Dolly Parton Wants to ‘Be a Light and a Vessel to be Used’ by God
By Movieguide® Staff
The 73-year-old country singer Dolly Parton is an iconic artist who continues to pursue her faith and career.
Aside from her long and award-winning music career, Parton is also known for TV and movies like her Netflix show DOLLY PARTON’S HEARTSTRINGS or CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE, for which she won Movieguide®’s Grace Prize®. The “These Old Bones” episode of DOLLY PARTON’S HEARTSTRINGS won Movieguide®’s Faith and Freedom® Award for Television.
Parton is candid about her faith in God and said that she knew to follow God’s plan for her life from a young age.
“My grandpa was a Pentecostal preacher. So healing and praying and being anointed and all that stuff was nothing new to us, cause we survived because of our faith in God,” Parton said.
Parton recalled an older woman praying over her in her childhood church.
“She said I was anointed and [that] I was going to do great things,” Parton remembered. “Mama said…that just means that God has his hand on you, that you may do something special.”
“But that triggered a faith in me, because I believe that I was supposed to do something good…I never let go of that because I always felt responsible to God that I was supposed to be doing something for God. And so I still feel like that. And I’m still doing it. Trying to,” she added.
Despite Parton’s fame and awards in almost every area of entertainment, she held on to her faith in God.
“I really feel like I have a calling,” Parton said. “I feel like God had told me early on in a feeling that I was supposed to go till He told me to stop and He [hasn’t] said nothing yet about quitting. And so I ain’t said nothing about retiring yet.”
Parton also lives out her faith in prayer.
“Every day I pray for God to lead me and to take out all the wrong things, wrong people in my life, bring all the right things, right people in, and to let me glorify Him and uplift mankind,” Parton said. “Let me be a light, and a vessel to be used…I just really want to do what I can in this world to make things better, if I can.”
Parton added: “There’s something bigger and better than us and we need to connect to that to make us better people. And the more you can draw from that, the better off you are, not just for yourself, but for all the things from people that you can touch by believing that.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Parton’s daily devotion and spiritual habits:
Dolly Parton said that she established a habit of getting up early to get the most out of her day, which always starts with God.
“I’m always, almost always up for good around 3 a.m. So I do some of my best spiritual work, some of my best writing, and some of my business work—call-ins and letters that I’m writing or whatever—between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. I get more work done during that little period of time when the world is calm, energies are down, and I just feel like a farmer. They say the early bird gets the worm. Well, they also get a lot of good ideas too,” Parton said.
Parton said that she treasures the early morning because it allows her to focus on God and ask Him how to glorify His name through her work throughout the rest of her day.
“I’m a very spiritual person,” Parton said. “Every single day, before I do anything, I wake up and I thank God for the night and ask Him to bless the day and to bring all the right things… all the wrong people out of my life, and bring all the right stuff in. And just to guide me, lead me. And I always pray that he’ll let me uplift mankind and glorify Him.”
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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