Candace Cameron Bure: Life as a Stay-at-Home Mom
Bure is known as a devout Christian as much as she is known for acting. She became a celebrity as a child playing D.J. Tanner on the television show Full House. Later, she stepped away from the entertainment industry to marry former NHL player Valeri "Val" Bure and the two of them started a family that now includes three adult children.
She was a stay-at-home mom when her children were small, and she remembers feeling worthless at times. "I felt like I had been gifted all of these things in life, whatever that is, whatever skills God gave me. And I thought, 'I'm not using them.'"
Instead, she spent her time changing diapers, shopping for groceries, cooking the family's meals and doing the numerous other tasks that mothers of small children do every day. She thought of herself as "just" a mom. However, her life changed when she began reading the Bible and realizing that God loved her whether she was a stay-at-home mom, an actress or something else.
When her children reached adulthood, Bure returned to acting. She starred in more than two dozen movies for the Hallmark Channel, appeared in various other made-for-TV movies and co-hosted The View for two seasons. She left Hallmark in 2022 and now develops, produces and stars in romantic comedies and holiday movies for GAC Media.
Garth Brooks: Faith & Fatherhood
Faith and fatherhood are important to country singer Garth Brooks, who raised his three daughters with his ex-wife, Sandy Mahl. The singer admits he wasn't the greatest father in the world, but with that realization, he began to work on becoming a better dad. And he discovered that children are "the greatest joy and the greatest heartache you'll ever have."
Brooks was earning millions of dollars a year as a performer and recording artist when he suddenly retired in 2000. He wanted to be present in his children's lives, and unlike many dads, he was financially able to retire for several years temporarily. He moved to Oklahoma, where his daughters lived, and focused on introducing them to God and helping them believe in themselves.
"As a father of three daughters, Brooks has juggled the demands of his illustrious career with the responsibilities of parenthood, setting an example of balance and commitment," Public News Service wrote several years ago. The singer says, "There's nothing that can touch" being a dad.
Jennifer Garner: Navigating Life with God
Garner's experience shooting the 2016 movie "Miracles from Heaven" helped her reconnect with the faith she had known as a child. She plays the mom in "Miracles," which tells the true story of a young girl who – with God's help -- survived a killer disease and a fall from a 30-foot tree.
The film "kind of encouraged me to reengage in participating and not just believing but actually participating in raising my children so that they had the same background that my parents gave my sisters and me," Garner once explained. "There was something about doing this film, talking to my kids about it, and realizing that they were looking for the structure of church every Sunday."
Garner was raised in the United Methodist Church and, several years ago, began taking her three children to weekly services in Los Angeles. Sadly, the church she and her family attended was destroyed by the city's deadly fires in January, but the community is rebuilding.
"You can't have faith only if things are going to be good," the actress explains, saying that she relies on God to help her navigate the way.
Mark Wahlberg: Scripture, Prayer & Parenthood
Wahlberg is a former bad boy who dropped out of school at age 14, dealt drugs on the streets of Boston, became an addict, and served a short jail sentence for assault – all while in his teens. Rather than sinking even lower, he spent the time behind bars thinking about his life and ultimately deciding to redirect his path with God's help.
He credits the Catholic Church and his faith for guiding him. He became a rapper, then modeled for Calvin Klein and began acting and producing films. Yet, his success isn't his greatest blessing. That honor goes to his wife, Rhea Durham, their four children – and God.
"You don't really know how important God is or appreciate God until it's all you've got," he says. "Being a Catholic is the most important aspect of my life." He acknowledges that raising four children hasn't been easy and explains that he often turns to his faith for guidance and strength.
"Being a good actor or a good producer: That's not going to help me sleep at night or get me into heaven. The most important thing from where I sit is to be a good father, a good husband and a good human being – a man who helps his fellow man and raises his kids to be good human beings, too. Every single aspect of my family life is joy."
Wahlberg begins every day with Mass or reading Scripture and praying. "I do spend a lot of time on my hands and knees expressing gratitude, as well as asking for guidance," he says. But he doesn't force his faith on his children, choosing instead to lead by example.
The actor-producer once starred in questionable movies like "Boogie Nights." Now, he focuses on making faith-based films such as "Father Stu." In that film, he plays a real-life boxer who became a priest. Wahlberg is also a spokesman for a Catholic app called Hallow and strictly observes religious holidays like Lent and Easter.
He hopes that "doing things like this – (things with) real substance – can help people."
Tamera Mowry-Housley: God, Family and Work
Housley became a born-again Christian when she was eight years old. "I remember one day the pastor said, 'Do you want Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, for yourself? Come up here and accept the Lord, accept Jesus into your heart." And she did.
"I had a children's Bible, so I used to always read it," she recalls. "And I loved Sunday School, like, I loved it."
She also decided to become an actress at a young age and appeared in community plays before setting her sights on Hollywood. She and her twin sister Tia went on to star in the television show "Sister, Sister," and now Housley is a wife and mother.
The actress says she is a stricter parent than many celebrity parents, and she believes the difference in her parenting style stems from her religious beliefs and upbringing. "I've always wanted to be a mother," she says. "I know my priorities: God, family and work…. When those things are in check, the work will flow."
