The Faith of Dolly Parton by Dudley Delffs

 The Faith of Dolly Parton by Dudley Delffs is a book written by an admitted fan who usually writes Christian literature.  This book on Dolly is focused on her Christian faith and is divided into 10 lessons.  This book focuses on how Dolly's faith keeps her grounded as well as willing to take risks in order to advance her career.  The writer explains how her faith keeps her grounded, helps her remember where she came from as well as remember to help those who came from Tennessee who were less fortunate than she was.  It explains how Dolly started right out helping her family just as soon as she started making money--well before she made it rich--and that as soon as she could help out her community and surrounding area she did.  She always credits God for all of her talent and successes.  She always says that there are more talented singers than she but that she was willing to go where God led her to go in her career.  This book also tells of times when Dolly got down and even considered suicide, even how she was going to do it but that God called her back in the form of her little dog to reconsider and then He made life better for her. 

This book also tells where her faith comes from-her family.  She tells of her mama's faith and prayer life.  She tells of her grandfather Rev Jake Owens who was a Pentecostal preacher and how she began her career at the young as of 6 singing during services.  But she also talks of finding a deeper faith at the age of 12 by visiting an old no longer used church building where she would sit and talk to God one to one and found a different more loving God than what she heard in the pastor's fiery sermons. This book introduces us to the loving God that Dolly found and lived with the rest of her life.  Not saying that it was all rosy but always Dolly found that God was there with her.

I enjoyed reading this book and seeing the faith of Dolly both before and after fame.  That fame didn't change her faith and that the faith she found as a child was big enough to carry her into the future and kept her grounded.  This simple faith was big enough for her no matter how her life and material possessions change she stayed the same faithful child of God.
I received this book from BookLook for this review.