Episodes

A great way to begin the new year: I just celebrated my spiritual birthday. December 31 marked 62 years since I received God’s amazing gift of salvation, reconciliation and eternal life. What an adventure it has been! And many challenges. Because I don’t seem to be able to remember the lessons God has taught me over the years, I turn them into slogans I can remember. Here are my top ten. Resources: Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ Sign up for Judy’s monthly ...

One of the most important ways we extend grace to our prodigals is through our words. In Colossians 4:6 Paul reminds us: Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Words are powerful. They have the potential to inflame discord and inflict great emotional harm, or the capacity to encourage repentance and restoration, and offer healing and reconciliation. Resources: Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3u...

“He’s building his testimony.” With those words, God kept reminding me of this important truth from Jesus: “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). When our loved one is doing destructive things, our tendency is often to sigh or cry or despair. Yet God is at work even in all this. He is at work in our prodigals, He is at work in these circumstances, and He is at work in us. Resources: Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3u...

One of the hardest parts of the wilderness journey with a loved prodigal is the roller coaster—the ups and downs, the unexpected turns, the dashed hope. Why are we surprised? We have an enemy. That enemy is after those we love. Peter tells us: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Resources: Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ Sign up for Judy’s monthly newsletter here: ...

When you love a prodigal, you probably don’t get many Christmas gifts from them. But as Jesus comes at Advent, he brings many valuable gifts for you. There are dozens, but you will discover 20 special gifts to give you joy, peace and strength for the holidays. Resources: Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ Sign up for Judy’s monthly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/39TBlYt Purchase a copy of the When You Love a Prodigal book for you or a loved one here: https://a...

I have been on a long, slow journey to a grateful heart. Our son put that journey in overdrive. In the long 15 years of wilderness with him, there were so many hard times, days and nights, scary choices, dangerous activities that I had many opportunities to practice giving thanks to our God. Here we are at Thanksgiving. Is it possible to be truly grateful on this day set aside to give thanks? And what about the rest of the year? Can we walk through life with a grateful heart? Resources: Join t...

If you love a prodigal, you probably have a horror story to tell of a holiday with that loved wanderer. I certainly do, and so does Dena Yohe, co-founder of Hope for Hurting Parents, and parent of Renee, the subject of the famous To Write Love on Her Arms. We had a fun, tearful and helpful conversation for today’s episode. Join us as we tell our stories and get from Dena some very practical help for surviving and even loving the holidays this season. Resources: Join the Prayer for Prodigals c...

Our son Josh, the former prodigal, is a part-time farmer. For a while that included raising sheep. He had a sheep pasture and a sheep pen: overnight in the pen, days in the pasture. Because he and his wife both were away at day jobs, they acquired a guard dog. The Anatolian Shepherd was bred as a livestock guard dog. The farm was in a wildlife area, and the dog did his job protecting the sheep from coyotes, bears, bobcats. But one day Josh returned home to find a dead ewe, killed by her protect...

“Jeedoo, it’s dark,” My grandson was spending the night. He whimpered, “I’m afraid of the dark.” After a few reassurances and a night light, he went back to sleep. I understand. I’m still a little afraid of the dark too. I am grateful that “the people living in darkness have seen a great light.” That light is Jesus. Resources: Read Be the Light! https://bit.ly/3gWQH4U Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ Sign up for Judy’s monthly newsletter here: https://bit....

In many parts of the world, bread is a staple. Even if you have little else, you have to have bread. In John 6 we read the story of Jesus multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish into an abundance that fed some 5,000 men and also the women and children who were with them. With 12 baskets of leftovers. The next day the people thronged to him. He said to them, “…you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work fo...

Prayer is your first and best response. Prayer is a major way we love and care for and seek to draw our prodigals—our children, adult children, a spouse, a relative, whoever our prodigal is-- back to God, to us, to good life choices. Today we have a special guest who is providing great help for parents. She isn’t waiting till they become prodigals to seek to influence them through prayer, and her prayers are effective for before, during and after a prodigal wilderness with your loved one. Bet...

Let me tell you a story. As our son continued to live with us during his roller coaster early 20’s—sometimes making good choices, more often not, we set some clear boundaries. Summarizing: He needed to respect us and our home and our values, and be a contributing member of the family. After several months of not abiding by these boundaries, his father said he needed to find a job and a place to live. So he moved in with a friend and slept on his couch. He found occasional work, but his friend g...

I have always been amazed at the idolatry of the children of Israel throughout the Old Testament. I was sure I could never worship an idol. Until I discovered I had serious idolatry problems. The prophet Isaiah repeatedly mocks them for carving idols to worship out of half a log, and cooking dinner with the other half. How could anyone think that “god” could save them? Resources: A Problem with Idolatry https://bit.ly/3y2rrAe Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ...

