Amy Coney Barrett: Carpool Driver, Party Planner and Spirit-Filled Believer
You have to try hard to find something wrong with Amy Coney Barrett. The New Orleans-born, charismatic Catholic professor and judge characterizes herself as a “carpool driver, party planner and mom.”
She’s the kind of person who makes others pause. She graduated from an all-girls Catholic high school, went on to Rhodes College, a small school in Tennessee where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, then went onto Notre Dame Law School where she was—again—summa cum laude.
Following law school, Barrett clerked for the godly Antonio Scalia at the Supreme Court, was involved in the 2000 election recount and taught at Notre Dame Law School until being appointed to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Most of all, though, Barrett is a sold-out believer and part of a group called the People of Praise, a Catholic charismatic community that grew out of the strong evangelical charismatic movement launched in 1971 by Kevin Ranaghan. He went on to start the Word of God community in Ann Arbor, Michigan, influenced further by the Jesus Movement.
What is unique about the movement is that each member is part of their own church, but they participate in weekly small groups and sign a covenant based around the Nicene Creed with a lay leadership based around the family.
As the mother of seven children—including two adopted from Haiti and a special needs child—people who know her often ask, “How does she do it?” Those who oppose her are left with deep frustration as she illustrates a Christian woman who’s smart, involved and busy, but loving, kind and humble—characteristics for all of us to model.
Bestselling author of God, Trump and COVID-19 Stephen Strang writes, “No matter how much the Left attacks, Trump is committed to doing the right thing. He has worked hard to place conservatives on the Supreme Court, despite Democrats doing everything they could to impede progress.”
“Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone, for kings and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
Barrett’s father shared his testimony of faith with these words, “Like many people, most guys, I saw very little to like in charismatics. I dodged it until I was trapped into attending a ‘Life in the Spirit’ seminar. When I prayed for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit, nothing happened. Then later that night, I began to speak in tongues. Most importantly, I was filled with an insatiable appetite for reading Scripture and spiritual books. Making time for personal prayer became important, and I sensed a call from the Lord to serve.”
Barrett ended her opening statement at Monday’s Senate hearing with the words, “I believe in the power of prayer, and it has been uplifting to hear that so many people are praying for me.”
In just 21 days, an election will be held which will determine whether others like Barrett will continue to lead America. If the 59 million believers who failed to vote in 2016 fail to do so again, what we’re living now will be replaced by those who despise the very presence of such a godly woman. {eoa}
Amir George is the author of Liberating Iraq and directs The World Helpline at theworldhelpline.org.
People Needed: Capitol Hill Daily Prayer 7:30 a.m./12 p.m., Hart Senate Office Building, Constitution Ave./Supreme Court entrance.
Even if you can’t come, please pause to pray at 7:30/12 and let us know at [email protected].
