A new year lifts us up, shaking off the remnants of last year’s mistakes, opening a panorama of a better future. We love to leave the hurts and failures of yesterday, believing that tomorrow is filled with sunshine and promise.

Except, when you love a prodigal. Too often fears win out. You hope, but you dare not “get your hopes up.” You dream, hoping it doesn’t once again become a nightmare. You believe, but always with clouds of doubt blocking the brightness you desire.

Can we have hope for the new year? Assuredly so!

Judy’s Resources:

• Read “Can you dare to hope?”: http://tinyurl.com/mufeb349
• Read “The Lament of a Sigh”: http://tinyurl.com/2s3bvxu7
• Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ
• Sign up for Judy’s monthly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/39TBlYt
• Purchase a copy of the When You Love a Prodigal book for you or a loved one here: https://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Website: judydouglass.com/podcast
• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• Twitter: twitter.com/judydouglass417
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/judyddouglass/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudyDouglass

Lord, please, for Christmas could my child come home? Would you set him free from his addictions? May they see the emptiness and destructiveness of their choices. And, Lord, may we have peace in our family for Christmas.

When you love a prodigal, your heart yearnings for your loved one seem to intensify at Christmas time. But we can ask for those heart’s desires—from God and from that prodigal.

Judy’s Resources:

• Read The Gifts of Advent https://tinyurl.com/34h24mjw
• Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ
• Sign up for Judy’s monthly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/39TBlYt
• Purchase a copy of the When You Love a Prodigal book for you or a loved one here: https://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Website: judydouglass.com/podcast
• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• Twitter: twitter.com/judydouglass417
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/judyddouglass/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudyDouglass

If you have listened to many of my podcasts, then you know I encourage all of us to give thanks in everything.

I got to practice what I preach in real life last week. And though this story is not about a prodigal, it’s certainly a practice to live out before a prodigal or someone you hope never becomes a prodigal.

Judy’s Resources:

• Read Help for the Hard--no, Impossible--Times: https://bit.ly/3BpvxHp
• Join the Prayer for Prodigals community here: https://bit.ly/3uyhSWQ
• Sign up for Judy’s monthly newsletter here: https://bit.ly/39TBlYt
• Purchase a copy of the When You Love a Prodigal book for you or a loved one here: https://amzn.to/3RuiUx9

Stay connected:

• Website: judydouglass.com/podcast
• Facebook: facebook.com/JudyDouglass417
• Instagram: instagram.com/judydouglass417
• Twitter: twitter.com/judydouglass417
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/judyddouglass/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudyDouglass