Episodes

Jan. 21, 2025

Setting Your Loved One Free, episode 163

Today we are talking about liberation. As we consider the strongholds in the lives of our loved ones—and perhaps ourselves—be sure to note the verses that will give you hope. Judy’s Resources: Read Breaking Life Bondages: ht…
Dec. 31, 2024

Hope for the New Year, episode 127 (rebroadcast)

A new year lifts us up, shaking off the remnants of last year’s mistakes, opening a panorama of a better future. We love to leave the hurts and failures of yesterday, believing that tomorrow is filled with sunshine and prom…
Dec. 17, 2024

All I Want for Christmas, episode 44 (rebroadcast)

Lord, please, for Christmas could my child come home? Would you set him free from his addictions? May they see the emptiness and destructiveness of their choices. And, Lord, may we have peace in our family for Christmas. Wh…
Dec. 10, 2024

A Story of Real Life Giving Thanks, episode 162

If you have listened to many of my podcasts, then you know I encourage all of us to give thanks in everything. I got to practice what I preach in real life last week. And though this story is not about a prodigal, it’s certa…
Dec. 3, 2024

Waiting in Advent for Jesus and Your Prodigal with Judy Lewis, episode 161

Judy Nelson Lewis and I go way back. She's been a magazine editor, writer, and now a spiritual director. We had a great conversation about advent, waiting, and how that can help us through our prodigal journey. It's a gift …
Nov. 26, 2024

Praying with Thanksgiving, episode 160

In Philippian 4:6 the instructions are more specific: Pray about everything, with thanksgiving. Pray, of course. Give thanks? Much harder. But that is exactly what we are told to do, even in scary, out-of-control circumstanc…
Nov. 19, 2024

Is It Possible to Give Thanks in Everything?, episode 159

Our natural response in times of uncertainty and in life with a prodigal and the fears and frustrations we encounter, is to name everything that is wrong, to complain about all we don’t like. And our God receives our honest …
Nov. 12, 2024

Dennis and Barbara Rainey: Relating to Your Adult Children, episode 158

I was reading Barbara Rainey’s blog recently and saw a post Relating to Your Adult Children. For most of the years God has had me in a loving a prodigal ministry, we have focused mostly on teens and young adults. But in rece…
Nov. 5, 2024

Your Prodigal Is a Gift, episode 157

As I have listened to the stories of friends’ prodigals and prayed for my son and many others, God took me on a journey back into the wilderness. Gratefully I was reminded over and over of the transforming truths that I have…
Oct. 29, 2024

A Message from Steve, episode 156

Today, October 29, 2024, marks two years since my wonderful husband, Steve, was called home to Heaven. He was a wise, loving man, and had much to offer everyone he encountered. Today’s podcast is a gift from Steve, telling o…
Oct. 22, 2024

The Power of Grace, episode 155

In all my years of loving a prodigal and seeking to help others love their prodigal, one word has been the key, the difference, the change agent: GRACE Early in my journey with my prodigal, God gave me a guiding word. He sai…
Oct. 15, 2024

Remember to Breathe, episode 154

About 10 years ago we went through a scary time with our adopted son. Josh had twice, in response to great disappointments, threatened to take his life. We reasoned with him, assured him of our love, stayed with him. Gratefu…
Oct. 8, 2024

From Guilt to Grace with Dawn Ward, episode 153

Does that title entice you? In your journey with a prodigal, would you like to be moving from guilt to grace? Our guest today is Dawn Ward, a life and mental health coach, writer, speaker, and one of us. Her ministry is Fait…
Oct. 1, 2024

Questions that Make a Difference, episode 152

It’s noisy out there, isn’t it? Online, at school, in the neighborhood. And certainly in your home when you have a prodigal. So many strong but differing opinions! We often seem to be more committed to making our point and h…
Sept. 24, 2024

Nancy Squires: Just Be Held Retreats, episode 151

Today, I am chatting with Nancy Squires, and she's a new friend. And she has a ministry called the Just Be Held Retreats, and we're going to get to learn what those are, how they came about, and how you might engage. Nancy’s…
Sept. 17, 2024

What is a Prodigal?, episode 4 (rebroadcast)

It’s the five year anniversary of my book, When You Love a Prodigal , the inspiration for this podcast! So I thought we should take it back to the beginning of the podcast and revisit the core question of “what is a prodigal…
Sept. 10, 2024

10 Reasons for Hope, episode 56 (rebroadcast)

Most of us are bruised people who desperately need to be reminded, however subtly, that hope is real, grace is often present, goodness counts, love is possible and our lives matter. I believe this is more than mere artistic …
Sept. 3, 2024

Finding Gifts in the Wilderness, episode 88 (rebroadcast)

You don’t expect to find one of your best gifts ever when you are wandering through the wilderness. A walk in the wilderness might be lovely if you’re a nature lover and you keep your eyes open. You could discover some real …
Aug. 27, 2024

Winning the War, episode 105 (rebroadcast)

Most of us want our own way. And when life is going our way, we are happy, even joyful. But when circumstances, or our prodigal, or God interferes with our way, our joy can disappear. We also have an enemy, who is enticing o…
Aug. 20, 2024

My Top 10 Lessons Learned, episode 46 (rebroadcast)

Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring--it didn't matter. The years of our prodigal journey unfolded with occasional good days, but with many more challenging ones. I could easily be overwhelmed, until I slowly learned to look to God …
Aug. 13, 2024

Living-loving like Jesus: Gentleness, episode 133 (rebroadcast)

If we could relate to our wanderers as Jesus would have, we just might see a difference in the atmosphere in our home and relationship.Today we take up gentleness. Harsh. Angry. Strident. Contentious. We can easily be drawn …
Aug. 6, 2024

Living-loving like Jesus: Humility, episode 131 (rebroadcast)

My husband was a hard-working man. Our prodigal, in his younger years, was not. One day my husband came home and our son was sitting on my car watching his friends work on his car. My husband’s response was, “Can’t you help …
July 30, 2024

Prayer that Opens Doors: Bless, episode 122 (rebroadcast)

This is the third episode of a three-part series on Prayer that Opens Doors. We looked at Praise first, then Thanks last week. And today we consider a powerful key that can open tightly shut doors—and minds and hearts. When …
July 23, 2024

Persevering in Prayer, episode 90 (rebroadcast)

I used to think I knew how to pray. Then this wilderness journey with my wandering son required desperate prayer. And I moved into a new dimension of what it meant to pray. Even now I realize I still know so little about pra…
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