Prodigals part 2

Well, that book was really great and in looking over what I thought and wrote half way through it, I have a little different opinion after reading Gigi Graham's story of her son Tullian. This book really is a must read for any mom or dad. Here's my book report that I turned in- figured it was easier to cut and paste what I turned in rather than retype it all.


Prodigals and those who love them
By Ruth Bell Graham

This book is quite a gem and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. It gives accounts of children raised by Christian parents who went their own way. The book talks about famous prodigals like the writer of Amazing Grace, John Newton and St. Augustine. My favorite was the chapter by Gigi Graham where she tells of her son Tullian and the difficult decision she and her husband made by asking him to leave. He had abused their trust and disrupted their family. Her church family came to her side and offered help in finding him and praying for him. She prayed and prayed and was discouraged many times by the ups and downs of his troubled life. It would seem that he was changing and then he would go right back to his ways. She describes it as riding the "waves of hope only to have her emotions crashed on the rocks of disappointment until she was battered and bruised." And then at last, witnessed his return and recommitment to the Lord by going up front with his girlfriend during an altar call. She was still skeptical, but as the months passed, she saw him grow more in more in his faith in the Lord. She also talks about how sometimes even our prayers for the prodigals to come back to the Lord won’t be seen by us during our time, but in God’s time perhaps after we die or God may take them to himself as he did with her friend, Linda’s son. But that trusting God completely with them, knowing that he loves them even more than us, is the only way to get through it.