Our hearts are absolutely devastated and grieving the sudden passing of Wynter Pitts. Wynter was the wife of Jonathan and the mother of four daughters (ages 9-14). She was a writer, speaker, podcaster, and a Mothers of Daughters team writer. If you had a chance to meet her or listen to her speak, you know that Wynter loved Jesus with all her heart and her mission (in her own words) “is to empower and equip girls to walk boldly into becoming who God has created them to be and to provide parents with the resources and support needed to raise strong Christ followers.”
She radiated Christ to everyone who met her. We already miss her.
Wynter’s passion led her to create a magazine for Tween Girls called “For Girls Like You.” She was the author of 4 books for Tweens. Wytner also co-authored a book with her husband called She is Yours, and 3 fiction books with her oldest daughter Alena for “FaithGirlz”. Her books are on my shelf and in my girls’ rooms. I have given them as gifts to to my mom friends and tween girls in our neighborhood. They come with my highest recommendations.
Today, I was looking at her words for Mothers of Daughters written over the years and saw this blog post. I was reminded that Wynter was a mom just like us. She did laundry, made dinner, and drove her girls to and from school and rehearsals. She shared from the real places in her life. She didn’t hide the fact that raising girls is a tough job. This an excerpt from a post called “Your Presence Matters.”
“I had forgotten that my actual presence matters. Honestly, I am not sure I ever truly realized that it did. Sure, as a mother, I know that I am needed. I know that I play a crucial role in my children’s development and wellbeing, but somewhere underneath the folded laundry, signed permission slips and gallon sized plastic bags of leftovers, I lost sight of a major truth. In my home, in this life of chaos and mess, I am not only needed but I am wanted.
Our children do not simply need us around to take care of them and grow them up. They long to laugh at our jokes, listen to the stories that make us just like them and see our smiles sitting across from them.
Mothering is about so much more than being needed. Your presence is actually longed for and desired.
If you are like me and find yourself in a moment of withdrawal, remember this:
They like being around you.” (read more here)
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Wynter also shared this in “A Prayer for Our Daughter’s Faith” :
“I pray that as she journeys though life’s chaos
and uncertainties that You would preserve her child-like faith.
Keep her faith renewed and use her experiences to draw her even closer to You.” (keep reading here)
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Would you join us in praying for Wynter and Jonathan’s girls? Would you whisper this prayer over their tender hearts just like their mama did? I know this would have meant the world to her. Ask God to keep their child-like faith and draw each of them closer to him during this time of pain and uncertainty.
Wynter’s oldest daughter, Alena (14) wrote these sweet words yesterday. They give us a glimpse of Wynter’s legacy.
“On July 24, 2018 Jesus took my precious mommy off this earth. It happened within a couple hours and was so sudden. My heart hurts like never before. Comfort seems far. Anxiety is extremely present. It still feels like a dream that I will wake up from soon. I will remember those thirty minutes for the rest of my life. And I will remember the pain I felt as I found out. But the surgeon who was on site who is also a family friend repeated this phrase to me as I walked down that hospital hallway. And for some reason I couldn’t forget them. As they told me my mom had passed, these words continued and still continue to pound in my head. “I’m gonna tell you something I need you never to forget, ok? You serve a big God. A big God. Don’t you ever forget that.” I serve a big God. Obstacles will be thrown at me but my God is still there. He knows what he’s doing and he’s got a plan. I say this not by sheer will but through faith. In the moment, his plan may seem outrageous and I may not understand. I continue to ask myself why me. Why did He choose my family?But I’m reminded He’s in control. So even as I weep and grieve, I can smile with joy because I’ll see her again. Even now she’s been throwing little winks at me. Please be praying for my family as my three younger sisters and I have lost our mommy and my dad has lost his best friend.
❤️”
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If you would like to do more, a Go Fund Me accounthas been set up for the Pitts family. Please prayerfully consider if God would have you give. (find it here).
With love and deep gratitude for my sweet friend Wynter Pitts,
Stacey Thacker
Founder of Mothers of Daughters
For more of Wynter’s Words, go here.
