You got to read about some pretty amazing women in ministry, and learn how they are passing down their wisdom to their children, as well as their children’s children, in our May Partner Newsletter. Well, here are the rest of the interviews! We hope you enjoy this inside look into the lives of these mother-daughter ministry teams, and gain insight into the importance of living a legacy and passing this down for future generations to cherish and enjoy!
Marilyn Hickey and Sarah Bowling
Marilyn Hickey is the founder and president of Marilyn Hickey Ministries, and has severed as an anointed Bible teacher for over 35 years. Many consider her to be one of today’s greatest ambassadors of the Gospel message to this dark and hurting generation. Sarah Bowling, daughter of Pastor Wallace and Marilyn Hickey, pastors Orchard Road Christian Center in Denver, Colorado with her husband Reece. She is passionate about God’s Word and its power to change lives. Together, Marilyn Hickey and Sarah Bowling host Marilyn & Sarah, which airs on Daystar, Monday – Friday at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. EST.
Marilyn Hickey
Q. If you could steal one item from your daughter’s closet, what would it be?
A. I like Sarah’s international clothes! Also I think they would fit me! 🙂
Q.Would you say that your daughter is more like you or more like your husband?
A. Sarah is a combination of both me and her Father! She thinks a great deal like me! She really loves the Holy Spirit like her Father.
Q. What’s one trait you wish you shared with your daughter?
A. Her discerning of situations and people.
Q. Describe your daughter in 5 words or less.
A. Sarah is: committed to God; excellent parent.
Q. Do you have a funny story from ministering together?
A. One time in Victoria, Texas she was changing her 1st baby’s diaper on a pastor’s desk and he walked in.
Q. What is something you enjoy doing together when you aren’t ministering?
A. Spending time at Starbucks together.
Q. What is the best advice your daughter ever gave you?
A. Watch how much you have on your schedule and listen more to God.
Q. What’s the most embarrassing story your daughter has ever told about you?
A. How I helped toilet paper a house of one of her teachers when she was in the 9th grade.
Q. What is something you hope to pass along to your children?
A. The wonderful life you can have meditating on God’s word (Joshua 1:8&9).
Q. What are you most proud of your daughter for?
A. Her fabulous prayer life and walk with God. Also, I am proud of the great mother that she is.
Sarah Bowling
Q. If you could steal one item from your mom’s closet, what would it be?
A. A Pair of Toms shoes 🙂
Q. Would you say that you are more like your mom or your dad?
A. I’m a pretty even blend of each. I have some of my mom’s budget mindset, desire to achieve & passion for the Bible. From my dad, I have some of his creativity & sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
Q. What’s one trait you wish you shared with your mom?
A. Her disciplined lifestyle.
Q. Describe your mom in 5 words or less.
A. My mom is: focused, kind, generous, healthy and energetic.
Q. Do you have a funny story from ministering together?
A. When I first started into the ministry, my mom & I were ministering at Bishop Keith Butler’s church in Detroit. During one of mom’s sermons, she was telling the audience about some of the books and tapes they could find at the resource tables & I was supposed to gently toss a sample of what she was promoting to someone in the audience as a nice give away. This was my first time to do this & for whatever reason, I defaulted to my basketball mindset & accidentally threw the book straight up in the air, like a jump shot & I looked like the biggest goofball that landed on the planet that day. When the book landed, it was a far cry from a gentle toss. I was super embarrassed & vowed not to get in that kind of a jam again.
Q. What is something you enjoy doing together when you aren’t ministering?
A. We like to cook together & enjoy family meals together (fried pies, okra, rouladen, roasted green tomatoes, etc.)
Q. What is the best advice your mom ever gave you?
A. My mom’s best advice is that she is always super, super encouraging!!!
Q. What’s the most embarrassing story your mom has ever told about you?
A. Probably the story about how I hid beer in my car when I was a sophomore in high school and she found it under the car seat.
Q. What have you learned from your mom that you hope to pass on to your kids?
A. Her passion for the Bible.
Q. What are you most proud of your mom for?
A. I’m most proud of my mom for staying the course in ministry, marriage and money for her life. She’s 84 and remains every bit as devoted to Jesus and the Bible that she always has. I’m also super proud of how she has always remained poised, gracious and Christ-like. All of who she is in public is exactly who she is in private.
