16 Quotes by Dolly on Faith and Family

By Nellah Bailey McGough
May 02, 2017
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
We all love watching the high-heel wearing, rhinestone-clad Dolly as she’s belting out her numerous chart-topping songs but there is also a deeply spiritual side to Dolly Parton. Growing up in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, she was the 4th of 12 children. Her father, Robert Lee Parton, was a farmer and her mother, Avie Lee Parton, was busy taking care of her family, neighbors, and household. They didn’t have much money but they were rich in love and relied on their faith in God. In a 2003 interview with Larry King, Dolly commented on that faith, “I grew up in a very religious background. I trust God, I love God, and I love the thoughts of it. Even if there was no God, I’d prefer to believe it, because I prefer to believe in something greater than we are. It takes all of the pressure off of you. You don’t have a bunch of ego problems.” Dolly says that her work is to glorify God and her actions mirror her words. She seems to walk the talk which is why people all over the world adore and respect her. When Dolly was living on the West Coast, she would pass the iconic Hollywood sign which became a source of inspiration for her. She said, “I can remember looking up at the Hollywood sign the first time I was in L.A. and thinking I would like to change that H to a D” and  not only did that dream come true for her, that dream went on to become a huge blessing for the folks of Sevier County. Dolly Parton is the largest employer in Sevier County with Dollywood, Splash Country Water Park, DreamMore Resort, and more. In addition, over 20 years ago Dolly wanted to do more to foster education in her Smoky Mountain hometown so she created the Imagination Library. Inspired by her father’s inability to read or write Dolly wanted to give the preschool children of her home county the love of reading. Today over 1 million age-appropriate books are sent to children from birth to age 5 across the United States and abroad every month. Dolly once said, “A belief in God is essential. We grew up believing that through God all things are possible. I think I believed that so much that I made it happen. I know what it's like to be without and I know what it's like to have things. And I appreciate both.”
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1 of 16

Acceptance

Southern Living

I've always kinda been a little outcast myself, a little oddball, doin' my thing, my own way. And it's been hard for me too, to be accepted, certainly in the early years of my life.

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Acting on Faith

Southern Living

I don't think you ever really know what all you're doing, so you have to act on faith.

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Being a Light

Southern Living

I always ask God to work through me and let me be a light of some kind and help in this world, so I always pray for that, and I always want to do good.

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Important Riches

Southern Living

You can be rich in spirit, kindness, love and all those things that you can't put a dollar sign on.

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Christmas

Southern Living

No matter what, I always make it home for Christmas. I love to go to my Tennessee Mountain Home and invite all of my nieces and nephews and their spouses and kids and do what we all like to do—eat, laugh, trade presents and just enjoy each other.

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Failures

Southern Living

I thank God for my failures. Maybe not at the time but after some reflection. I never feel like a failure just because something I tried has failed.

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7 of 16

Family

Southern Living

I see so much of my family in the things that I do. And I love and embrace that.

8 of 16

Finding God

Southern Living

People just overshoot trying to find God. They're going outside and trying everything. They don't realize that it's right inside themselves.

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God's Plans

Southern Living

God has his plans and his reasons. Sometimes we are supposed to go through things so that we learn lessons.

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10 of 16

Having Children

Southern Living

I've never been pregnant so I just feel God didn't mean for me to have kids so that everybody else's children could be mine.

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Living a Good Day

Southern Living

When I wake up, I expect things to be good. If they're not, then I try to set about trying to make them as good as I can 'cause I know I'm gonna have to live that day anyway. So why not try to make the most of it if you can?

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Many Colors

Southern Living

I like to think of myself as a Girl of Many Colors, not just a coat, because I have all kinds of moods and I experience them all. I think that’s what makes a human being.

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13 of 16

Merry Heart

Southern Living

There's a scripture that says, 'A merry heart doeth good like medicine.' I think that's true, too.

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Pray

Southern Living

Every day I pray about all I do.

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Stability

Southern Living

People are looking for something a little more stable; people are feeling like they need to get closer to God.

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Sundays

Southern Living

When I'm home, I spend Sunday with my husband. If we're not cooking, we travel around in our camper, stop at fast-food restaurants, and picnic. We love that stuff that will harden your arteries in a hurry.

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By Nellah Bailey McGough