Greetings, and happy October!
In 1990, Congress officially established the first full week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week. We're suffering a mental health crisis in America, and studies from places like the Harvard School of Public Health and the National Bureau of Economic Research show that faith practice correlates with fewer suicides and drug/alcohol overdoses. I think that's part of why Gen Z is seeing a faith revival.
In honor of this week, I’m excited to announce my memoir is available for presale. It’s about recovery and reconnection with God after surviving severe abuse and walking away from God. The book is called Motorhome Prophecies, and it will be published by Hachette Book Group on March 12. It's about my healing from a traumatic childhood growing up with seven biological siblings in motorhomes, sheds, and tents in an offshoot Mormon cult (my dad was excommunicated from the official LDS Church) with poverty, welfare and sexual abuse.
The book’s about the quintessential American principle of rising above victimhood and finding success, and I hope it points others to the liberating power of faith, community, and forgiveness.
Here’s the blurb from Hachette:
In the vein of Educated and Hillbilly Elegy comes a young woman’s memoir chronicling her harrowing journey from despair to salvation that showcases the depths and resilience of the human spirit and empowers readers on their own paths toward healing, forgiveness, and redemption.
Carrie Sheffield grew up fifth of eight children with a violent, mentally ill, street-musician father who believed he was a modern-day Mormon prophet destined to become U.S. president someday. She and her seven siblings were often forced to live as vagabonds, remaining on the move across the country. They frequently subsisted in sheds, tents, and, most notably, motorhomes. They often lived a dysfunctional drifter existence, camping out in their motorhome in Walmart parking lots. Carrie attended 17 public schools and homeschool, all while performing classical music on the streets and passing out fire-and-brimstone religious pamphlets—at times while child custody workers loomed.
Carrie’s father was eventually excommunicated from the official LDS Church, and she was the first of her siblings to escape the toxic brainwashing of his fundamentalist creed. Declared legally estranged from her parents, Carrie struggled with her mental health during college and for most of her adult life. But she eventually seized control of her life, transcended her troubled past, and overcame her toxic inner voice (and a near death experience)—thanks to the power of forgiveness, cultivated through her conversion to Christianity. She evolved from a scared and abused motorhome-dwelling girl to a Harvard-educated professional with a passion for empowering others to reject the cycles of poverty, depression, and self-hatred.
Motorhome Prophecies is the story of Carrie’s unbelievable, yet in many ways, very American journey. It resonates with those trapped in difficult situations and awes all who are enchanted by the depths and resilience of the human spirit.
In other news, last month I testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs. I discussed how Bidenomics profoundly hurts American families. Watch my testimony here.
On Fox Business Network, I joined host Charles Payne to discuss various topics, including how numerous Americans are voting with their feet to flee progressive-run cities riddled with crime and economic decline.
On NewsNation, I discussed the consequences of expanding Medicaid to all children. Senator Bob Casey's proposal to do this will result in poor families subsidizing healthcare for affluent children, raising concerns about the integrity of the safety net for impoverished kids. It's essential to recognize this expansion is not “free” and could represent a significant step toward socialized medicine. With only 4% of kids currently uninsured, we should prioritize these children.
For RealClear Energy, I scrutinized the drawbacks as the U.S. expands its dealings with Korean manufacturer Hanwha Q-Cells, seemingly overlooking enforcement of America’s Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) against the Chinese Communist Party. Additionally, I discuss the Biden administration's decision to block federal leasing for critical minerals vital for EVs and solar panel development.
Wishing you a wonderful October filled with warmth, growth, and inspiration.
Warm regards,
Carrie