Description
Have you ever known a parent who is experiencing a relationship standoff with a child? This booklet considers the impasse that leads the child to take flight – become prodigal – in his or her response to a grievous home situation. We’re all familiar with the painful story. At first, imperceptibly, a rift begins to form. Over time these circumstances can lead to separation. The prodigal simply exits the home and doesn’t look back. In this booklet, counsellor Dan Kohn considers when the prodigal child hits the road. With absence comes the interminable questioning of what could have kept the rift from forming. There’s anxiety over not knowing where and how the child is, and there’s frustration over a situation the parent is powerless to do anything about. There is, however, hope – an anticipation that God is faithful and can handle a prodigal child. Love, forgiveness, and open arms are central to the answer, and though the parents may find these attributes hard to come by, with God all things are possible – even the longed-for return of a prodigal child.