Whether it’s in her music or her dazzling speeches, Grammy-nominated gospel singer, Jekalyn Carr, 20, wants to leave people with a word they won’t forget.
Despite her young age, Carr, a native of West Memphis, been an inspirational speaker for more than 10 years, traveling the country building a fan base. You may have caught a glimpse of her on a recent episode of OWN’s “Greenleaf,” and the young star is ready to expand her ministry.
Now with her latest book, “You Will Win!: Inspirational Strategies to Help You Overcome,’’ she’s offering access to strategies to help you live a fulfilling life.
During an interview with theGrio, Carr shares that she wanted to give people the keys to unlocking their own success through tapping into their God-given gifts.
“So many of us know that we are designed for greatness and we know that we have the potential to acquire so much in life but we don’t know how to,” says the first-time author. “In this book, I give you information that you can apply to just about any situation in your life.”
In the book, Carr provides 14 principles to follow and apply along the path to winning, including intent, faith, patience, and perception.
“A lot of times when we look at successful people, you tend to see their now, but you never see what they had to go through or had to experience [or] the patience they had to have to experience what they went through,” Carr explains.
“Everybody has to experience something and in that place its called a waiting [period],” she continues. “You’re waiting to see it come to path but you have to have patience and go through the proper things that you need to go through, in order for you to be able to handle where you’re trying to go. You don’t want to get into that space of success and lose it due to not knowing how to handle it.”
Carr also says important to appreciate the small wins.
“When it comes to winning and understanding that you can not overlook even the smallest things that you are winning in when it comes to your winning story,” she says.
“You have to take the time to celebrate your wins and define your wins correctly. Do not compare your wins to someone else. As you are doing what you’re supposed to be doing, you’re winning everyday.”
Carr will be hosting her first convention “You Will Win” on Thursday, June 21st to Friday, June 22nd in South Haven, MS. There will be a host of speakers covering topics on finances, health, relationships and more.
The multi-talented singer has secured her debut role in the upcoming film “I never heard my father speak,” based on the stage play about estranged family relationships.
“I’m so excited about it, it’s coming out this fall,” says Carr. “It’s a movie about perseverance and not allowing the negative things that you’ve done and even the negative things that you experience, make you sit down on your purpose. [Instead it should] catapult you, let it push you.”
“Everyone hasn’t had the best upbringing but don’t use it in a negative way,” says Carr. “Change your perspective on how you look at it, let that be your motivation to be successful and great in life and that’s the moral of the story.”
Carr’s latest album One Nation Under God is available on all digital outlets.
“You Will Win!: Inspirational Strategies to Help You Overcome” is available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.