Loving a prodigal is a long and desperate journey, filled with fear, worry, anger, self-recrimination. You wait for the phone call–will it be from jail or the hospital? You plead with your loved one. You search for help. You feel the shame. You cry out to God, “How long, Lord?”Author Judy Douglass knows these lovers of prodigals well. She is one herself and has created a large and growing … growing community with others. When You Love a Prodigal is a collection of 90 essays–90 days of perspective on what God offers to you as you love your prodigal. At the end of each brief essay, response questions will help you process how God intends to use the wilderness journey to mold your spiritual life. You can work through it day by day, or you can read it straight through.
Judy has traveled this road with her own prodigal–reading, learning, praying, and seeking God. Over and over he continued to give her wisdom, he sustained her, he covered her with grace, and he filled her with hope. May you, too, be strengthened and filled with hope as together you discover how God will take you through your own valley.
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Judy Douglass has written a beautiful, profound, and personal exploration of the power of truly accepting love. It will move every reader, because each of us must be loved as a prodigal if we are to be loved at all.
This book is a hope giver, and lovers of prodigals desperately need hope.
In the past few months, I’ve used Judy Douglass’ new book, “When you Love a Prodigal 90 days of grace for the wilderness” as my morning devotional. The ironic thing is, I don’t have a prodigal in the traditional sense. Still, the book has been a five-star blessing to me.
I might not be living with the sleepless nights loving a prodigal child produces, although I once did. Rather I’ve been battling my way through a chronic health issue and a boatload of personal disappointment. As I read this powerfully spiritual book each morning, it ministered to me concerning trust, endurance, and hope, while dealing with my own situations.
There is a real anointing on this devotional, as the depth of the revelation and practical application of Scripture is tremendously uplifting. I do hope Judy Douglass considers writing another devotional gleaning from all the information contained in these pages, but turned towards those who live with any type of chronic daily problem. This dear lady sure relates to sleepless nights and days filled with anxiety and worry over a situation one is unable to control or remedy.
Besides, in countless ways, we are all prodigals finding our way with God’s grace on our daily journey. Douglass agrees in her insightful book. “We recognize we are also prodigals. When we plead for our prodigals, we do so in humility, realizing we need rescuing as well.” Pg. 222
It’s my belief, we frequently require “rescuing” from ourselves, our pride, our petty demands, our brokenness, our compulsive insistence on having things our way. I know this only too well, since I was the original definition of a true prodigal daughter. As a young woman, I even refused to see my own mother for years, until I became a believer and God supernaturally healed our relationship. Still, that healing was quite gradual, and I believe it was a result of my mother’s unceasing prayer and attitude of forgiveness.
Judy Douglass never stopped praying for her son, Josh, and my mother never stopped praying for me. So, if you love a prodigal this book will encourage you to keep praying and never give up. If you are honest enough to admit you are a prodigal in need of daily grace as well, this book will also touch your soul in a special way.
I cried when I read Josh’s words at the end of the book, “If you love someone like me, remember that God is in control. He works it all in His plan.” Pg. 227
I am sure it wasn’t an accident, but divine intervention, that I won the book through a giveaway. God knew how much I needed to read it during this challenging season!
I really appreciate this book. I have an adult daughter who is a prodigal. The book was very encouraging to not give up no matter how long you have been praying for them.
This is a helpful book. Helped me not lay guilt on myself. Yes, I made plenty mistakes and bad choices. Now, I’ve asked forgiveness and their relationship with God is up to them now. Pray pray and pray more for our children!