Comments on: Dear Mom of the Prodigal Child

By: MaryEllen Bream

MaryEllen Bream — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 22:28:36 +0000

In reply to marlo. Thank you for sharing that!

By: marlo

marlo — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 22:22:30 +0000

This was a very well written post, filled with grace and love. That is the way it should be. As a young mom I sure thought that if I raised them in a Jesus loving, Word filled, prayerful home that they would grow naturally to love the Lord. I read so much about ‘you cant pass on what you dont have’. After several of mine grew, and yes one of which was the obedient, sensitive to the Lord child that so many would ‘die’ to have, …yet after being raised in a solid Christian home they chose to live after the flesh. It is extremely painful! And you were right, we dont need to be judged but it sure happens, especially if you are a pastors family, the judgement seems to be more unfairly so. I can remember at one point praying so hard for 2 solid weeks and the Lord just impressed upon me to ‘that I am no longer to be his parent, but just love him FOR Christ and Love him TO Christ” and that is what i focused on. About 4-5 yrs later, he has decided to walk with the Lord. God is faithful. It doesnt always look the way we envision and hope for but God is Sovereign. I still have some children that are not walking with the Lord but I trust God will draw their hearts as well. We must remember that God is God, we need to be faithful and consistent in teaching our children in the admonition of the Lord, but ultimately it is God’s work.

By: MaryEllen Bream

MaryEllen Bream — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 18:31:31 +0000

In reply to Jamie. I'm sorry you're walking through this. Keep praying, mama!

By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 22:33:23 +0000

I have slowly become the mom of a prodigal child over the past 2 years. It is the most heartbreaking experience….the worse pain I have encountered….I have felt so much judgement for myself and have wondered where we went wrong. I am slowly coming to realize that it really isn’t our fault. We raised our son in church and taught him right from wrong. He has just chosen to walk in the ways of the world. I am working EACH day to turn this over to God. I know that only HE can change my son’s heart and bring him back to HIS side!
Your post was encouraging to me. Thank you!

By: Anne in IN

Anne in IN — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 02:38:56 +0000

In reply to KarenTrina. Thank you! In the past I, too, have been one of the moms looking at others wondering what they did wrong instead of pouring out my heart in prayer for them and their wayward children. Until one of mine totally shocked us by announcing his rejection of the Lord. As KarenTrina says, until this happens, the grief has been staggering. Despite this grief, there is some good coming from this, and we do believe the end of the story hasn't taken place yet!

By: Cathy

Cathy — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 20:29:43 +0000

I too have a prodigal child. I have yet to face anything so painful. He was one of those compliant ones and we didn’t see it coming. I know it is his own choice yet somehow I can’t stop asking myself, “What could I have done differently?” “Surely I did not show him how wonderful it is to love and live for God.” I am praying for you other moms and for your children you long to see living right before Him.
I struggle with trying to continue to raise our other three children as I’m sure there are others facing that same hurdle. God’s word is still true and His ways are still right. I hold onto the promise that says, “God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” I know it is His will for my child to repent and get right with Him; therefore I know He is doing all He can to draw my child (and yours, too) to Himself. Yes, they have a free will to choose, but I believe God is still trying to reach their heart. There is a hymn that talks of the Holy Ghost of God “convincing men of sin.” That is my prayer. That my child would be convinced of his sin and have a repentant heart.

By: KarenTrina

KarenTrina — Tue, 12 May 2015 03:29:16 +0000

Until you have a real prodigal, you have no idea, absolutely no idea how grieved a mother can be. And yes, she has all those thoughts about what did I do wrong, but yes, children and young adults (and old adults) make choices despite what they have been taught. Sometimes, you don’t see it coming either, because it can be a child that was very compliant and then, BOOM, one day he decides to live his own way. Yep, keep praying, quit judging.

By: Cari

Cari — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 12:58:26 +0000

This was for me. Thanks for posting…..

By: Sheree

Sheree — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 04:08:00 +0000

Everything you said…..thank you.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 15:56:28 +0000

This is right on the mark! Thank you for writing what I would like to write but others mights say I’m “justifying” my parenting. A couple years ago I was in a Bible study and one of the chapters in the book we were working through talked about parenting. I was encouraging the young mothers to teach to the heart and not just obedience, along with some other things. I confessed that I wasn’t a perfect parent and looking back now I can see things I would do differently. I hadn’t grown up in a godly home and so didn’t know the first thing about raising a child. One of the single ladies in the group said something that has stuck with me every since. She said, “You did the best you could with the knowledge you had at the time.” And you know what? I did. Was I perfect? No. Would I change some things if I could? Yes. But I did the best I could with what I knew at the time. And I agree that what I need to do more than anything else is PRAY. And God is working in my prodigal.