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Praying for the Prodigal - Encouragement and Practical Advice for Parents of Prodigals
In Praying for the Prodigal you will read the story of two prodigals and see how God protected, restored, and brought them home. Learn practical survival tips to help you worry less and remain calm in the midst of this journey. Tips
* Establishing boundaries
* Avoiding the blame game
* Learning how to pray the Word of God over your children daily.
Be encouraged with advice from other prodigals . Increase your faith with 30 days of prayers and promises. In God's eyes, we are all prodigals in need of repentance, re-turning, and forgiveness. This book will equip you for the journey ahead and help you hold fast to God's Word, reminding you to never, never give up on your children—no matter how hopeless their situation may seem.
* Establishing boundaries
* Avoiding the blame game
* Learning how to pray the Word of God over your children daily.
Be encouraged with advice from other prodigals . Increase your faith with 30 days of prayers and promises. In God's eyes, we are all prodigals in need of repentance, re-turning, and forgiveness. This book will equip you for the journey ahead and help you hold fast to God's Word, reminding you to never, never give up on your children—no matter how hopeless their situation may seem.
110 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2015
104 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Merrell
8 books16 followersAndrea Merrell is an award-winning author and professional freelance editor. She is an associate editor with Christian Devotions Ministries and LPC Books and was a finalist for the 2016 Editor of the Year Award at BRMCWC and the 2018 Excellence in Editing award by the Christian Editors Network. Andrea is a graduate of Christian Communicators and was a finalist in the 2015 USA Best Book Awards and the 2018 Selah Awards, as well as a semi-finalist in the 2018 ACFW Genesis contest. She has been published in numerous anthologies and online venues, teaches workshops on writing and editing, and is the co-founder and regular contributor to www.TheWriteEditing.com, a blog designed specifically for writers. Andrea is the author of Murder of a Manuscript, Praying for the Prodigal, and Marriage: Make It or Break It. Contact her at www.AndreaMerrell.com.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 22, 2015
A prodigal is someone who is wasteful, someone who squanders. Or he/she returns after an absence.
Merrell’s book shares with transparency about her son and daughter as teenagers wandering down the wrong path of life. They turned away from parental values and biblical teaching.
Are you “searching for ways to equip your smaller children” to face future temptations, or hurting because someone you love has stepped away from God’s love and grace, going their own way? This book will offer clarity for what you’re experiencing. It will also guide you toward a plan to recover your lost one—son, daughter, grandchild, or friend.
Merrell cried out to the Lord for help to understand, to know the next step and what to say. Through the pressures of their kids withdrawing from family, abusing home privileges, losing jobs, drinking alcohol, car accidents, taking drugs, and a near-death experience, it broke Mom and Dad’s hearts. Merrell and her husband Charlie looked to God’s word and prayer.
Merrell says those close to the prodigal need not assign blame for a prodigal’s behavior. She also records the parent’s checklist for survival through the hard times.
She offers wisdom and concrete guidance through keys toward peace and restoration for your family.
If you don’t feel able to pray adequately, Merrell includes scriptures and powerful prayers for thirty days. Take the challenge to allow God to work in your family.
Merrell’s book shares with transparency about her son and daughter as teenagers wandering down the wrong path of life. They turned away from parental values and biblical teaching.
Are you “searching for ways to equip your smaller children” to face future temptations, or hurting because someone you love has stepped away from God’s love and grace, going their own way? This book will offer clarity for what you’re experiencing. It will also guide you toward a plan to recover your lost one—son, daughter, grandchild, or friend.
Merrell cried out to the Lord for help to understand, to know the next step and what to say. Through the pressures of their kids withdrawing from family, abusing home privileges, losing jobs, drinking alcohol, car accidents, taking drugs, and a near-death experience, it broke Mom and Dad’s hearts. Merrell and her husband Charlie looked to God’s word and prayer.
Merrell says those close to the prodigal need not assign blame for a prodigal’s behavior. She also records the parent’s checklist for survival through the hard times.
She offers wisdom and concrete guidance through keys toward peace and restoration for your family.
If you don’t feel able to pray adequately, Merrell includes scriptures and powerful prayers for thirty days. Take the challenge to allow God to work in your family.
March 25, 2015
Only someone who's been there can understand the heartache of a parent whose son or daughter has rebelled against their teachings--worse, landed themselves in the middle of the drug and/or drinking crowds.
No parent is perfect, but even the best parents sometimes have offspring that land in trouble. That's what happened to Andrea and her husband Charlie. They had the ideal son and daughter--they thought. The kids attended church with them, were involved in youth activities there. The first worm turned when the boy, Jason, became a senior. He began skipping classes, rarely attended church, and even quit eating meals with the family.
Then his sister followed his lead. Andrea and Charlie battled the evil forces that held their children captive.
Do you have a prodigal in your family? I would strongly--no, emphatically!--recommend you purchase Andrea Merrell's book. Available from Amazon. What can you lose? It's only $1.99 in ebook format.
No parent is perfect, but even the best parents sometimes have offspring that land in trouble. That's what happened to Andrea and her husband Charlie. They had the ideal son and daughter--they thought. The kids attended church with them, were involved in youth activities there. The first worm turned when the boy, Jason, became a senior. He began skipping classes, rarely attended church, and even quit eating meals with the family.
Then his sister followed his lead. Andrea and Charlie battled the evil forces that held their children captive.
