Episodes

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…
July 16, 2024

God’s Mercy Rule, episode 98 (rebroadcast)

In kids’ sports there is often a “mercy rule.” If one team gets far ahead, the game is called. It seems only kind and fair to not embarrass or demoralize the kids who are losing so badly. In life it rarely works that way. Th…
July 9, 2024

Learning from Steve: Reflecting Jesus, episode 117 (rebroadcast)

I would love for you to celebrate Steve with me on July 12, which would have been his 79th birthday. Steve had many gifts, strengths and qualities, which blessed me over and over. Here's a replay episode full of Steve’s wisd…
July 2, 2024

Why a Prodigal: From God’s Perspective, episode 75 (rebroadcast)

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 mos…
June 25, 2024

Loving Like Jesus, episode 100 (rebroadcast)

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 r…
June 18, 2024

House of Honor-Margaret Philbrick, episode 150

My special guest today, Margaret Philbrick, will take us 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 tak…
June 11, 2024

How to Really Love Your Prodigal, episode 93 (rebroadcast)

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…
June 4, 2024

Moving On - Fear 4, episode 149

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 doe…
May 28, 2024

Displacing Fear - Fear 3, episode 148

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 fo…
May 21, 2024

Banishing Fear - Fear 2, episode 147

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 one…
May 14, 2024

What Are You Afraid Of - Fear 1, episode 146

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 mu…
May 7, 2024

Stefani Monn-House of Hope, episode 145

Most of us, as we encounter challenges with our loved ones, try to handle it by ourselves. But as time goes on, we often need more help—professional counseling, medical attention, interventions, spiritual guidance, and vario…
April 30, 2024

Four More Gifts, episode 144

Last week we talked about four gifts God gives us during our prodigal journey—gifts that sustain and equip us for all the challenges. Did one of those gifts—God Himself, love, mercy, or grace--bless, encourage, or help you? …
April 23, 2024

4 Gifts for the Hard Journey, episode 143

For our previous two episodes we explored the hard reality of the grief that comes with walking with a challenging child for months and years. I hope you captured some perspective and practice for your grief journey. This we…
April 16, 2024

Help-Hope in Grief, episode 142

Grief is a normal part of life. Disappointments, losses, hard situations come, and grief is often a part of those. But when you love a prodigal, grief can become an ongoing reality as the journey goes on and on. The hardest …
April 9, 2024

Recognizing Grief, episode 141

If you have been journeying in the prodigal journey for a long time, or if your journey is just beginning, you will experience many emotions: fear, anger, frustration, resentment, guilt and more. And at some time you will re…
April 2, 2024

Gary Wilkerson-Parable, episode 140

Sometimes I think it’s good to let you listen to another voice. The one you will hear from today is Gary Wilkerson, head of World Challenge Ministry, following in the footsteps of his father, David Wilkerson, author of The C…
March 26, 2024

Transformation thru Journey, episode 139

I imagine, if you listened to the past two episodes on ambiguous loss, you’ve done some challenging thinking about your own challenges and losses. Today will be an encouraging time, I believe. You will hear a recording from …
March 19, 2024

Surviving Ambiguous Loss Pt 2-Pat & Tammy McLeod, episode 138

Last week, we heard Pat and Tammy McLeod's heartbreaking story of their son's brain damaging football accident, and the so hard journey of great loss. This week we hear them again, telling of help and hope, of living with th…
March 12, 2024

Recognizing Ambiguous Loss Pt 1-Pat & Tammy McLeod, episode 137

Perhaps your loved one is gone, through suicide or overdose or a terrible accident, or gone from your presence by their own choice. Today we are hearing a heartbreaking story of a young man with a traumatic brain injury, who…
March 5, 2024

Is it possible to love like Jesus?, episode 136

Jesus said some radical things about love. Then He commanded us to do the impossible: to love others just as He loved us—which He defined as “laying down His life for us.” He said love would make this happen: Be devoted to o…
Feb. 27, 2024

Living-loving like Jesus: Forgiveness, episode 135

God is clear: We must forgive. And we must ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness is an essential garment in our wardrobe as a child of God. Surely Peter thought he was being magnanimous in suggesting he would forgive someone seve…
Feb. 20, 2024

Living-loving like Jesus: Patience, episode 134

Patience is a challenge for most of us—in general, but especially when you love a prodigal. These definitions might help a little: the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, …