Dodie Osteen and April Simons
Dodie Osteen was married to John Osteen for over 44 years, and together they founded Lakewood Church in 1959. Today, Dodie remains an integral part of Lakewood Church, ministering alongside her son Pastor Joel Osteen. April Simons is the daughter of Dodie and John Osteen. April and her husband, Gary, co-pastor We Are The Church Triumphant, and she is also a frequent guest on Joni Table Talk.
Dodie Osteen
Q. If you could steal one item from your daughter’s closet, what would it be?
A. April has so many beautiful clothes and she makes anything she wears look good. She is very frugal in her shopping, especially since she has four daughters. She is five-seven and since I am five-two, I probably would steal some of her jewelry instead. If I wore her shoes I would be six feet tall. She looks like a model in anything she wears.
Q. Would you say that your daughter is more like you or more like your husband?
A. April is probably more like me in personality. John was fun, but more serious. April and I laugh a lot and are not too serious when we are together. She got the ability and the anointing of her dad when it comes to preaching and teaching. She studies and is a great teacher. I am an exhorter, so we are different in that. She still plays her daddy’s video “Great it is to Dream the Dream” before she ministers.
Q. What’s one trait you wish you shared with your daughter?
A. April carries herself in a very lady-like and beautiful way. She is a role model for her daughters and is sweet and caring. I was made in God’s image and am His masterpiece, but I wish I had some of her finesse!
Q. Describe your mom in 5 words or less.
A. April is compassionate, caring, loving, giving and graceful.
Q. Do you have a funny story from ministering together?
A.When we were in Hawaii three years ago, Lisa, April and I were on a panel discussion. I like country music and always kidded and said I was going to marry a country legend. In this discussion, April said, “My mother says she is going to marry __________,” and called his name. The people went wild! I said, “April, what if he hears about this?” Then the next night a Christian comedian came out with pigtails and a red headband. I nearly fell out of the chair!
Q. What is something you enjoy doing together when you aren’t ministering?
A. April and I enjoy eating out and just talking when we are together. She loves coming to visit and going to church. We just love talking and sometimes shopping. She loves going to our Nights of Hope.
Q. What is the best advice your daughter ever gave you?
A. April is a very wise lady and I learn a lot from hearing her preach. She always encourages me and gives good advice.
Q. What’s the most embarrassing story your daughter has ever told about you?
A. There are so many embarrassing things April and all the children tell about me that I couldn’t list the all. One of them is when I was going to ask the people to stretch their hands out toward the map and pray in tongues for the world, but I said, “Stretch your tongues out to the world.” The people laughed so hard it ruined the prayer.
Q. What is something you hope to pass along to your children?
A. I trust that my children know that I feel like I am the most blessed mother in the world because I have them. I want them to remember that I tried to be an imitator of Jesus and that my passion in life is to see people healed like I have been.
Q. What are you most proud of your daughter for?
A. April wrote a book about me and surprised me with it several years ago. She honored me by presenting it to me at one of her Chic Nights. She tells things that made me cry that I hadn’t even noticed she knew. She has been a remarkable daughter and I am so proud of her. She will always be my baby girl, but ALL of my children are my favorites. I love you, April Simons!
April Simons
Q. If you could steal one item from your mom’s closet, what wo
uld it be?
A. I would take a pair of her shoes! All of her life she has walked with one leg and foot that is much smaller than the other due to polio. Mama has never liked the shoes she has to wear because they are two different sizes (she has to buy them in the children’s department) and one is slightly built up so she has less of a limp. Even though her shoes are way too small for me, they represent such strength and determination because mama never let her “limp” get the best of her. I love this about her. And you better believe if I had a pair of her shoes, I’d display them in my office to remind me to never allow a setback to hold me back!
Q. What’s one trait you wish you shared with your mom?
A. Mama has one incredible memory! She can remember the names of everyone from 1920 – (Ok just kidding, she’s not that old) – but seriously, she will remember details about people; their address, the names of their kids and grandkids, their second cousin’s best friend’s uncle’s dog’s name, etc. She is something else. I, on the other hand, get my own kid’s names mixed up! I need her memory. I pray for her memory. I want her memory! What was the question again? HaHa!
