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VALLEY — A book signing took place on Saturday at Hood’s Pharmacy to introduce a new book, “Jesus OT,” written by long-time Bible teacher and part-time minister, Ronnie Carter. “Jesus OT” is the end result of 16 years of studying the Bible, teaching Bible classes and constant reflection. It’s a comprehensive study of the messianic prophecy of the Old Testament from the Book of Genesis through Deuteronomy. It differs from most books on the subject in that it’s not limited to prophecy alone but explains other OT prophetic devices such as types and shadows, dreams,  visions, genealogy and a look at Old Testament language and culture.

Carter’s book can serve as a good reference for Bible teachers and students alike. It serves to increase Christians’ appreciation of the Old Testament and has many references to the coming of Christ.

Carter has been a Bible teacher for 50 years. He is currently the part-time pastor of Shawmut Christian Church and a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Shawmut. He is a 1971 graduate of Lanett High School and a 1975 graduate of Auburn University, where he earned a degree in civil engineering. He went on to work for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development for 33 years. 

Carter and wife Connie have been married for 50 years. They have two children, Ben and Jennie, and seven grandchildren: Caroline, Ella, Jack, Jenna, Addie, Lane and Olivia.

Carter’s brother, Travis Carter, is retired from the City of Valley, where he served as the director of planning and development. He’s still active in surveying.

Ronnie is something of a Renaissance man — he’s an artist, guitarist and singer, and loves tennis, cycling and pickleball. One of his good friends, Steve Earls, has recently written a book as well. It’s a children’s book and Carter’s granddaughter Ella did the cover illustration for it.

“Steve and I like to play tennis,” Carter said. “He lives in Harris County near Jones Crossroads. His book is a good read. It has some short stories with local connections.”

Carter said that his faith is the driving force in his life. “I’ve learned that when one door closes in your life it’s not the end of the world. It could be the start of something better.”

He experienced that in August 2016. “I was living in a house that had never been flooded,” he said, “but in that year we had a tropical storm that left it under chest-high water.”

Carter had been retired for some eight years at the time and hadn’t given much thought to moving back to Alabama. At the same time, though, his mother, Reba Carter, was coming down with dementia and was in need of close family support. Ronnie went back to Chambers County to visit her in her home in Valley. As fate would have it, a “For Sale” sign had gone up in the yard of the house right next door to hers. Ronnie inquired about it and wound up buying that house and coming back home to live.

“My house in Louisiana being flooded turned out to be one of the great blessings in my life,” Carter said. “It gave me the chance to go back home and be right next door to my mom when she needed family close by.”