08/25/2026
If you've followed this page for a while, you know we don't post about celebrities. That's just never really been what this space is for. But today we're making an exception, because Dolly Parton passed away, and so much of her life pointed to the same faith we gather around every Sunday.
Dolly grew up dirt-poor in the Smoky Mountains, one of twelve kids, in a family that leaned hard on God because they didn't have much else to rely on. Her grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher, and Dolly always said church was where she learned to sing before anywhere else. Those old hymns got into her bones early, and she never outgrew them. Even decades into fame, she talked about praying before she walked on stage and believing her voice was a gift she didn't earn.
Throughout her career, she recorded several gospel albums, one of which won her a Grammy, and would often weave hymns into her concerts right alongside her biggest hits.
But her faith showed up most in how she treated people. Her Imagination Library started small, just an idea to get free books into the hands of kids in her home county who didn't have any. It's since mailed out hundreds of millions of books to children all over the world, all because she believed every kid deserves a shot at falling in love with reading, no matter where they start out in life. That kind of steady, patient generosity, showing up for people over and over without needing the credit, is something we recognize. It looks a lot like the love we're called to each and every day!
We're grateful for her life and the impact she made on the world!
