Penna Dexter

The year was 1977. I was a baby Christian living in a suburb of Los Angeles. I volunteered to man the book table at an event at our church put on by a new organization: Focus on the Family. Before the program even started, attendees were stopping at my table, buying books with titles like DARE TO DISCPLINE, HIDE OR SEEK, PREPARING FOR ADOLESCENCE, WHAT WIVES WISH THEIR HUSBANDS KNEW ABOUT WOMEN. 

A kind man approached to thank me for helping. I didn’t realize yet that he was the speaker. He told me to choose a couple of books for myself. I wasn’t a parent then — or even married. But that was the day Dr. James Dobson began to have an influence on my parenting.

I listened to enough Focus on the Family radio, that I felt I really knew Dr. Dobson when I finally got to interview him on Point of View. Over the years, he was gracious to appear on the show, mostly covering hot-button issues.

Dr. Dobson’s calling to equip parents informed his growing concern about societal challenges to the traditional family, including divorce, abortion, and the redefinition of marriage. He took some bold stances and encouraged millions of American parents to join him.

In early 2010, out of the blue, I received an interesting request. Tyndale House Publishers wanted to know if I would interview Dr. Dobson for a promotional special on his latest book, BRINGING UP GIRLS.  I agreed, and in March, I flew to Colorado Springs.

I encountered a weary Dr. Dobson. The U.S. Congress was on the verge of passing ObamaCare. Dr. Dobson was in the thick of the battle to ensure abortion would not be funded through the legislation.

He was gracious. We discussed the book, our daughters — we each had one — hormones and how to raise girls in a hostile culture.

Dr. Dobson has finished his course — faithfully. He enters the rest and joy prepared for him.