I was fortunate to spend some one-on-one time with Kayleigh
McEnany, so I thought I would begin this story by describing my impression of her
in one word: Authentic, Personable, Sacrificial, Fearless, Patriotic,
Conservative, Christian. Well, that adds up to seven one-word descriptions. But
then I could add: Working-mom, Brave, and Articulate, and no, she is not the One
that walked on water, but she often speaks of her personal relationship with the
Creator. And I thought I would add that she was born and raised in the Free
State of Florida.
Who is Kayleigh McEnany? She was the former White House Press
Secretary and the national spokesperson for the Republican National Committee
(RNC). She now Co-hosts Outnumbered on the Fox News Channel. Before joining the
RNC, she worked as the lone conservative political commentator at CNN and as a
producer for the Mike Huckabee Show. She has also authored several outstanding books.
As I read her book, I was overwhelmed to learn about the
many sacrifices her family experienced for the American people. Some may recall
that her tenure at the White House commenced during the earliest days of the COVID-19
lockdowns. The CDC guidelines curtailed (or discouraged) travel, forcing some
difficult choices. It was also during the death of George Floyd. Unfortunately,
some people used this tragedy to threaten Kayleigh and her family.
Kayleigh tells of balancing her concern for her family with
her job's demands. She strove to be much more than a press secretary. Kayleigh wanted
to be a voice for those who do not "qualify" for national attention
and are often ignored and certainly overlooked. She strove for substance over
sensationalism.
Her motto in the press secretary’s office was "Offense!"
intending to challenge the media, never allowing others to drive the narrative.
She insisted on holding the press accountable. I will hone in on her beginnings
at the White House because there is not enough ink and paper to cover the
highlights of her life.
When President Trump called to ask if Kayleigh was
interested in becoming Press Secretary, she was in the backseat of her car with
her baby girl while her mother was behind the wheel. The phone rang with the
White House switchboard on the line. "Would you take a call from the
President?" A quick answer of "yes" followed an even faster
prayer. The President asked if she would consider becoming the White House
press secretary. Without hesitation, she responded, "Mr. President, that
would be the honor of my lifetime." Thus, Kayleigh's story took another
turn.
She was understandably nervous about taking on this enormous
task, especially in the middle of a novel pathogen just entering the country. However,
she also realized the honor it would be to communicate clearly to the American
people. She began reading everything, calling everyone for advice, but her dad
sent her the best advice. "Kayleigh, maybe you were made for such a time
as this," a direct reference to the book of Esther. She knew God wanted her
to hear this and believes He wants us all to understand that we are on this
earth for a specific purpose and reason.
Her first day at work was April 13, 2020. It had been 400
days since a press secretary, Sarah Sanders Huckabee, had gone to the podium.
Her first press briefing was less than three weeks later. On that day, she tweeted
out Philippians 4:13 about being able to do all things which strengthen us through
Christ. She had prepared herself academically. Still, the spiritual preparation
gave her peace—listening to sermons on faith over fear, Christian music, and prayer.
As she sat in the Press Secretary's office wondering how the
first day would go, the Chief of Staff's office called and told her to go to
the Oval Office because the President was preparing to do a Coronavirus task
force briefing. She was asked for input and then watched as the President used
some of her feedback during the briefing.
That week, she fielded texts from Christians who said they
were praying for her. One text was from Sarah Sanders Huckabee with advice:
"Pray and let God carry you through the tough times and give you strength
when you don't have the wisdom."
Sarah then sent Kayleigh the day's devotional from when
Sarah was Press Secretary - "You are on the path of My choosing. There is
no randomness about your life … As you give yourself more and more to a life of
constant communion with Me, you will find that you simply have no time to worry."
Never a more true statement! Her assistant entered her office and got her parents
on speakerphone to pray together. As she walked through the President's private
dining room, the Vice President motioned with praying hands that he would
continue praying for her.
Finally, she slipped into the private West Wing bathroom,
got on her knees, and prayed yet again. She retells the story of going to the
podium, and everything changed. Her fears and worries vanished and turned to complete
serenity. That divine intervention made her feel like she had been at that
podium her whole life. She pointed out that the peace came from the millions of
Christians who prayed for the administration. She mentioned being a personal
testament to the fact that those prayers made a difference. Her speech contained
so much more thought-provoking, uplifting, and inspirational material.
Her family almost moved to this area but settled in the
Tampa Bay area. She agrees with many of us that Northwest Florida has the best
beaches and promises to vacation here during the offseason. Another example of
the Emerald Coast drawing the best and the brightest. I look forward to tuning
in for the next chapter of the Kayleigh McEnany Woman of Faith saga.
Read Newspaper, page 1-2