Q. Describe your mom in 5 words or less.
A. She is loving, thoughtful, strong, fun and compassionate.
Q. Do you have a funny story from ministering together?
A. When I was younger, at Lakewood, right before mama went on the platform, often I would lean over to her and tell her that her dress, in the back, was tucked up into her slip. (I know, I know, we were so spiritual). It never failed…mama was horrified. It worked every time! (OK, I admit, I just liked seeing her reaction!) Well, fast-forward many years to the dedication service of our new church in Arlington. Mama was there and I was about to go on stage. I was excited, nervous and extremely focused on what I was going to say to our new congregation. Right as I was getting up, mama grabbed my arm to tell me something. I assumed it was a prayer or awesome word from the Lord. She quietly whispered in my ear, “Your dress, in the back, is tucked up in your slip.” Touché. Well done, Mama. Well done.
Q. What is something you enjoy doing together when you aren’t ministering?
A. We love to shop, we love to laugh and we love just being together.
Q. What is the best advice your mom ever gave you?
A. Oh my goodness, mama has taught me so much. She is one of the most compassionate, loving people that I know. In saying that, she always taught me that it is better to give compassion than condemnation, to build people with my words and not tear them down and to always give people the benefit of the doubt.
I have thought about this so many times over the years. You know it’s so easy to be quick to speak words that are judgmental or harsh. The truth is we don’t know what someone’s story really is. We don’t know what others are experiencing in their lives and in their homes. We just don’t know. People need love, hope and mercy…we all do. Mama taught me to look for the person behind the pain and to always remember that Jesus cares about that person, no matter their past, their failures or their current situation.
Q. What’s the most embarrassing story your mom has ever told about you?
A. I grew up playing fast pitch softball and my parents were most always at my games. One particular game, as always, I was on the mound pitching. All was fine except one major thing…I kept itching on my stomach. It was so irritating and I couldn’t keep my focus on the game. I couldn’t figure out what was causing it. Finally, in between pitches, I turned around and reached into my uniform to see what was going on. I felt something strange that wasn’t supposed to be in my shirt! It was connected by static to my shirt so I slowly pulled it out. Embarrassingly enough, I pulled out my dad’s dress sock! It was the reason I was itching. What’s even more embarrassing is that I forgot I was on the mound…in front of all those people. Needless to say, everyone saw me pull out my dad’s dress sock from underneath my uniform in the middle of a game.
I had forgotten about this story, until one day, in a church filled with thousands of people, my dear, sweet mother decided to share the sock story with everyone. Thanks mama. Maybe this explains why I can’t live without bounce sheets.
Q. What have you learned from your mom that you hope to pass on to your kids?
A. Mama taught me the power of prayer. She talks to God all of the time like He is right there with her. She prays for everything. Growing up, I saw her pray for people, pray for her family and pray for refrigerators, ice makers…anything! She went to God for everything. I can’t tell you how many times I saw her pray over an appliance in our house and suddenly it started working! She made God so real. I knew He loved my mom. I knew He listened to her. I knew she and God were tight. I grew up knowing that God was real and that He cared about the smallest details of our lives.
This is what I want to pass on to my kids. I want them to know God is just a prayer away. God is not only in the big stuff, but He’s in the small stuff. He wants to be involved in every area of our lives. I want them to know He is a loving, caring, miracle-working God. I want them to see that He is not a formula, but He is our very own Father. He’s kind and filled with compassion. I want them to see He is easy to talk to and that He is always available. I know first-hand that it’s hard to turn away from a God like this.
Q. What are you most proud of your mom for?
A. I’m so proud of mama for not giving up when life sent her a major curve ball. She was given a few weeks to live by doctors because of a fast spreading cancer. I saw mama act out her faith. I saw her believe God for healing when she looked like death. I watched her pray for people when she was so weak. I witnessed her determination to live and not die. She knew her family needed her. She knew I needed her. She knew she had more life to live. God came through. He healed her totally…and I saw it. I’m grateful mama didn’t stop believing. I’m so glad she didn’t give up. Someone defined hero as an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. To me, that defines my mama. She is my hero and I’m so proud to be her daughter.
