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Recording artist STEVE GREEN about his mom, Jo Green
My earliest memories are of wobbling down the stairs and seeing my mom at the kitchen table with her Bible and her coffee, spending time with the Lord. And that scene was always a source of great comfort and stability for me.
Even now, she constantly exemplifies selflessness, always making sure others' needs are met. Her greatest thrill is to see others come to the Lord and begin to grow in him. Whenever she's written to me over the years, it's never been about what she bought for the house or what she'd done. It was always about relationships—someone with whom she was involved in a Bible study, or somebody who expressed interest in spiritual matters for the first time.
The focal point of her joy has always been seeing Christ work in other people's lives. For a lot of years, I couldn't figure out what was so exciting about that. And it wasn't until the Lord really began to work in my heart that I realized what a vital sign of our faith that is. My mother modeled for me the heart of the Lord, joyfully yearning for the spiritual growth of others.
Pastor, author, and speaker TONY EVANS about his wife, Lois Evans
I admire my wife's multifaceted talents. Lois is involved in all aspects of our evangelistic broadcast ministry at Urban Alternative and gives us lots of administrative support. As a result of her gift of hospitality, our home's always a place where people are welcome. Lois also speaks to women's groups. She does all those things and still has the time and energy to support me in my ministry. Her ministries complement mine.
I've learned about faithfulness from her. Lois really hangs in there when the going gets tough. In the difficult times of our ministry, she's been a constant source of encouragement to me.
Recently, before a speaking engagement, Lois said to me, "Just remember I'm praying for you." That kind of support means a lot to me.
Recording artist and songwriter MICHAEL W. SMITH about his daughters Whitney, Anna, and Emily Smith
All three of my daughters have tender hearts. If I'm not feeling well or am down for some reason, they're all over me, hugging me. When I get a "daughter fix" before I leave the house, my heart's pounding all day long. That's adrenaline I can live on for a long time.
Because Whitney, Anna, and Emily are always telling me they love me, I find myself doing more of that with them, and with my wife, Deb—and probably with my mom and sister, too. I usually have to track down my two sons and tackle them to get some kind of hug from them. It's not that they don't love Dad—but boys relate in a different way. I've always been affectionate, but my girls have taught me to show it more to everyone in my life.
Author and evangelist FRANKLIN GRAHAM about his mother, Ruth Bell Graham
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