Esteem your mentee for reaching out for help in the midst of what must be a heart-breaking, difficult season of life
Let them know they are not alone, many parents know the pain of parenting a prodigal child
Encourage them to get involved in a local, Bible-believing church for spiritual growth and accountability
Challenge them to join a group of other parents for encouragement and prayer
Encourage them with Scriptures of hope and help
Assure them that you care about them and plan to be with them to find solutions together
Encourage moms to connect with other moms on the MomLife Today blog
Encourage dads to consider connecting with other men in a Men’s Fraternity group
Encourage them to pray for their child and trust God to work in his life
Encourage them to express love and acceptance through words and actions as consistently as possible
Remind them that unconditional love will keep the door open for when their child may be willing to change
Remind them that God did not wait for us to stop sinning before he loved us. He loved us “while we were yet sinners.”
Encourage them to establish loving boundaries around behaviors that are destructive to the family
Remind them that love and bitterness are both incredibly powerful. One has the power to heal, the other to destroy.
Encourage them to keep trying to connect with their prodigal child even when those efforts seem to be ignored or rejected.
Encourage them to reach out for help. Loving a prodigal can be exhausting. Seek help from your pastor, elders, others who have been through a similar experience, or a professional Christian counselor if necessary.
Encourage them to take care of themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Eat well, exercise, have some fun, and spend time with God, both alone and in fellowship with others. Re-charging your energy as a parent is crucial.