Do you have a prodigal in your family? I would strongly--no, emphatically!--recommend you purchase Andrea Merrell's book. Available from Amazon. What can you lose? It's only $1.99 in ebook format.
March 28, 2015
Praying for the Prodigal by Andrea Merrell is a timely, insightful read written by someone who has dealt with this firsthand. Andrea uses real life illustrations that are relatable to the reader. I especially love the section where her prodigals give advice from their own experience of what helps and what doesn't. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with a prodigal child...
May 12, 2015
This book gives you hope and practical advice on how to get through the struggle of a child that has turned away from home, family, God, and the path that you had hoped for them. This book will give you hope again. It will let a little joy back into what has to be the darkest time in a parent's life. This book will bring you closer to God and help you let go and let God.
July 15, 2015
This book has daily prayers to pray for someone who has turned away from God in the hopes that they will return back. The prayers are beautifully written. While the intent of the book is to pray for a child/teen/or young adult, you could pray the prayers for anyone who has turned away from their faith in the hopes that God will bring them back to his ways.
May 6, 2015
Helpful, insightful, and encouraging. Anyone with a prodigal child will find hope here.
May 3, 2015
Andrea Merrell's book Praying for the Prodigal is truly both encouraging and practical. Reading her personal journey with not one, but two prodigals, that she and her husband had raised to love and follow God as best they knew how confirms that Andrea knows too well the heartbreak and guilt that can overwhelm a parent when their child walks away from Christ. Hearing from her children now that they've returned to Christ is also wonderfully encouraging. Andrea's advice is sound and practical. Her greatest advice? Pray. Only God can draw them back. Andrea goes beyond just telling us to pray, though. She offers 30 days of prayers to guide our time. This book will become a continual source of encouragement for any parent walking this difficult path. It's not one you can lend out/borrow either because you want to have those prayers with you every day, so I suggest anyone praying for a prodigal just buy their own copy. It's a great investment.
August 30, 2017
From heart-wrenching to heart-warming to heartfelt hallelujahs. If you're the parent, relative, friend of a prodigal, or seeking ways to keep your children from falling into a prodigal lifestyle this book is a must read. Merrell covers all of the bases as she courageously shares her poignant story of losing two children to the cruel lies of the Enemy--an enemy who stops at nothing to tear apart homes and destroy lives. Praying for the Prodigal not only offers sound advice, relative scriptures, and practical prayers to pray as you wait for the return of your prodigal, it offers the hope and the assurance that God never gives up on his children and neither should we.
June 5, 2018
A quick and helpful book.
Insightful. It's a quick read that brings hope and comfort. When your hurting you want something to give you a new perspective and hope for a better future. This book gets to the hope part really quickly. Other books have made we wade through the pain and grieving process that parents of prodigals go through long before offering hope and encouragement.
Insightful. It's a quick read that brings hope and comfort. When your hurting you want something to give you a new perspective and hope for a better future. This book gets to the hope part really quickly. Other books have made we wade through the pain and grieving process that parents of prodigals go through long before offering hope and encouragement.
December 16, 2017
Ideas on how to pray for your children
I liked the quick flow of the story followed by some specific examples of how I can pray. The author even has a 31 day devotional prayer guide. Good thoughts with very practical ideas.
I liked the quick flow of the story followed by some specific examples of how I can pray. The author even has a 31 day devotional prayer guide. Good thoughts with very practical ideas.
April 18, 2019
Great book and advice
Can't imagine how hard it would be to go thru this without God to hope and trust in. This book illustrates where God is with you and how to use scripture to pray for your prodigal. It gave me hope and guidance.
Can't imagine how hard it would be to go thru this without God to hope and trust in. This book illustrates where God is with you and how to use scripture to pray for your prodigal. It gave me hope and guidance.
July 11, 2019
Uplifting for those with Prodigals....I only found one thing I was a little leery of, but 98% right on....would recommend.
May 4, 2020
This book will give hope and healing for broken-hearted parents.
December 14, 2020
There is definite encouragement in this book for those whose loved-ones are in a far off country.
February 22, 2023
The Prodigal can be delivered
Tremendous! All things are possible for God! A truly honest and courageous testimony. God is so faithful to His word.
Tremendous! All things are possible for God! A truly honest and courageous testimony. God is so faithful to His word.
July 6, 2024
Great !
Very good advice and support for those of us who have family members that have fallen away from God. Prayers are wonderful and the journal is very helpful.
Very good advice and support for those of us who have family members that have fallen away from God. Prayers are wonderful and the journal is very helpful.
August 30, 2023
Andrea’s story is an amazing testimony about God granting our children the gift of faith as the answer to our consistent prayers. Do not give up, keep praying, our Lord is good! There are wonderful prayers on the pages of this book, although I found some of them too “fearless” according to my understanding. But what if we really should speak more bolder prayers relying on the verses in the Scriptures?
You might also find very helpful the book of Kathy J. Janzen ‘Waging War from Your Knees’. I loved both books very much!
You might also find very helpful the book of Kathy J. Janzen ‘Waging War from Your Knees’. I loved both books very much!
October 29, 2023
Great book. The compassionate wait in her story was so uplifting. Very good to read and pray every day of the month. Writing my own prayers is very powerful and cathartic. God is faithful to bringing Prodigals home. I have one. In faith; I know He will lead her back to Him.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews