May 11, 2016
For Immediate Release

 

Kentucky's Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton, left, spoke about the value of prayer at the National Day  of Prayer Breakfast at Campbellsville University. The Rev. Pamela Young Buford was the worship leader. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)

By Joan C. McKinney, coordinating director

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Kentucky's Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton talked of prayer, her spiritual journey and politics as the featured speaker for the National Day of Prayer breakfast last week at Campbellsville University.

“There was absolutely no quest that I went on but I got there by God,” Hampton said.

Hampton grew up in inner-city Detroit, and she praised her 88-year-old mother, who lives with her family, for raising her and her three sisters to be first-generation college students. She said she rose from poverty, and she wants children to know they aren't stuck in poverty and their future isn't bleak, but it will get better. She said she was blessed to live in Kentucky and the United States.

Hampton earned an industrial engineering degree from Wayne State University and joined the United States Air Force as a computer systems officer shortly after graduation.

During her seven years of military service, she deployed to Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia, and was responsible for critical radar software used in both search and rescue missions and tracking enemy planes.

After her service in the Air Force, she worked 19 years in a corrugated packing plant in Bowling Green, Ky. While working full-time, she earned a master of business administration degree from the University of Rochester.

Her job was eliminated, and she was frustrated and she began to search for meaning.

She discussed her journey when she started listening to God in 2011. She was in the Capitol Annex in Frankfort in 2013 when she was talking with Bro. Lee Watts and, in that back room, she gave her life to Christ.

During that same year, she met Matt Bevin, and she said there was “no way” she was running for political office.

  

She said the government process was “driving her crazy,” and she “felt a tug” in 2013 to enter politics. “Lord, I don't know what I'm doing,” she prayed.

She said Bevin asked her to be his running mate, and called her the day after she accepted. She learned she wasn't in charge of her life. She quoted Rick Warren's first sentence in “The Purpose-Driven Life” - “It's not about you” and said “It's about God.”

Hampton realized she was here on earth to serve, and she and Bevin won the election by 83 votes. She said Bevin told her they were to serve the Lord first and then the citizens of Kentucky.

 

“There is something special going on in Kentucky,” she said. “God's hand is on us. We are here to serve, and we serve an awesome God.”

The Rev. Pamela Young Buford, worship leader at the prayer breakfast, explained the history of the National Day of Prayer and said, in 1952, both houses in Congress set aside a day for prayer.

“Through prayer, there is nothing we can't do,” she said. “We are one voice united in prayer” she said quoting Isaiah 58:1 “Shout it out, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet.”

Dr. Mike O'Neal, senior pastor at Campbellsville Baptist Church who serves as a member of the Campbellsville University Board of Trustees, led in a time of repentance and prayer and asked everyone to “pray for our nation.” He said, “There is no question that God has richly blessed our country.”

Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, said the United States is a free country in which we can gather in assembly and worship. “We need to pray for our elected officials and give them heavenly insight,” he said.

Dr. John Chowning, executive assistant to Carter for government, community and constinuent relations, introduced the guests at the breakfast and Eddie Rogers, Taylor County judge-executive, and Tony Young, Campbellsville mayor, who read a proclamation citing May 5 as a Day of Prayer.

The Rev. Pamela Young Buford, left, accepted a proclamation for National Day of Prayer in Campbellsville from Taylor County Judge-Executive Eddie Rogers, center, and Campbellsville Mayor Tony Young. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)

Kentucky State Rep. John “Bam” Carney introduced Hampton and said he was impressed with her work etchic as she worked her way through college. She grew up in Detroit, he said.

The Rev. James I. Buford introduced various people who led in prayer time including: Dr. Twyla Hernandez, associate professor of Christian ministries at Campbellsville University, for government; Lt. Col. William Ritter, instructor in mass communication at Campbellsville University, for the
media; Jefra Hines with WVLC, the Big Dawg, for the media; Les Chadwick, with Taylor Regional Hospital, for business/education; the Rev. Morrisdene Williams, for church, and Pete Hedgepath, bass fishing coach at Campbellsville University, for family.

Cole Torbert, a Campbellsville University graduate in 2012 and 2014, sang “The National Anthem,” and students Davis Silva, Laneysa Caldwell and Rowan Petett, led pledges to the United States flag, the Christian flag and the Bible.

The Day of Prayer was organized by the Taylor County Ministerial Association and Campbellsville University.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.

Among those involved in the National Day of Prayer were from left: Front row - Dr. Twyla Hernandez, the Rev. Pamela Young Buford, Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton and Lynda Collins. Second row - Dr. G. Ted Taylor, Dr. John Chowning, the Rev. Morrisdene Williams, Dr. Shane Garrison, Jasmine Barnett and Debbie Carter. Back row - Dr. Tony Cunha, Dr. Mike O'Neal, Dr. Jeanette Parker, David Johnson, the Rev. Mikie Ash, the Rev. Dave Walters, Jamie Lawrence, Dr. Michael V. Carter, the Rev. Robert Hughes and Joey Bomia. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)