Serita and Sarah Jakes
Serita Jakes has been involved in Chrstian ministry all of her adult life and has served alongside her husband, Bishop T.D. Jakes, throughout their entire marriage. She is an insightful speaker who possesses the rare ability to reach and stir her audiences. Sarah Jakes, daughter of Bishop T.D. and Serita Jakes, is a businesswoman, media personality and author. Sarah also oversees the women’s outreach program at the Potter’s House, and serves as co-host for the international television program The Potters Touch, which can be seen on Daystar, Monday – Friday at 7:30 a.m. EST and Sundays at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Serita Jakes
Q. If you could steal one item from your daughter’s closet, what would it be?
A. Hmm, let me think. I believe I’d rather just memorize many of the motivational postings that she has on her closet walls – they are empowering and affirming. For example, “She did it because she knew she could!” – a confidence builder for sure!
Q. Would you say that your daughter is more like you or more like your husband?
A. Sarah is a beautifully colored collage of both her dad and me. Those many facets of her personality radiate depending upon the light that surrounds her.
Q. What’s one trait you wish you shared with your daughter?
A. My baby girl is very courageous! In some of the most vulnerable moments of her life, she forged ahead with relentless tenacity. It wasn’t until her book, Lost and Found, that I fully realized that in the shadows of the silence, she had become a very strong woman.
Q. Describe your daughter in 5 words or less.
A. A lovely, committed, woman-child.
Q. Do you have a funny story from ministering together?
A. While attending a funeral service, we somehow ended up in the choir stand behind the ministers – on camera, in full view for the entire world to see. We were, of course, on our best behavior – no shenanigans!
Q. What is something you enjoy doing together when you aren’t ministering?
A. I love the times that we have our most comfortable loungewear on, watching movies, reading or napping- often all at the same time.
Q. What is the best advice your daughter ever gave you?
A. Sarah chastises me about belittling myself or not taking the time to see about me. The chastisement begins with her calling me her friend, and concludes with, “so stop talking about my friend!”
Q. What’s the most embarrassing story your daughter has ever told about you?
A. Sarah guards my heart.
Q. What is something you hope to pass along to your children?
A. Every day that I awaken, I am so thankful to know that my God is Sarah’s God, too!
Q. What are you most proud of your daughter for?
A. I am over the moon proud that Sarah has found her purpose in life. It is a beauty to behold. My soul rejoices to see her opening her God-given gift!
Sarah Jakes
Q. If you could steal one item from your mom’s closet, what would it be?
A. Can her whole purse collection count as one item? My mother has an EXTENSIVE collection of purses that make it difficult to just choose one!
Q. What’s one trait you wish you shared with your mom?
A. My mother can be very direct without being brash. I really admire the way she communicates about sensitive issues. As I evolve into womanhood I hope that I’m able to reflect that trait in my communication patterns.
Q. Describe your mom in 5 words or less.
A. Love personified with undeniable grace.
Q. Do you have a funny story from ministering together?
A. Each year an incredible team of people work together to put together a panel we host called Girl Talk. During the pre-production meeting we began to realize that our personalities weren’t reflected thoroughly in the topics/questions. Five minutes before show time we dumped all of our cue cards and adlibbed the entire show. She and I were the only ones who knew what was going on. It was one of the most hilarious, entertaining, and hope-filled Girl Talks we ever had.
Q. What is something you enjoy doing together when you aren’t ministering?
A. I really enjoy the moments when I get to run errands with my mother. The time in the car catching up and random stores we visit create so many precious memories.
Q. What is the best advice your mom ever gave you?
A. When I first began ministering I battled with feeling inadequate after delivering my sermons. I called my mother, being very critical about things I could have stated better, and she asked me one question: Did I let God have His way? Since then that has become the standard that I measure myself with. I know that if I allowed Him to take control nothing else matters. It continues to help me when I begin to compare myself.
Q. What’s the most embarrassing story your mom has ever told about you?
A. Besties never embarrass one another. 🙂
Q. What have you learned from your mom that you hope to pass on to your kids?
A. My mother has mastered loving each of us through our struggles. I pray that my children constantly feel the foundation of love that she’s given to me. I never had to question whether or not I was loved even when I wasn’t sure I loved myself. Her heart has been the lullaby that soothed my fears in my darkest moments.
