Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam attends plenty of festivals, events and celebrations across the state. He's been to strawberry festivals, the World's Biggest Fish Fry in Paris and Mule Day in Columbia.
But what he saw walking to the Chattanooga Convention Center early Tuesday morning was unique, he said. There, more than 1,600 local business leaders, politicians and religious leaders gathered for a breakfast of biscuits, eggs and prayer.
"I don't know of anything that compares to that across the state," Haslam told the crowd at the Chattanooga Area Leadership Prayer Breakfast. "And I go to a lot of events."
At events all across the state, Haslam said, he's encouraged by the many Tennesseans who grab him to say they are praying for him. While the Bible commands Christians to pray for their leaders, Haslam said it's not always clear what exactly to pray for. He pointed to the Book of Micah, which commands believers to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Tuesday's was the 37th annual local prayer breakfast, which is designed "to encourage morality and ethics in the lives of all people in positions of leadership in business, in government, and in the professions," according to the organization's website.
"We celebrate this gathering today knowing there are many places in the world where this could not happen," said Bill Kilbridge, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. "We celebrate this gathering in our community knowing that, despite times where we may see things differently, this morning we're here for a common purpose."
Michael Kramer, president and CEO of FSG Bank, prayed for the president, senators and local public officials.
"Put it on our hearts to pray constantly for all of our leaders, regardless of our political differences," he said. "Put it on our hearts that we would pray with love, with grace, with mercy for them as we would pray for ourselves and those closest to us."
Brig Sorber, CEO of Two Men and a Truck, a national moving company, was the morning's keynote speaker. He told his story of finding faith in adulthood and how it continues to change his business.
Early into his faith, he said, he was a businessman who happened to be a Christian. But now he has tried to put his faith first, becoming a Christian who happens to be a businessman. Before, he had a scarcity mentality, worrying that money or influence would run out. Now it's the opposite.
"I start every day with a thankful and grateful attitude, an abundant attitude," he said. "God's blessings are endless."
Contact staff writer Kevin Hardy at khardy@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6249.