That is why at the event in Cache, attendees where able to see young men and women singing, rapping, dancing and doing skits about the pressures kids face in today's world.

"To get them out here and present a side of the faith they normally do not see," Carter said. "The kids in the area go to church, but it's the kind of same repetitive thing over and over again and they really don't know how to serve within their own culture. The culture of the youth is different from the generations above us. Just trying to show them you can have fun and praise God in your own way."

Carter also wanted to show people that professional athletes are not all just out there causing trouble, despite what they see in the media.

"It's important," Carter said. "But at the same time, what's in a man is going to come out of a man. We are not trying to do this to show we are good people. This is what we do. We love kids and we want to influence them. They see so much in the news about athletes and they look up to those guys. This is an opportunity to show them you can be an athlete or in the limelight and serve God at the same time."

While Carter is certain he made the right career decision, getting football out of his system is not easy.

"It was tough," Carter said. "And even now I am still turning down jobs. This is where my heart is now. It's still pretty tough, but knowing that I am exactly where God wants me to be, there is no better place than that."

Michael Kinney 366-3537 mkinney@normantranscript.com