Often it has seemed like my (working hard to not be a) prodigal is under a curse. Actually, I think he is. Bad things happened to him in his first years. Later most of the bad things in his life were his own bad choices. He still experiences consequences from those bad choices. But then he sought to turn his life around. Yet it seemed that every day something happened to distract or detour or depress him. Resources: Breaking Life Bondages: https://bit.ly/3S4VOxM Breaking Life Bondages 2: htt...

When your children become adults–by age, or leaving home–your role in their lives changes. This is usually challenging to navigate, but especially so when your young adult is a prodigal. Mary DeMuth, author of 46 books, literary agent, podcaster, artist, is the parent of three young adults. She has written a profound and helpful book for this journey: Love, Pray, Listen. In today's episode–a conversation with Mary–you will find wisdom and practical insights for loving a young adult prodigal. M...

We have considered some very different contributors to turning from the Lord–rejecting family, making dangerous choices. Today we look at how we can make a difference with our words. One time I was so angry at my son I almost said, “Just don’t bother to come home.” Gratefully I caught myself, and tried a better approach. Our words matter. Resources: Read Words of My Life: Gentle https://bit.ly/3xc11eF Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ Sign up for Judy’s month...

On my back porch in California, our cat had her brand-new kittens secluded in a corner. But not hidden from the eagle eye of a soaring eagle. When Mama cat headed to a needed break from her demanding babies, the eagle dropped in, clutched a kitten in each talon and soared off to her nest. Why do I tell such a terrible story? Because our world is full of danger, for kittens, for you and me, and especially for our prodigals. When you love a prodigal, you get used to the lion stalking. Resources...

From the day I was born, I wanted my own way. Growing up, my getting my way pretty much determined the peace and happiness in our home. As a teenager, getting my own way included secretly seeing a forbidden boyfriend for most of a year and other things. Do you identify? Don’t most of us want our own way? Why? Today we look at Part 2 of a series on why they become prodigals. Resources: Read: Growing a Tender Heart for Prodigals and Those who Love Them https://bit.ly/3KpnMRV Join the Prayer for...

Probably the most frequent question I get asked is Why? Why is my child making these bad choices? Why has my loved one disappeared from my life? We raised her right—why is she living the way she is? Today is the first of four parts on why someone makes the choices they do. And often break our hearts in the process. Resources: Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ Sign up for Judy’s monthly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/39TBlYt Purchase a copy of the When You Lo...

Awaken the Wonder and Kingdom Encounters are the names Evangelist Caleb Wampler uses in his ministry. I love both concepts. Letting God lead you into Kingdom Encounters on a regular basis will surely Awaken the Wonder in your life as you experience the love, mercy, grace and power of God. In our conversation he shares how this can be a normal part of our lives—something everyone who loves a prodigal needs and desires. Evangelist Caleb Wampler’s Resources: Get a 7-day devotional series for FREE ...

Today, celebrating 50 episodes of When You Love a Prodigal, Josh—the prodigal in Judy’s story—tells his own story. In an honest, sometimes teary, tender and hopeful conversation, Josh and Judy walk through his life—from the addictions of his birth mother, being thrust into the Douglass family as a foster and later adopted son, lots of wrong friends and wrong choices . . . . Listen in to hear the rest of the story. Resources: Read more about Josh’s story here: https://tinyurl.com/39nk7nwv Join t...

SUMMER BREAK REPLAY I learned a little about sheep during my farmer son’s brief stint raising sheep. Sheep had some positives—they reduced the need to mow the pasture. And the variety they were raising provided much-desired wool. But sheep required a lot of care. And they attracted predators. But oh, the baby lambs. In my favorite picture of our son, he is tenderly holding a newborn lamb. Shepherds—sheep herders—have responsibilities to protect, supervise, care for and discipline their sheep. I...

We are called to love like Jesus—unconditionally. Is it even possible to love a prodigal unconditionally? What is unconditional love? They challenge, betray, defy and deny our love. How do we keep loving them? Today’s episode is Part 1 of some practical ways we can live out loving them as Jesus has loved us. Resources: Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ Sign up for Judy’s monthly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/39TBlYt Purchase a copy of the When You Love a Pro...

I have a painting of a sheep on a narrow mountain ledge, with a shepherd—in this case Jesus—reaching down to pull him to safety. This picture of Jesus rescuing the lost sheep is a perfect image for those of us who love a prodigal. Sometimes, too often, someone we love becomes that lost sheep, wandering on a precarious path. We do our best to guide, protect and rescue, but we don’t always succeed. That’s when we turn in desperation to the Good Shepherd, to Jesus Himself. Sheep wander. If one ma...