Twenty-five years ago, I sat across from a woman and asked a question that would change the course of both our lives: “Do you ever miss your mother?” Her eyes filled with tears, and she nodded. That sacred moment—raw, honest, and deeply human—was the spark that lit the flame of the Motherless Daughters Ministry.
At the time, I had no grand plan. I didn’t know how to start a ministry. I wasn’t sure anyone else would show up. But God kept whispering, “Do it anyway.” And so, in the year 2000, we gathered—just a small group of women—each carrying the invisible weight of mother loss. We cried, we prayed, we told the truth. And from that circle of brave hearts, something beautiful was born.
The roots of this ministry are deeply personal. I lost my mother at 15 and buried my grief for decades. Like many women, I filled the “hole in my soul” with achievement and success—trying to outrun the pain. But after a debilitating neurological condition forced me into stillness, God began to peel back the layers. Through physical suffering, emotional healing, and spiritual surrender, I finally faced the deep wound I had carried since childhood: unresolved grief.
As I searched for healing, I asked God to use my pain for purpose. That prayer became the heartbeat of this ministry.
We are motherless daughters. And this year, we celebrate 25 years of showing up for one another, standing in the gap, and saying to every woman who feels alone in her grief: You belong here.
The Journey So Far
When we say motherless, we mean Resilient. Courageous. Spirit-filled. We mean daughters who have walked through the valley of grief and come out carrying light for others. Whether your mother passed away, was emotionally absent, narcissistic, or simply couldn’t nurture you as you needed—your story matters. And for 25 years, we’ve held space for it.
What began with one conversation has grown into a global ministry reaching thousands of women each year. We’ve served women in every season—new moms, grandmothers, daughters just beginning their grief journey, and others who’ve carried it silently for decades.
A Ministry of Impact
Over the past 25 years, God has used this ministry in mighty ways:
- Courses & Retreats: From Journey Retreats to Breaking Free: Healing from a Narcissistic Mother, our courses offer safe spaces for women to unpack their grief and find healing.
- Connection & Conversation Circles: Our 4-week themed groups help women connect around specific types of mother loss, including suicide, emotional abandonment, daughters of the narcissistic mother, surviving loss, recent loss, and mothering without a mother.
- Global Reach: With international leaders—including one in India—we now serve women across continents and time zones.
- Online Resources: Through blogs, podcasts, devotionals, and videos, we’ve reached hundreds of thousands of women with messages of truth and encouragement.
- Volunteer Leaders: Many women who once came for healing now lead others, serving as facilitators, writers, and mentors.
- Diverse, Inclusive Healing: We’ve intentionally expanded to reach underserved communities and younger generations—offering support where there once was silence.
- Legacy Impact: Healing one woman often heals her relationships, family, and faith. We’ve seen entire generations impacted by one daughter’s journey toward wholeness.
Milestones That Matter
- Hosting retreats where women travel from across the country to be seen and understood
- Watching a grieving daughter become a group leader, helping others find their voice
- Receiving messages from women around the world who say, “I thought I was the only one”
- Seeing our first international group flourish under leadership from India
- Training and empowering a team of volunteer facilitators to carry the mission forward
Every success story, every tear shared, every breakthrough—these are the real milestones.
Looking Ahead
As we enter our next chapter, the mission remains the same: to walk beside every woman navigating the pain of mother loss. But our vision is expanding:
- More online programs to meet women wherever they are
- Continued training for facilitators and coaches
- New partnerships with churches, nonprofits, and community groups
- Greater outreach to younger women who are often overlooked in grief spaces
- Additional donor support and scholarships to remove barriers to healing
And through it all, we will continue pointing women to the One who sees, heals, and restores.
A Grateful Heart
To every woman who has shared her story: thank you.
To every volunteer, prayer partner, and donor: thank you.
To every motherless daughter still searching for healing: we’re here for you.
And to the One who called this ministry into being—who used brokenness, and surrender to birth something holy—all glory to You, Lord.
Here’s to Us – Now Raise Your Glasses High!
This is our time to celebrate. Not just the years—but the legacy. Not just the work—but the why.
We are the daughters who stayed. The daughters who rose. The daughters who dared to heal.
We are motherless daughters.
And we’re just getting started.