(gentle music)

- Well, Truett Cathy founded Chick-fil-A

but he says all he ever didwas put a piece of chicken

between a buttered bun.

The real hero,

the one who could doanything and everything,

according to him, was his wife, Jeannette.

Well now Cathys' daughter, Trudy,

is telling her mother'sstories of quiet strength.

(air whooshing)

- [Announcer] Trudy CathyWhite is an author, speaker,

and a champion of thefamily who co-founded two

of Chick-fil-A's philanthropic programs.

She's also the daughter

of Chick-fil-A founder, Truett Cathy.

While much has been written about

her father's enormous business success,

the public knows little about her mom.

Trudy decided it was time they did.

Her latest book "Quiet Strength"

tells her mother's surprising life story,

bringing laughter, tears,and authentic inspiration.

- Not everybody gets to have a mother

like Jeannette McNeil Cathy.

And one of the reasons I wrote this book

is because I wanted to sharemy mother with everyone else.

(gentle music)

- Please welcome to "The 700Club," Trudy Cathy White.

Trudy, it's wonderful to have you with us.

- Aw, thank you Terry,it's an honor to be here.

- Well, before we talk about your book,

tell us how Chick-fil-A's doingduring this COVID-19 crisis.

There's a long line down the street

at the one near us, every day.

- That's right, well, wehave incredible operators

that are out there in theircommunities trying to serve

the best we possibly can.

We appreciate all the communitythat is rallying around

and eating with us.

Of course, we're only doingdrive through, right now,

and trying to make sure thatwe're careful about the safety

of both our team members,as well as our customers.

- Well, you guys are systemsgeniuses (chuckling).

Tell us a little bit abouthow your mom and dad met

and how Chick-fil-A got started.

- Well, my mom and dadactually met when they were

eight years old, but as my dad would say,

they didn't get married, then.

In fact, they didn't seeeach other for quite a while,

later on, and they got married in 1948.

My mom served as a waitressin my dad's restaurant

in those early years, as well.

And then children came alongand she took on the role

of being able to raise us ina wonderful, peaceful home,

and tried to create anenvironment that was positive

for my dad whenever he would come home

from long hours of work.

- Well, your mom also hadquite an incredible impact

on the company.

Your brother dubbed her thefirst lady of Chick-fil-A.

What was the role that sheplayed with the organization?

- Yeah, I think my motherhad the most critical role

of anybody, really, and thatwas the role of support.

I like to give her the title

of the Chief Supporting Officer.

She was relentless inher support to my dad

and all that he tried todo to grow the business.

She was a tremendous prayerwarrior for my father

and for the business whenthings would always have

ups and downs in business, of course

and she always took ourconcerns to the Lord

and taught us that God is verymuch intricately concerned

and interested in all thatis going on in our lives.

So we appreciate the factthat she supported him

in that way through prayer,

and just through her presence,

and encouraged my dad to realize

that we have to grow this business

built on Biblical principles.

- I think those of us who love Chick-fil-A

also appreciate so much thevery open stance you take

on honoring the sabbathand just your faith.

Your brother called your mom

the spiritual nucleus of the family.

How did that happen andwhat did that look like?

- Yeah, if you go back tomy mother's, my mum's story,

the early years, she was an only child,

raised by a single mombecause her earthly father

walked out on the family when she was

about three months old.

So she never knew her earthly father.

But when she was about five years old,

someone introduced herto her Heavenly Father

who became her perfect father.

She realized that inthe Bible it says that

if you believe and receive, you can become

a child of God's and that was, for her,

an unbelievable message thatshe embraced, whole-heartedly.

So her walk with theLord has been so intimate

and such a personalrelationship with Jesus Christ

through these years.

The fact that my mom really focused

on making decisions based

on Christ at the center of her life,

really permeated andimpacted my dad's life,

as well as my brother's and I,

as children and even our family business.

- Your mum's life

based on what you've writtenin your book "A Quiet Strength"

was just a loud testimony

of who Christ was in her life.

Your mom stressed to your whole family

the three Ms of life:mate, master, and mission.

Tell us about that.

- Yeah, both mom and dad enjoyed working

with the younger generation.

They taught Bible studiesin their churches,

went to young people whenthey were 12 and 13 years old

and they always realizedthat most teenagers

kinda complained that their mum and dad

have to make all the decisions for them,

and they don't like being told what to do.

And mother and dad werealways wanting to challenge

these young people to realize,look, the most important

decisions in life youare gonna get to make

and you need to be preparedand ready to make those,

and they are the three Ms.

You'll get to determinewho will be your master

of your life, you will getto determine who will be

your mate, and choose who you'll spend

the rest of your life with

but you also get to determinewhat is your mission in life.

And so it's important thatwe realize that decisions

that we have to make are important,

and knowing how to make those decisions

is equally important.

- Yeah, a quiet wisdom.

You open your book with a speech

from your mom, "You Can."

How did that lesson fromher shape your own life?

- Well, so much aboutmy mom was her attitude.

She realized that attitudepaves the way for everything.

And she realized thatexternal circumstances

really impact your internal strength,

so her strength always camefrom her walk with the Lord.

She always said, "you can with God."

It was amazing.

Every time, even as childrenwhen we were growing up,

even my dad, when we wouldfind ourselves discouraged,

or disappointed, she wouldalways be that cheerleader

behind us saying, "you know what?

"You can.

"You can do this with God."

In fact, the Bible says, "Allthings are possible with God."

- Your book "A Quiet Strength"is the life and legacy

of your mom, but whatdo you want the takeaway

from the book to befor people who read it?

- You know, Terry, I thinkanybody who picks up this book

"A Quiet Strength" and reads it,

I will understand I that everybody

has ups and downs in life.

There is always adversitythat we're going to encounter,

but we get to choose how we respond to it.

And my mother had suchan incredible attitude

and focus on her life that permeated

and encouraged everybody around her.

So I think when people read this book,

they're gonna be encouraged, as well,

and realize that you canhave an abundant life,

even in the midst of adversity.

- Well Trudy, you've really written

a great legacy to your mom.

It's "A Quiet Strength,"and I know you'll enjoy it

and I know the takeawayshe just talked about

will be something thatwill be valuable to you.

Thanks for being with us, today.

So good to have you, bless you.

- Thank you, Terry.

- Mm-hmm.