General Eisenhower was a man of deep faith, who had a profound experience with the Lord while commanding the Allied D-Day landings and in overseeing ultimate victory in World War II.  From that time, the consummate soldier, a leader in a time of war, became the consummate man of peace and an international statesman. He was known to be a man of ideas and innovation - the first President of the United States to deploy "Marine One", the Presidential Helicopter, and "Air Force One", the Presidential Plane. Both initiatives were practical efforts and assets secured to enable American leaders to be more outward looking and to enable dialog and international relationships to be struck.

 

Shortly after President Eisenhower had taken office, it is said that he said to his friend Senator Frank Carlson, a fellow Kansan, that the White House was "the loneliest house in the world", which resulted in Senator Carlson inviting the President to join in the weekly time of fellowship enjoyed by then nascent Senate prayer group.

 

Eventually that group thought it would be a good idea to demonstrate the blessings they derive each week by meeting together -- following the Eisenhower Principles, of setting aside their differences and meeting for fellowship in the name of Jesus of Nazareth -- when, once a year, they host a national prayer breakfast to which they invite all their colleagues to come to pray for the President and our nations's leaders.

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President Eisenhower would go one step further in encouraging his friends to "go out" to leaders around the world - using his contacts and address book as necessary, but traveling in the name of Jesus, to encourage other world leaders that they too should meet and have breakfast together and consider the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who said:

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