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?

Resources:

• Read: Growing a Tender Heart for Prodigals and Those who Love Them https://bit.ly/3KpnMRV
• 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://amzn.to/3l1JPmy

Stay connected:

• Website: judydouglass.com/podcast
• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• X: twitter.com/judydouglass417
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/3qzjAqY

Last week was the 150th episode so I thought we’d go back and revisit our last milestone with episode 100:

I had never even listened to a podcast when I was asked to do this one. But my team and my husband said, when I was reluctant, “You can’t turn down this great opportunity God has given you!!” So I said yes.

And it has been such a privilege to travel with you on your prodigal wilderness journey, learning with you, hopefully helping and encouraging you. I have been so blessed as I did each podcast, as I was reminded of all that God had done in my life—and is still and again.

What a blessing to be able to turn the very hard years of my prodigal wilderness with our son into words and stories to benefit you and many others. (You can hear him tell his story in Episode 50.)

Resources:

• You Want Me to Do a Podcast? https://tinyurl.com/bdfesbmv
• 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://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Website: judydouglass.com/podcast
• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• Twitter: twitter.com/judydouglass417
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/judyddouglass/
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/3qzjAqY

My special guest today, Margaret Philbrick, will take us on an intriguing journey through an unusual approach to loving our prodigals.

Today we are talking about art, a topic I know little about. But Margaret does. She will take us through an introduction to Henri Nouwen’s book The Return of the Prodigal Son, a reflection on Rembrandt’s painting of The Prodigal Son. And then on to adventure and intrigue in Italy.

Yes, I couldn’t put it down. I read all night.

Margaret’s Resources:

• Website: https://margaretphilbrick.com
• Read House of Honor: The Heist of Caravaggio’s Nativity : https://a.co/d/iqqgFWF
• Read A Minor: A Novel of Love, Music, and Memory : https://a.co/d/0j2fQzh
• Enter to win a copy of House of Honor: https://judydouglass.com/bookgiveaway

Judy’s 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://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Website: judydouglass.com/podcast
• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudyDouglass

What I want to share with you today are some practical ways for you to REALLY love your prodigal. Your situation may be very different from ours—and the illustrations I use, but the suggestions I will give you can be helpful whatever your reality.

And I’m giving you an easy to remember acrostic: R.E.A.L.L.Y.

Resources:

• Learn about love languages: https://5lovelanguages.com/learn
• 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://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Website: judydouglass.com/podcast
• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• Twitter: twitter.com/judydouglass417
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/judyddouglass/
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/3qzjAqY

We did it! We prayed for all those names on our list of treasured prodigals. What a privilege!

And what a battle it was--always! I am always exhausted at the end of the day. We—and those we pray for—have an enemy who doesn’t like that we are on our knees on their behalf. He will do all he can to keep us fearful. And he sought to interfere with our efforts.

But “thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

In honor of Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day I am giving away 5 copies of my book, When You Love a Prodigal. Enter Here: https://judydouglass.com/bookgiveaway

Judy’s Resources:

• For more resources go to my website: https://judydouglass.com/podcast
• Songs to help to calm your fears: https://bit.ly/FearNotPlaylist
• Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ
• Hope for Hurting Parents: https://hopeforhurtingparents.com/
• Prayer for Prodigals Facebook: facebook.com/Prayer4Prodigals
• 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://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudyDouglass

This is the third of three posts leading up to June 2 Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. Our theme this year is Fear Not.

Some time ago, in the midst of some hopeful signs in a long-ongoing situation, that fear returned. With force. Irrationally. Because when I hoped, when things looked like they were changing for the better, but then maybe they weren’t, I became afraid to hope. I remember the past, and it was painful, disappointing, filled with despair. What if, once more, the hope is not fulfilled, if the undesirable wins out again?

Do you have a loved one you want prayer for on the June 2 Prodigal Prayer Day? Write to us at PrayerforProdigals@gmail.com or go to the Prayer for Prodigals Facebook page. Give us the first name of a prodigal you want prayer for.

To learn how you can be a part of Prodigal Prayer Day, check out this link: https://judydouglass.com/prayerday

Join the Zoom Prayer Call on June 2nd hosted by Hope for Hurting Parents. Register at this link: https://bit.ly/registerprayerdayzoom

Judy’s Resources:

• For more resources go to my website: https://judydouglass.com/podcast
• Songs to help to calm your fears: https://bit.ly/FearNotPlaylist
• Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ
• Hope for Hurting Parents: https://hopeforhurtingparents.com/
• Prayer for Prodigals Facebook: facebook.com/Prayer4Prodigals
• 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://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudyDouglass

This is the second of three episodes leading up to June 2 Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. Our theme this year is Fear Not. These articles are designed to prepare us as we engage in battle for the hearts and minds of loved ones who are “prodigal” in one or more of many ways. And if you have fears of any kind, read on.

When you love a prodigal, the fear can be overwhelming, can’t it! Whether your prodigal is your teen child or adult child, a spouse, a sibling, a parent, a friend… Fear can be pervasive when you love a prodigal.

Do you have a loved one you want prayer for on the June 2 Prodigal Prayer Day? Write to us at PrayerforProdigals@gmail.com or go to the Prayer for Prodigals Facebook page. Give us the first name of a prodigal you want prayer for.

To learn how you can be a part of Prodigal Prayer Day, check out this link: https://judydouglass.com/prayerday

Join the Zoom Prayer Call on June 2nd hosted by Hope for Hurting Parents. Register at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtfuuorTwqHtQtDxcFjcDpsVtO9pbLtS6k#/registration

Judy’s Resources:

• For more resources go to my website: https://judydouglass.com/podcast
• Songs to help to calm your fears: https://bit.ly/FearNotPlaylist
• Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ
• Hope for Hurting Parents: https://hopeforhurtingparents.com/
• Prayer for Prodigals Facebook: facebook.com/Prayer4Prodigals
• 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://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudyDouglass

Our world is full of fear. Wars, earthquakes, terrorists, volcanoes, racial strife, hurricanes, fires, mass murders, floods, bombs, tornadoes, disease….did I just raise your fear level?

And when you love a prodigal, fears multiply: Is he safe? In jail? Overdosed? Will she survive? Why is she rejecting me? Will I ever get to meet my grandchildren? Where have I gone wrong?

Afraid. Fearful. Even terrified.

Today is our first episode of Fear Not, leading up to our June 2 Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. You will hear lots of help to face fears. And be sure to check out the Resources—lots more help for you

Do you have a loved one you want prayer for on the June 2 Prodigal Prayer Day? Write to us at PrayerforProdigals@gmail.com or go to the Prayer for Prodigals Facebook page. Give us the first name of a prodigal you want prayer for.

To learn how you can be a part of Prodigal Prayer Day, check out this link: https://judydouglass.com/prayerday

Judy’s Resources:

• For more resources go to my website: judydouglass.com/podcast
• Songs to help to calm your fears: https://bit.ly/FearNotPlaylist
• 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://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudyDouglass