“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” – Proverbs 31:28
There is nothing more important than the role of a mother. Mother’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to thank the role models in our lives who have dried our tears, taught us lessons, shared wisdom, cooked countless meals and bandaged scraped knees. But most of all, this Mother’s Day we can remember how fervently and faithfully our mothers and grandmothers prayed for us – and that those prayers are a blessing beyond measure.
In short, our mothers are the “rock stars” of the home front. With this in mind, and because we cover a lot of movies in this magazine edition, we wanted to highlight some high profile matriarchs of stage and screen. The number of vocal Christian women in Hollywood can be counted on, perhaps, two hands… we just don’t hear that much about faith and Christianity coming out of Tinsel Town. But we found four interesting Christian actresses who are not ashamed of their faith, and that’s noteworthy.
Their names might be familiar, but what you may not know is that Patricia Heaton, Angela Bassett, Candace Cameron Bure and Chynna Phillips share common denominators with the rest of us: wifehood, motherhood and Christianity. Enjoy these short snippets of their lives, faith, kids and passions.
Everybody Loves… Patricia!
We particularly love Patricia Heaston for her outspoken conservative views. She made her Broadway debut in the gospel musical “Don’t Get God Started,” but is best known for her role in “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which earned her two Emmys. Born Catholic, she attends a Protestant (Presbyterian) church and is a vocal supporter of the anti-abortion group, Feminists for Life. She married British actor David Hunt in 1990 and is the mother of their four sons: Joseph, Daniel, Samuel and John. She now stars in ABC’s “The Middle,” and her book, Motherhood and Hollywood: How to Get a Job Like Mine chronicles her adventures in Tinsel Town.
The Blessing of Twins
Angela Bassett is known for her roles as Rosa Parks and Tina Turner, and has won a Golden Globe amidst nominations for an Oscar and an Emmy. After a seven-year struggle with infertility, she and husband Courtney B. Vance welcomed twins — a son Slater and a daughter Bronwyn. She (along with Denzel Washington) attend the West Angeles Church of God in Christ. Her quote in the L.A. Times sums up her beliefs: “When you realize that every breath is a gift from God. When you realize how small you are, but how much he loved you. That he, Jesus, would die, the son of God himself on earth, then you… you just weep.”
Her Own “Full House”
Who can forget Candace Cameron Bure from the hit series “Full House,” in which she played D.J. Tanner. Like her brother, Kirk Cameron, Candace is a devout Christian — an ethic that guides her both on and off the set. She is the author of “Balancing It All: My Story of Juggling Priorities and Purpose” — a book that was criticized by the secular media for Candace’s traditional views on marriage. She is happily married to retired NHL hockey player Valeri Bure (born in Russia). Together they are raising sons Lev and Maksim, and daughter Natasha. Notably, Candace is now appearing on Dancing with the Stars.
Mama and Papa Baldwin
Chynna Phillips is well known as a singer and member of Wilson Phillips. She was raised by John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas band members and is the half-sister of Mackenzie Phillips. She also performed as a contestant during the 13th season of Dancing with the Stars. But her defining role is wife to Billy Baldwin (who calls himself the “white sheep” of the Baldwin brothers). They have been married since 1995 and are parents to daughters Jamison and Brooke, and son Vance. Chynna is a born again Christian and released a Christian album, One Reason, in 2009. The family supports several charities, including the Creative Coalition and the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund.
Happy Mother’s Day
— a blessed celebration. It is an honor and a privilege to be a Christian influence, and a mother’s prayers and actions are especially powerful. So we thank the women in our lives who have been so profoundly instrumental in our faith journeys. Indeed, Happy Mother’s Day!
