What a special time of year this is with the awakening of spring and the celebration of Mother’s Day. I know you agree that God provided a tremendous gift through motherhood—not just for early life nurturing and child rearing, but for the lasting influence that helps to shape who we are, what we will become, and the impact on future generations and society.

I truly believe the words in William Ross Wallace’s poem are accurate: “For the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.” That has certainly been the case within my own family. I’d like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to some of these remarkable women, starting with the one who brought me into the world.

My mother is beautiful. When I was a little girl, I thought she resembled a movie star—peaches and cream complexion, sparkling blue eyes, and a dazzling smile. Back then, my grandma had a framed photo of Mom on the piano that was taken during her college days. When I would pass by it, I would think about how it looked like it came straight out of the golden age of Hollywood. There’s a hint of glamour to it that I’ve always found intriguing.

Decades have passed since that photo was taken, and yet when I look at my mother today, I still see her beauty. Of course, she takes good care of herself and still has that Pepsodent smile, but the kind of attractiveness that I’m referring to goes much deeper than her outward appearance. The true essence of my mother’s elegance comes from the kind of person she is.

My mom has a heart for God and for the people in her life. She’s always been completely devoted to our family, and to me in particular. Whenever I’ve had a need or a concern, she’s been there, and her prayers have carried me through the trials of life.

If you will allow a daughter the privilege of bragging about her mother, I’ll share that she was senior class president in college, homecoming queen, and a member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Many of you know that my mom was chairperson of the National Day of Prayer Task Force for twenty-five years. During her tenure, the Lord blessed her efforts by expanding NDP’s outreach to 40,000 prayer events across the country, along with thousands of volunteers.

I’m proud to add that my mom was awarded “Christian Woman of the Year,” and has four honorary doctorates. As is characteristic of her humility, she has never used those prestigious awards professionally, stating that she observed how hard her husband worked to earn a Ph.D. Through the goodness of God, my mom has authored and co-authored numerous books, met with U.S. presidents, and was awarded the “W.A. Criswell Lifetime Christian Citizenship Award.”

I could go on. When you consider my mother’s many blessings and accomplishments, you would think she always led a charmed life. Sadly, that was not the case. As a child, she grew up with an alcoholic father and endured a tumultuous home life. Her dad often spent the majority of his paychecks at a local bar, leaving his family without enough money for necessities. My mom wore hand-me-down clothing, including her brother’s old shoes that were too big for her feet. She could never have a girlfriend spend the night for fear her dad would come home drunk.

During her elementary school years, she planted flowers in the front yard to try to mask a house that was poorly maintained and without landscaping. When her friends’ parents drove her home from birthday parties, she would tell them to drop her off in front of an attractive house a couple blocks away to spare herself the embarrassment of revealing where she lived.

Despite the hardships associated with her childhood, the Lord was merciful to young Shirley by providing a stable and reliable person in her life that held the family together: her mother, Alma.

Without enough money to support herself and two children, Alma worked more than one job to overcompensate for what her husband failed to provide. During the war years of the 1940s, she was “Rosie the Riveter” at an aircraft manufacturing plant. Alma also worked at a fish cannery, rising at 4:00 AM to be at the dock when the boats arrived.

Eventually her marriage dissolved and Alma knew that if she was going to raise two kids on her own, she needed help from her Heavenly Father. So she prayed her way through the task of single parenting, and insisted that Shirley and her older brother, John, attend a nearby church on Sunday mornings. It was there that my mom accepted Jesus into her heart at the age of six.

As time went on, God blessed the family with a kind, loving husband and step-dad named Joe, who had served in the Navy during the war. He brought sunshine and stability back into their home, and he and Alma (my beloved grandparents) were happily married for fifty-two years.

Through the era of pain and struggle, my mom and grandmother held onto their faith and persevered, believing in the power of prayer and God’s ability to restore what had been lost.

On my dad’s side of the family, there were women who also exhibited a steadfast Christian faith. One of them was my great-grandmother, Juanita Dobson, who passed away before I was born. A Southern lady weighing only 96 pounds, she was known within the family as “Little Mother.” Juanita may have been petite, but she was a fervent prayer warrior! As the spiritual leader of her family, she told her five children, “The most important thing I can do is introduce each of you to Jesus Christ—and if even one of you is lost eternally, it would have been better if I had never been born.” That Christian heritage was handed down to her son, James Dobson, Sr., who passed it on to my dad, who then gave it to me. So it’s become an intergenerational legacy of faith within my family.

By far, my great-grandmother’s most significant accomplishment was leading her entire family into a solid relationship with Jesus. Her husband, Robert Lee Dobson (my great-grandfather), was an upstanding man in the community and a family man, but not a Christ follower. Although he was in favor of his wife taking their children to church, he didn’t want to have anything to do with religion. Juanita never gave up on her husband! She prayed for forty years that he would come to know the Lord.

Finally, on his death bed, Robert told his wife that he wasn’t afraid to die, but everything appeared so dark. He then asked if she would pray with him. Juanita knelt at his bedside and quoted “the sinner’s prayer” as he received Jesus as his Lord and Savior. I know that I’ll meet my great-grandfather in Heaven someday because of the forty-year investment my great-grandmother made in praying for his salvation.

Scripture says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30, NIV). During this month when we celebrate mothers, I honor these three godly women in my family—two posthumously—who endured difficult circumstances with an unshakable faith. Through every stage of hardship, the Lord was merciful and trustworthy, eventually bringing beauty from ashes, and restoring hope from brokenness.

To everyone reading this letter who has endured trials through the power of the Holy Spirit, let me assure you that “…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, NIV). That’s a promise that will surely come to fruition as you keep the faith, continue to pray, and trust Him for the outcome.

God’s abundant blessings to you in the days ahead!

Warmly in Christ,

Danae Dobson
JDFI Board Member and Senior Editor
Dr. James Dobson Family Institute

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Thank you, Danae, for such a beautiful tribute to your own mother—and to mothers everywhere.

With Mother’s Day, we are reminded of the immeasurable impact of a mother’s love, faith, and influence—often shaping generations in ways that only eternity will fully reveal.

As we close, I want to extend my sincere thanks to you for your faithful support of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute. Because of you, lives are being encouraged, strengthened, and transformed every day. Your support helps us continue providing trusted, practical guidance on the issues that matter most to families.

We hope you will share your own stories with us. You can do this through our website, iOS app, or by calling (877) 732-6825.

May God bless you,

Bart Brock, Ph.D.
Chairman and President
Dr. James Dobson Family Institute