Q. What are you most proud of your mom for?
A. My mother has never stopped dreaming. She has always supported our dreams, and even dared to unleash her own. Through her vision mere moments have created invaluable memories for our family. I am most proud of her commitment to constantly pursue what’s in her heart.
Sandra Trammell and Joni Lamb
Joni Lamb, co-founder of Daystar Television Network, is a dynamic television executive, producer, psalmist and talk show host. She is the executive producer and hose of her daily talk show Joni Table Talk, which addresses relevant godly solutions for today’s complex problems. Sandra Trammell, Joni Lamb’s mother, served alongside her daughter in ministry at Daystar for 12 years until her recent retirement in 2015. She severed in Daystar’s Partner Services, and worked tirelessly to follow up with partners, answer their questions and provide encouragement to all Daystar partners.
Sandra Trammell
Q. If you could steal one item from your daughter’s closet, what would it be?
A. I would take one of her fancy long tops.
Q. Would you say that your daughter is more like you or more like your husband?
A. She is a combination of both of us, but more outgoing like me.
Q. What’s one trait you wish you shared with your daughter?
A. She’s very trusting – I’d say a little naïve – which I’m not.
Q. Describe your daughter in 5 words or less.
A. Great mom, giver, talented, smart and beautiful.
Q. Do you have a funny story from ministering together?
A. The hormone stories from when we first started offering hormone creams at Daystar were the best of all – so many funny stories!
Q. What is something you enjoy doing together when you aren’t ministering?
A. Just talking together and going out to lunch. We also like going on beach vacations in the summer together.
Q. What is the best advice your daughter ever gave you?
A. Always put God first in your life – raise your children to do that, and prayer is so important.
Q. What’s the most embarrassing story your daughter has ever told about you?
A. When I was really dieting I told Joni how good I was doing and that I had lost weight. She said, “Mom – is that a chocolate chip cookie crumb beside your mouth?” OOPS!
Q. What is something you hope to pass along to your children?
A. Love, love, love them, and never quit telling them how much you love them.
Q. What are you most proud of your daughter for?
A. I’m proud of the life she lives and the example she is to her children, her husband, her siblings and everyone she comes in contact with. She’s a Godly woman.
Joni Lamb
Q. If you could steal one item from your mom’s closet, what would it be?
A. I borrowed my mom’s clothes all the time when I was growing up. I would go to her closet all the time. Today, I would probably steal one of her cute jackets.
Q. Would you say that you are more like your mom or your dad?
A. I think I am a combination of my mom and dad.
Q. What’s one trait you wish you shared with your mom?
A. My mom is so unselfish and giving. That’s one of my favorite traits about her.
Q. Describe your mom in 5 words or less.
A. Fun, talkative, beautiful, loving and protective.
Q. Do you have a funny story from ministering together?
A. Mom worked with me in the ministry at Daystar. She would handle partner calls and it was always funny when a partner called in and realized they were talking to my mom. They loved having that connection and interacting with her.
Q. What is something you enjoy doing together when you aren’t ministering?
A. When we have time, I love to walk with my mom. We have fun talking and catching up with each other.
Q. What is the best advice your mom ever gave you?
A. The best advice she’s ever given me has been to watch her live her life every day loving and serving God and her family. It’s not what she said but what she did.
Q. What’s the most embarrassing story your mom has ever told about you?
A. Probably the story she tells about when I was two years old in the grocery store with her wearing a little red coat, and I wanted candy at the cash register. She didn’t buy the candy and I lay down on the floor and pitched a fit. She spanked me (when spanking wasn’t unusual lol) and I never did it again.
Q. What have you learned from your mom that you hope to pass on to your kids?
A. I’ve learned from my mom that you never stop being a mom. Even after your kids are grown, you still love them, pray for them and encourage them.
Q. What are you most proud of your mom for?
A. I am most proud of my mom for teaching us about God, for living an exemplary life, and for being a constant support and encouragement.
We hop you enjoyed these fun, heartfelt interviews! Don’t forget to celebrate the moms in you life on Mother’s Day this year – it’s coming up on Sunday, May 10th! For more fun, relevant and informative stories, be sure to visit Daystar.con/Blog regularly.