Excerpt:
Retired Lt. Gen. William G. "Jerry" Boykin believes in miracles.
"I've seen too many of them" not to, he told a nearly full ballroom at the Hilton Vancouver Washington on Friday morning. The occasion was the 13th annual Clark County Mayors' and Civic Leaders' Prayer Breakfast, which is organized by the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship in America.
Boykin's keynote speech focused entirely on his Christian faith and the way prayer and the Bible have seen him and the soldiers he's commanded — most of them — through battle.
Controversy erupted over the choice of Boykin earlier this week due to his previous denunciations of Islam. Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, who was to host, wound up boycotting the event, and none of the Vancouver City Council attended. Most Clark County mayors also stayed away; many told The Columbian they already had other plans.