Episodes
Oct. 23, 2023
Learning from Steve 3: Tough Times, episode 116
Today I am sharing with you an article Steve wrote on living through tough times. He wrote this in the midst of the Covid shut down. Everyone was experiencing challenges. Steve wrote:In the midst of this shutdown, life seems…
Oct. 10, 2023
Learning from Steve 2: Knowing God’s Will, episode 115
How often do you wonder what God’s will is for you in a certain opportunity or decision? Pretty often I imagine. And when it comes to your prodigal, do you desperately ask God what you should do? Today Steve Douglass will sh…
Oct. 3, 2023
Learning from Steve 1: How to Love, episode 114
On October 29, 2022, my wonderful husband was called Home by our Lord. It has been a hard, tearful, but joyful year. I have represented him, received awards for him, written and spoken about him. And visited all of our child…
Sept. 26, 2023
Bob Tiede: Ask Better Questions, episode 113
Bob Tiede, ministry leader, author, wise question asker, caring and compassionate dad and granddad, has some great help for us today. I believe learning the best questions to ask—and how to ask them—will be one of the most h…
Sept. 19, 2023
Heather Holleman: Six Conversations, episode 112
Did you know there are six primary conversations? These are ways or topics for having loving conversations with friends, neighbors, co-workers, strangers—your loved prodigal. Last week Penn State professor, author, mom Heath…
Sept. 12, 2023
Heather Holleman: Mindsets for Loving Conversations, episode 111
How would you describe most of your conversations? Interesting? Boring? Too political? Gossipy? And how would you describe recent conversations with your prodigal? Tense? Loud? Angry? Hurtful? On today’s episode we talk with…
Sept. 5, 2023
I Am Light, episode 84 (rebroadcast)
“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 a…
Aug. 29, 2023
He Sees, He Hears, episode 39 (rebroadcast)
Invisible. I almost didn’t see her, pressing tightly to the road sign, practically invisible. She was clearly homeless, preferring to hide, but needing to be seen with her cardboard sign: Homeless. Please help. God has given…
Aug. 22, 2023
Treasures in the Wilderness 2: Never Give Up, episode 70, (rebroadcast)
“This is hopeless! I’m done. There’s nothing more I can do.” Have you ever said these words? Or at least felt them? Today in our second look at Treasures in the Wilderness we will consider holding on, keeping on, persevering…
Aug. 15, 2023
Surrendering My Idols, episode 80 (rebroadcast)
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 mo…
Aug. 8, 2023
Creative Ways to Pray for Your Prodigal, episode 59 (rebroadcast)
Over the past year and a half, we have talked about many ways to help our prodigals, and many ways to help ourselves walk through this wilderness journey. And all of those are legit and helpful. But the bottom line is, God i…
Aug. 1, 2023
Interview with Carol and Gene Kent, episode 16 (rebroadcast)
Carol and Gene Kent were awakened late one night with unbelievable news: Their son Jason had killed a man and was in jail. That was the beginning of an horrific journey. Jason was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonm…
July 25, 2023
Prayers of Blessing and Forgiveness, episode 35 (rebroadcast)
My prodigal had lied again. With a sincere assurance that he was speaking the truth. When I knew it was a lie, anger overwhelmed me. Harsh words came from my mouth. I almost said, “Don’t bother to come home.” Fortunately, Go…
July 18, 2023
Rest in the Presence, episode 22 (rebroadcast)
When our prodigal, Josh, was 15, and in one of his better seasons as a prodigal, he served for a week as a junior counselor at a wilderness camp for at-risk boys. One activity included a five-mile hike, with each counselor l…
July 11, 2023
Hope 2: Facing Your Fears, episode 54 (rebroadcast)
When you love a prodigal, you live with fear. One mom named some of the fears she had for her daughter. She could: Be kidnapped and held against her will; Be abducted and sold into sex trafficking; Disappear and never be see…
July 4, 2023
Trust and the Glory of God, episode 26 (rebroadcast)
“You can trust me.” How many times has your prodigal said that? How long has it taken you to realize, No, you can’t trust them? But our God says: “You can trust me.” Join us this week to discover why that is true. Resources:…
June 27, 2023
Interview with Esther Joy Goetz, episode 110
Do you ever struggle with communicating with your teen or adult childrens? Today I am happy to introduce you to Esther Joy Goetz, who focuses often on helping Moms of Bigs. Her intro says: “I have a fierce passion to restore…
June 20, 2023
Spencer Brand: He has walked where we have walked, episode 109
Spencer graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and held senior positions in the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Labor and the Department of the Interior in Washington…
June 13, 2023
Prodigal Prayer Day 2023, episode 108
The centerpiece of every June 2 Prodigal Prayer Day is prayer for people as requested by someone who loves them. All we know about them is a first name. But, of course, God knows each one intimately. Is this effective? Oh ye…
June 6, 2023
A House Called Hope, episode 107
I have special guests today. At the age of 14, our prodigal went to a place for troubled teens at House of Hope here in Orlando. It was early in our long prodigal journey, but it was an important stop on that difficult road.…
May 30, 2023
Joy 4-Joy to the World, episode 106
So, hopefully, you have practiced walking in the Spirit and giving thanks ,as we talked about last week, and are finding increasing joy in your life. So what do you do with this abundance of joy? You give it away! Huh? But I…
May 23, 2023
Joy 3-Winning the War, episode 105
I have a young grandgirl who is full of energy. She seems to be in endless motion, running from one activity to the next: trampoline, jungle gym, playing princess, pretending to shop, swimming, visiting the piglets, all with…
May 16, 2023
Joy 2-The Promise of Joy, episode 104
Joy, my friend and neighbor, always brings Joy into my life—she was aptly named. She told me God gave her a joyful surprise this morning. She had completely forgotten some avocado seeds she had planted. This morning, she was…
May 9, 2023
Joy 1-Joy in the Hard Journey, episode 103
This week we are beginning the first of four devotional studies leading up to the June 2 Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. The theme is Joy in the Hard Journey. There will be more info on June 2 at the end of the podcast and in…