About the Authors
Rick and Susan McCarthy have a deep love of the Lord, each other (he always calls her his “bride” and gets her door) and traveling together. Rick has traveled to over 80 countries and Susan to over 70 countries . . . so far. They travel about 140 days each year together for pleasure and ministry (which is also quite pleasurable to them), none for business, including serving biannually with Un Jour Nouveau in eastern D.R. Congo.
Susan is the author of Captive to Captivated, which shares her faith journey of being set free from the captivity of lies to being captivated by God’s love, told through the lens of her Kingdom purpose—“To set the captives free.” Her misunderstanding of God as a terrifying punisher transforms into a revelation of God’s true being. A Christian for over twenty years now, the Lord has made up for lost time, and Susan now shares a loving, wondrous relationship with her Savior. Her next book, Redeemed to Redeeming, shifts the story from her to others, how the Holy Spirit uses her now being Redeemed to Redeeming others who are stuck in areas of their lives and faith journeys. She also has a calling to pray with ministry leaders and give them a safe place to process hard places on their journeys. She also mentors women through spiritual direction and intercession.
Rick has been self-employed as a CPA in private practice since 1978. He serves numerous ministries, including The Sheepfold, The Master’s Program, The Barnabas Group, Standing Stone Ministry, Africa New Day/Un Jour Nouveau, Pacific Justice Institute and Evangelical Christian Credit Union. An Honors graduate from Cal State University, Fullerton, Rick taught Taxation for the American Institute for Philanthropic Studies. He served many roles at Mariners Church since 1984, from usher to elder.
Rick loves to write and edit—from editing his high school newspaper, to his Orange County Business Journal opinion column “To the Point,” to his Monday-morning handwritten letters to his son, Patrick in college and continuing periodically for years after), to his ongoing love, memories and affirmation journal postings to Susan, to his political emails, to his outlining his next book on asking great questions (sharing how the greatest teachers ever, Jesus and Socrates, taught through great questions, out of curiosity), to the farewell letter he wrote decades ago and updates annually to be read at his eventual memorial (talk of “always having the last word”!). He is also notorious for irritatingly writing in small print.
Rick also is an avid reader, an info junkie, who loves to pass along gems he discovers to others. He has read the entire fiction works of an eclectic mix of over 25 authors so far. Rick is also an inviter who loves to share new possibilities with others, whether it be through his love of questions or through inviting people to family reunions, high school reunions, unique experiences, concerts/plays, Christian movies/events/fundraisers, travel/dining ideas or just fellowshipping over a meal and a bottle of wine.
His personal mission statement is: To use my gifts, including Holy Spirit, discernment, capacity, and humor, to lovingly equip and Influence the Influencers, by challenging their thinking and behaviors and by connecting them with growth and service opportunities, to achieve God’s will. Rick’s varied experience in helping clients achieve their business, personal, and ministry goals along with his passion for helping leaders raise the bar on their walk with Christ led him through Bob Shank’s The Master’s Program, to the convergence of his career (as a CPA helping leaders grow their organizations) and calling (helping men in accountability relationships) as a Convene Chair—mentoring marketplace and nonprofit leaders one-to-one, and on a Biblical-wise counsel advisory board.
Rick and Susan have a son, Patrick, who preceded them to Heaven and to whom this book is dedicated. Their daughter, Jennifer, lives in Palm Desert, California with her daughter, June. They reside in Newport Beach, California, and have a shared passion to mentor couples, whether in ministry or through various life stages like courtship, engagement, early marriage, or whether in healthy or troubled marriages.