Valentine's Day. How sweet is that? After high school, David went to Fresno State and I went to a community college nearby. We got married right away and six months later, we got pregnant so before you know it, I was working FT and being a mommy. Financial Aid doesn’t go but so far, you know?...!
Tell me about your day to day?
Having four kids and especially having three diabetic children there is always something randomly happening during my day. Today for instance, I had a Parent Teacher conference with my high school-er. My husband now owns two gyms here in Bakersfield and that is kinda his thing. He trains QBs out here so I am also at the gym a lot. I definitely spend my days “on call.”
What are your fondest WAGS memories?
Oh, my goodness. We were lucky to have been a part of several teams with some really good ladies. The NY Giants ladies were the sweetest! Every time the boys would go away to games, we made an effort to invite everyone to go out to dinner and it was the best experience for me. Anyone was welcome and everyone was welcome (girlfriends, fiancées, wives-all of us.) No one really understands what we are going through no matter how we share it with our family so their friendship during that time was very special to me.
Mel&David
What is the hardest part about being a NFL Wife?
Having kids is really difficult. I was taking them out of schools, finding a new house, finding an area that has good schools, locating new doctors, new sitters and new friends. This doesn’t even include talking about the friendships that you lose (while moving)! I learned about that right away during our first few years in Houston in training camp. I really enjoyed meeting all the new girls and was heartbroken a few weeks later when those same ones were gone. Luckily, the NFL is so small that you switch teams and run into old friends again so even though you are leaving it's always one big family. This was one of the primary reasons why we moved back to Bakersfield because we wanted to be near our family and our roots are here. So during the offseason we don’t have to move the children around as much. It ended up being such a blessing because “this” is home. When we lived other places during season the children treated it almost like a big vacation, which was pretty cool too.
Mel&Gracie
What are you passionate about?
I always wanted to work with kids somehow and my original plan was to be a teacher but God had other plans. We were married young and got pregnant right away so my kids have been my primary focus. David and I are both very active in two youth groups where we live and it’s been the biggest blessing to me. We get to go on trips with the kids and it is such a great experience to be able to minister and just be there for them. Growing up, my youth pastor was my rock and I enjoy being able to be a friend and a mentor to our youth as my Pastor was for me growing up.
What do you admire most about your Husband?
You know, I admire that he’s always the same person. He’s a Godly, Christian man and that doesn’t change or waver so you are either on board with that or not but you know what you are going to get. I’m so thankful that my kids have such a Christian father in their lives. I hear stories from the parents of the kids we are working with in youth group about the impact he is having on their lives. David's brother Darren is the head coach for a local high school in Bakersfield (our hometown) so when Darren became head coach last football season, David jumped at the opportunity to help. David is the OC and what's great is our oldest son gets to play football for his dad and uncle. Coaching HS football takes a lot of patience but David is enjoying being able to mentor these young boys! As for me and the rest of my family, we are loving cheering for my son, David and their team under the big Friday night lights.
Being a Mom, so rewarding but filled with lots of surprises. Tell us about your motherhood journey?
Trying first to raise my now teenage boys correctly and by God’s word is already a struggle enough. With social media there are so many challenges now that we didn’t have to think about so I often ask myself, “do I allow my son to be on snap chat or do I read his texts?” But, each child is different and each accepts discipline differently so having learned that was helpful. Having diabetic children on top of everything else adds a whole new dynamic. Mr. & Mrs. McNair, (the owners of Houston Texans) helped us by funding a research for us (Editors Note: While David was in Houston, the Texans Foundation planned to donate $25,000 a year over the next three years for juvenile diabetes). This was so helpful in helping me to discover our platform. We can’t help but think that we are in this position to help others. We all know social media is one of those places that helps you to connect with people you wouldn’t otherwise meet. There are days where I’m not at all trying to be inspirational about having had to stay up all night with one of our children who was not feeling well but the next day I will get messages from parents whose children are also diabetic.
What word describes how this makes you feel?
Grateful. Grateful is a good word to describe how I feel. One thing I noticed when David was at the Giants after we won the Super Bowl and out of all the people that were talking to us is that while everything was great, it actually wasn’t until David was released that people were vocal about their journey. They had been watching how we handled those (limelight) moments. These specifically, were the times that I felt most grateful to be in our very unique and special position where we can share our experience and bless people in our own way.
Well, now for something less rigorous; a fun question for you. Show us the answer to “I am the only one in my home who can ___!” Lights, Camera, Action:
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I Believe in the GOD in Me
“I Believe In The God In Me”
Mark 9:24b, “….Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.”
You will inevitably become a product of what you believe in. This is a truth because your decisions are based on your beliefs. One thing that holds true is that your husbands believed in you and that’s why you are married today. The second truth is that they do and have also believed in themselves. They have come to this place in life that they committed and worked so hard to get to, but they couldn’t have done it without your love and support.
Just like you have to make a daily and conscious decision to believe in who God created you to be, you also have to believe in the fact that the God living in you is greater than any situation or circumstance that you will ever face.
