U.S. lawmaker says sign from God led her to run for Congress
Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx from North Carolina said that she "had a very unusual route in getting to Congress."
Foxx grew up in Avery County that had no running water and electricity.
"I have no reason at all to be there except for the hand of God," according to Deseret News.
She grew up in a poor family but she finished high school and college. She later became the president of Mayland Community College until she got into politics.
It was in 1994 when she first served in the North Carolina Senate.
She was asked to run for Congress, but Foxx said it was difficult to make the decision.
While she was praying one night, she asked God for a sign.
"I feel too humble to ask for a sign, but if you wanted to give me a sign, dear Lord, I'd appreciate it ... just one is all I need," she said.
The phone then rang. It was her church's minister who told her that he was praying for her. It was then that she "burst into tears" as she was convinced that it was the sign that she was waiting for.
Foxx run and won.
"I have strong faith and strong belief in God, and He had a reason for me being (in Congress)," she said.
In Congress, Fox began attending a weekly prayer breakfast for House members every Thursday.
Foxx told "The Church Boys" podcast that contrary to public's belief, politicians in Congress get along very well.
"We work together on the areas that we can," said Foxx. "Most people would be shocked to know that more than 97 percent of the bills that we pass pass with bipartisan votes."
While politicians trade barbs on issues, Foxx said they get along well.
"We pray for each other; we care for each other. When someone is ill, we're very concerned about it. We just care on a human level," she said.
Foxx will be releasing the book "God Is in the House: Congressional Testimonies of Faith," a collection of essays from Democrats and Republicans who have served in the House.
"For the most part, members of Congress are wonderful people, very caring, very concerned people," she said. "And most of them are people of faith, and so I began to collect their stories."
She said Republicans and Democrats have different ideas on how to accomplish a goal based on issues, but they try to have a consensus.
"Conservative Republicans generally want less government. Our liberal friends on the other side of the aisle want more government. And so the trick is, how do we come together to take care of the people from the federal level that we should take care of?" she said.
But she said "I have trouble sometimes understanding how my colleagues can vote certain ways when they say that they have strong faith and believe in the Word of God because my faith tells me something else."
In making decisions, she said, "You wouldn't believe how many times a day I pray and ask God for wisdom and discernment."