The Deeper Effect of Prodigal Parenting...

She sat across from me with tears welling up in her eyes, tears I'd shed before. How could her child, the one she fought so hard to give life to, turn this far against her? Didn't they know what it was doing to her as a mom.

No. They don't know. It's not about you...it's about them, and they are so caught up in their sin that they will say anything, do anything, to justify it. It consumes them.

The saddest thing is that we become tainted in their sin. We don't partake of it at all... But we allow it, or the effects of it, to come between us. Between husband and wife. Between parent and pride. Between truth and a lie. Faith and false doctrines....the list goes on.

Please dear momma...don't cover your child's sin. Tough love them. Let God grab ahold of them! Let Him DO whatever He has to do to bring them back to Him. It might be a night in jail. It might be your reputation. It might be withholding the car keys or the cash... But you have to do what God is calling YOU to do, and let your child BE RESPONSIBLE for what they are called to do...or take the consequences.

I promise you, enabling is the worst thing we could do.

It did not bring me joy to be honest and ask for prayer for my son...and it was embarrassing to admit that he needed prayers - but I wasn't willing to NOT have people pray for him! And pray for ME!

It would have been very easy to sweep it all aside, and not bring it up at all...affecting my faith as well as his walk. There were plenty of times that I doubted God was at work at all in the situation...but sweet sisters in Christ lifted me up, carried me to Him. There were times my anger made me sin... Made me hate... Made me shake my fists at God...but it was prayers in the heavenlies that brought me back to my knees.

I didn't want his sin to make ME SIN... So back to my knees I went.

Pray with me...
PFather, so many times we sin, and repent, in simple silence. Lord, let us set an example in our homes of repentance, of a broken heart, of redemption; and let us trust You to redeem our children. Help us to live in your mercy daily, to walk by faith, and to shine Your light in darkness, even when the darkness is closing in. Teach us to tough love like You tough love us, and show us where we have to draw the line - and hold the line - with our kids. We love them so much, but we know You love them even more - so draw them to Yourself. Teach them to choose life everlasting over the sinful pleasures of today, of this moment...

Help them get caught...caught up in You. And help us to let You have Your own way with them.

Amen.