As women, it seems as though we are constantly fighting a battle of believing in who we are, what God has called us to do, if we are good enough, pretty enough, fit enough, strong enough, loving enough, nurturing enough and the list goes on and on. One thing that I know about God is that He makes no mistakes. Not ever! He fearfully and wonderfully made you in His likeness and in His image. The trick of the enemy is to fight against what God has said about you so that you don’t accomplish the thing(s) you were sent by God to accomplish. Daily you must build up your most holy faith, and that starts with your prayer time and bible study time. Here are 6 things you must believe about yourself to understand the BIG God that is on the inside of you shining on the outside of you (these are according to Blaine Bartel):
- I have been given power over the devil (1 John 4:4)
- I have been given power over every circumstance in my life (Mark 11:23)
- I have a strong body that has been healed by the stripes taken on Jesus’ back (Matthew 8:17)
- I have the ability to control my mind and cast out evil thoughts (2 Cor. 10:4,5)
- I am poised for success and will not accept any defeat as final (1 Cor. 15:57)
- I hate sin but love all people and have favor everywhere I go (Proverbs 12:2)
Remember that God The Father (HE is your Father) is bigger than any and everything! You have the greatest covering, love and cheering squad living on the inside of you.
Let’s Pray…
Father, thank You for your awesomeness and loving kindness. You have given us the greatest gift and that was Your son, Jesus Christ. Lord, I thank You, that you will strengthen these women in every area of their lives. Show them the way You see them and not the way they see themselves. Allow them to lean on You for everything that they need. Allow them to see your greatness and how it over shadows their lives. In every empty place fill them up until they overflow. In every dry place replenish with life and abundance. I speak increase, love, peace and joy over their lives. Thank you Lord for inclining Your ear to hear our petition. As it is in heaven so shall it be on earth in Jesus name, Amen.
Behind The Brand: Mallory Brown of NFL Wife Handbook
This week’s WAG Feature Wednesday is an introduction to our newest platform, Behind The Brand. Our first brand we are highlighting is NFL Wife Handbook, an online blog that was founded by Mallory Brown, the very gracious with a heart of gold wife of NFL veteran, Donald Brown. Mallory and her business partner, Stacie are passionate about sharing their love for Christ with our NFL community and do so in such a motivating and refreshing way that showcases the strongest women in the game! To share your testimony or become featured on their blog; email: [email protected]. Who is Behind the Brand?
Mallory Brown is married to NFL veteran Donald Brown who has played in the league for 7+ years — Donald has played for the Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, & recently was added to the New England Patriots Roster. We have two energetic, beautiful, amazing little boys — Hudson, 3 years old and Piersen, 18 months old.
What is her brand?
Back in October of 2015, I was asked by another NFL wife to start a blog — ironically so as this was something I wanted to do a few years back, however I clearly heard God say “wait Mallory, it is not the right time." Sure enough when I got the nudge this past year, I realized God was merely affirming my vision from a few years back. “The NFL Wife Handbook" is merely a platform for NFL wives to share their stories. I view myself as “editor in chief” and love helping share these womens’ awesome testimonies. Stacie (my business partner) and I both felt it was FINALLY time for people to understand and comprehend the real livelihood of our husbands — better yet, the way we pursue the ups and downs of this league is by walking alongside Christ.
I would love for this blog to be a never-ending story. I pray 20+ years from now, I am still blessed with testimonies to share. The power of a wife/girlfriend’s voice in this league is huge — therefore why not hoist up your megaphone and give all the glory back to Jesus. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the NFL was known as a Christian organization with insanely talented football players? It is certainly ambitious to think this, however we are called to pray bold prayers, because we have an omnipresent, powerful God who serves us, and is merely waiting for us to ask Him to do BIG things.
What have you learned on your NFL journey?
My journey through the NFL has been nothing short of amazing. We have had many highs and lows, yet amongst all the inconsistencies Donald’s profession posseses we have loved every waking minute of it. To be truthfully honest, when Donald and I began dating, a few months into our courtship, he informed me of his future plans to pursue the NFL. When I heard those three letters “N-F-L” I immediately pulled back and planned on ending our relationship. I wasn't a football fanatic, and I “knew” enough about the character of these athletes that I certainly did not want to do life alongside one of "those" men. Shame on me for not realizing, Donald was and is so far from the typical stereotype.
Fast forward three years into our lives together (clearly we stayed together), we attended a Christian ministry retreat for NFL athletes and their significant others. It was here, (going on year 4) that our lives, and outlook in the NFL radically were changed for the better. We were invited by a former teammate of my husbands’ and in that week, we gave lives over to Christ. Years 1-3 of Donald’s career were wonderful, however we didn’t do life with God first in mind, rather ourselves. Years 4 and on, God has been the focal point for us as indviduals, as a married couple, as parents, as “missionaries” in our realm of work.
It has been the most insanely rewarding outlook for our each of us. It has made every high that much better, and every low more easily comprehended. I don’t view myself as a “WAG” but rather in a season of my life, where I am called to be His hands and feet to those around me. I understand the value of this platform we have been blessed with, and realize our time is limited to have such a noticeable voice. Therefore if I (alone or with other members of this league) can show the world that we are just regular, Christ-like individuals who are wanting to pave a highway for the Kingdom, then I have done my work with the role I am currently in — that of a “WAG”.
