Written By Rebecca Johnson and Tamela Harris // EEW Magazine Online

*Dianna Hobbs honors the memory and legacy of her late father, Bishop Joseph Brinson, Sr. in a heartfelt and stirring tribute.*

Key Facts:

Dianna Hobbs shared a moving devotional tribute to her late father, Bishop Joseph Brinson, Sr., highlighting his final moments of worship and surrender before passing away on July 2, 2025.
The message, titled “The Power of Yes, Lord,” has resonated far beyond her usual audience, drawing national attention for its emotional depth and universal themes of faith and loss.
Hobbs is a highly accomplished faith leader, author, and humanitarian, known for founding EEW Magazine Online and leading global outreach efforts through her nonprofit, Empowering Everyday Women Ministries.

In a heartfelt reflection that is quickly gaining traction beyond the church community, award-winning ministry leader Dianna Hobbs has shared a moving gospel tribute to her late father, Bishop Joseph Brinson, Sr. The 90-year-old pastor’s final act—worshiping and singing “Yes, Lord” from his hospital bed—is now the centerpiece of Hobbs’ viral message about faith and surrender in the face of grief.

Hobbs, best known as the founder of Empowering Everyday Women (EEW) Magazine in Buffalo, NY, broke her public silence on her father’s passing by publishing a deeply personal devotional titled “The Power of Yes, Lord.” In it, she reveals the profound impact of his final moments, despite being gravely ill: “The last time I heard his voice, Daddy was singing a song of surrender to the Lord. Yes to His will,” Hobbs wrote, recalling how, via FaceTime, she watched him praise God shortly before he transitioned on July 2, 2025, due to complications from kidney failure.

*Dianna Hobbs opens up to her audience about the pain of losing her father—her first ministry mentor and spiritual guide.*

Though her heart aches from the loss, Hobbs says this memory brings her comfort. “Even in the valley of the shadow of death, my father was found worshiping, surrendering, obeying,” she noted, emphasizing the profound impact of his unflinching faith.

In her ministry newsletter, Hobbs further honored her father’s spiritual legacy: “He was my first ever mentor in ministry, the one who taught me the importance of fidelity to Scripture. He molded me in the ways of the Lord and pushed me to use my gift of singing and preaching, even when I felt afraid.” Brinson was a seasoned pastor and evangelist whose outreach extended internationally, even as far as North Korea, and he remained a spiritual anchor in his daughter’s life.

By sharing her father’s final moments and the hope she’s found amid sorrow, Hobbs has tapped into a universal theme: finding strength through faith in loss. Her devotional message explores “the power of surrender,” encouraging readers to trust God in difficult seasons. “Your obedience, even when it costs you everything, is not wasted. In due time, you will reap the harvest of your surrender,” Hobbs wrote, drawing a parallel between her father’s last “Yes, Lord” and the blessings of unwavering faith.

The authenticity and emotional depth of this tribute have resonated well beyond Hobbs’ regular followers. People from diverse backgrounds—many encountering her for the first time—have been sharing the story, moved by the resonance of a daughter finding peace and purpose through her faith after losing a parent.

For those unfamiliar with Dianna Hobbs, her impactful story stretches far beyond this personal moment. Hobbs is a highly accomplished figure in faith-based media and philanthropy. She leads EEW Magazine Online, which she founded in 2007 and grew from a humble blog into one of the nation’s foremost digital magazines for Black Christian women. Under her leadership, the site has logged tens of millions of pageviews and earned national recognition as a leading voice in urban faith culture. Hobbs’ personal blog, Your Daily Cup of Inspiration, consistently ranks among the Top 100 blogs for women of faith in America, and her podcast draws a global audience.

Her story is also finding connection with new audiences. “We believe the human-interest aspect of this tribute touches people of all backgrounds,” said Amy Bertinelli, public relations chief at EEW. “Yes, Dianna is a faith leader, but at the heart, she’s a daughter honoring her father’s legacy in a way that anyone who has experienced love and loss can appreciate.”

*Dianna Hobbs is a sought-after Gospel preacher, carrying on the legacy of her father who encouraged her to preach her first sermon at age 11.*

Hobbs is a Stellar Women of Gospel Award recipient, recognized for excellence among female gospel professionals, and was named one of the “70 Most Influential Black Christian History-Makers” by Black Christian News Network. In 2013, Buffalo’s then Mayor Byron W. Brown honored Dianna and her husband with the city’s Family of the Year Award for being a positive example and “beacons of light” in the community.

Through their nonprofit, Empowering Everyday Women Ministries, the Hobbs family has led charitable initiatives that have drawn national praise—raising funds and providing aid locally and abroad. Among their efforts: a post-tragedy “Feed Buffalo” campaign to combat hunger in the wake of the racially motivated 2022 mass shooting; a “Help & Hope for Haiti” food distribution project families in crisis; and ongoing efforts to distribute thousands of free Bibles and humanitarian aid to orphaned children in South Africa. Her team reports that contributions to these causes have poured in from supporters across the U.S. and around the world, a reflection of how widely her influence extends.

Over the years, her work and testimony have garnered attention from national media outlets including PBS, ABC, NBC, The Washington Post, The Christian Post, and The Independent. Hobbs has also forged partnerships with major secular and Christian brands—Verizon, CNN, Walmart, McDonald’s, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, Zondervan, Penguin Random House, Thomas Nelson, and HarperCollins, among others—underscoring her ability to bridge audiences across lines of faith and culture.

*Since 2007, Dianna Hobbs has reached millions worldwide through digital media—earning awards, acclaim, and forging impactful partnerships to expand her faith-based message.*

“My father planted seeds in me that will continue to produce until the Lord calls me home,” Hobbs wrote in her tribute. “Until that day, I am honored to serve and to transform the world through the Gospel.”

By sharing her story of loss and faith so openly, Hobbs hopes to spark meaningful conversations about finding peace in pain and to uplift anyone searching for light in a dark season.

“At the end of the day, it’s about more than one family’s story,” she said. “It’s about the power of hope and the idea that even in our darkest moments, there can be light in Christ.”

As her father’s final song reverberates far beyond the church walls, that light is reaching hearts that may have never heard it before—a fitting tribute to the man who taught her how to shine for God’s glory.

To read Dianna’s full devotion, visit YourDailyCupOfInspiration.com.

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