Reaching Your Prodigal: What Did I Do Wrong? What Do I Do Now?

by Phil Waldrep

We often think of the defiant ones as prodigals, but there are other types that break our embarrassing, intellectual, lukewarm, and religious prodigals. The word prodigal means "wasted." Like the younger son in Jesus' parable, many of our loved ones are wasting their lives. Learn how to love them no matter what form of "wasted" they choose.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction

Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2016

Reviews

[Jennah]

A wonderful read to those who have a prodigal in the family. This book will provide you with the encouragement and truthful ways of bringing your loved ones back to God. I know the struggle, the nightly tears, and many prayers that one goes through when your closest family member decides to part ways with God. However, I know the hope and the comfort that a powerful God can give when fighting the devil for that loved one...and I’ll never stop until she’s back to who God made her to be.

[Raymond Holmes]

Waldrep covers this difficult subject very well. Looking at it rationally from both sides, talking sense, reason, and faith. He addresses motives(parent and prodigal), guilt, expectations, faith, and hope.

Highly recommend to someone struggling with knowing what to do with a prodigal, and highly recommend for anyone else to increase empathy with those that are struggling with one.

[Karan]

Loved the book - very insightful.

[Faith]

Such a helpful book for parents, grandparents, or siblings of a "prodigal."
Waldrep is empathetic, compassionate, and feels like a friend, while giving reasoned Biblical advice. No judgment here, just sound, wise counsel. Highly recommend this book.

[Deanna]

If you feel like you are responsible for your adult children's choices, this book is for you. If you want to know how to love then and relate to them despite their choices, this book is for you. I started it 3xs before I just sat down and read through. Good, logical, encouraging.

[Judy]

Some good pointers.

[Donna J]

Everything you already knew but needed to hear from someone else.

[Robbin Golden]

I understand that overall principles in reaching my prodigals, but I wish my specific situations had been addressed so as to have a better idea of how to process this painful life crisis.

[Nancy Kendall]

no audio, Print

[Jon Kidwell]

Webster's online dictionary defines "prodigal" as "1. Rashly or wastefully extravagant" and "2. Giving or given in abundance; lavish or profuse". This pretty well ties in to the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, who indeed lived a wastefully extravagant life.... at least until the money ran out. A modern retelling of the thematic elements of this story might be, "spoiled rich kid takes his inheritance and blows it all on wine, women and song, and upon realizing his physical and spiritual condition, comes back home with tail tucked between his legs."

Christian communicator, Phil Waldrep, delivers a paradigm that causes most of us to see a prodigal in a completely different light. I "Reaching Your Prodigal", Waldrep shows us other situations in which we could consider a loved one as a prodigal under circumstances that aren't necessarily the norm.

Much can be said of the Father in the prodigal story. One factor that struck me in this biblical tale is the fact that the father saw his defeated son returning home from a far distance away. It speaks of a father who very much loved his wayward son, regardless of his dumb decisions, and constantly had his eyes focused on the horizon. I think the loving father knew in his heart that his prodigal would one day return home, and he didn't want to miss that occasion.

Waldrep directs us to look deeper within the psyche of the prodigals in our family. He doesn't limit the prodigal title to those family members who simply take physical leave of the family and run off and live the high life. His variety of prodigal family members shows us that most all of us have some sort of prodigal living under our roof. Whether they be physically absent, socially or mentally absent, or absent from the family dynamic because of philosophies of life, illness, addictions or other contrasting beliefs. This is where the book gets quite interesting as it guides us through the processes of welcoming and loving the prodigal back into the family fold.

All in all, I found this look at our prodigals to be refreshing, new, and quite challenging. And I commend this book to you for your own edification and reading enjoyment. Many books have been written through the ages about this all too familiar biblical story. But, I think Phil Waldrep does an excellent job in addressing his own view of things, and passing those understandings on to those of us who are either parents of a prodigal, or a one time or another, were prodigals ourselves. A very good read, from a very good author and communicator.

[Keeran Reidling]

Many great insights for incorporating love when faced with prodigals of all types. good book with practical advice.

[Keeran Reidling]

Great advice for parents of prodigals

[Karen]

Fine book on a difficult subject. It will help.