Ep. 11 - Prodigals Do Come Home

Elizabeth Everett shares a deeply personal and faith centered message about prodigals, the painful seasons when someone we love walks away from God, truth, or the life they were created for. Drawing from her own experience as both a former prodigal and a mother who has walked through the heartbreak of watching a child struggle, Elizabeth speaks honestly about the emotional toll, the spiritual warfare, and the temptation to give up hope.

Grounded in biblical truth and scripture including Isaiah 49:25, Luke 15, and Psalms 34:18, she reminds listeners that God has not abandoned their children or loved ones. Even when the situation looks impossible, the Lord promises to contend for us and rescue those who are lost. Elizabeth explains why loving a prodigal requires both compassion and healthy boundaries, why enabling can unintentionally prolong destructive cycles, and why surrendering our loved ones fully to God is often the turning point.

Through prayer, testimony, and practical encouragement, she teaches listeners how to stand firm in faith, reject the lies of the enemy, and pray boldly for God to break deception, strongholds, and spiritual bondage over their prodigal’s life. She also challenges families to examine their own words, attitudes, and responses so they can meet their loved ones with the same grace Jesus has shown them.

For anyone walking through the pain of watching a child, family member, or loved one drift away, this message is a reminder that prodigals do return, God still redeems, and no story is beyond the reach of His grace.

Learn more about: Advocates for Africa & Happy Horizons Children's Ranch

Grab your copy of Elizabeth’s new book, The Breaking: The Season That Almost Took Me Out and the God Who Didn't, here!

Contact Elizabeth Everett:                                                                                               Website: graceinthebreaking.com                                                                          Email: info@graceinthebreaking.com                                                                        Instagram: @graceinthebreaking                                                                                YouTube: @GraceintheBreaking 

Transcript

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Welcome back, friends, to another episode of Grace in the Breaking. I'm Elizabeth Everett, and today we're going to talk about prodigals. What is a prodigal? Do you have a prodigal? Have you been a prodigal? Hmm. So many of us at so many times in our life could have been considered a prodigal. A prodigal is anyone that is walking not in a way of the Lord, that has lost their way, that is in the wilderness season, et cetera. But I have good news, friends. Those seasons always come to an end and prodigals do return. So I myself have been a prodigal. So I can take an outside look and I can share with you the feelings and emotions associated with how a prodigal feels when family cuts them off or never gives them a chance. See what I mean? So, like how we treat people, I guess is what I'm getting at. Um, so forgive me for stumbling over those words. I am human. Um so when you're a prodigal, the best advice that I can give someone is to love. Love without boundaries. I don't mean not putting boundaries in place for protection and facilitation of a prodigal returning, but I mean love without bounds. Love, love, love. You can hate the sin, but love the sinner. Jesus called us to love. He didn't condemn us. That's what man does. And a lot of times when we get so fed up and we're so angry and we've been so hurt in relation to a child, a prodigal parent, a prodigal sibling, a prodigal aunt, uncle, whatever your case may be, it is so easy to put up walls to protect yourself, to want to just step away from that pain. So many times we feel like we're alone and we can't share the different stories, the emotions, um, the gamut of it all with anybody that there's not a safe space. But I can assure you, you are not alone. I am not alone. Our prodigals aren't alone. There are hundreds of millions of people, just like you and I, out there. This is a place that we can talk. This is the place that we don't swap war stories, so to speak, but we swap stories of triumph, where prodigals come home, where we as parents or loved ones stand united and pray and don't be moved. You know, a lot of times by what we see in the natural or we see repetitive cycles happening over and over and over again. A lot of times we give up. Along the way, I've been guilty of kind of feeling like it was never going to change, right? And falling into that mindset of, well, this is it. This is as good as it's gonna get. That is a tactic of the enemy. So I encourage you today, if that's something you're going through, you have the power to stand up, stop it, break it, throw it back to hell where it belongs in the name of Jesus. Because the Lord has the final say. God will save our children. His word says it. Isaiah 49, 25. And this is what the Lord says. Yes, captives will be taken from warriors and plunder retrieve from the fierce. I will contend with those who contend with you and your children I will save. What does that mean? How does that apply to you? How does that apply to me? How does that apply to our children? God promises to fight on our behalf and rescue our children, even when situations seem impossible. See, it's so easy for other family members or friends to form an opinion about your situation. When we're in pain and we're wanting a shoulder to cry on, we're wanting a friend here in the flesh. Sometimes they don't understand. Sometimes because they've never experienced the type of pain or the stretching of faith that you or I are going through, they can't relate. And nine times out of 10, they bumble up their words and speak with authority in a manner of death. So let me just encourage you, friends, be careful who you share private things that are happening in your life with. Not because people mean to speak death, it's because they don't understand when they have not walked the walk, they have not lived the life of pain or trauma that you see in regards to any prodigal in your life. They can't relate. They think they can. Therefore, they give assumptions or suggestions. But where are those postured from? Who are you really taking advice from? From someone that has never walked this lonely road? Because guess what? You and I, even though we feel like we're lonely and we're walking it alone and we so desperately want to share this with someone just to listen, just to empathize with us. What if we took it to the throne every time we had a worry? Every time some type of thought pops into our head that we know is not holy, that thought of rejection, that thought of repeating a cycle, that thought of fear, that thought of this is never going to change, those are lies of the enemy. Take it to the throne. I'm gonna teach you how to pray a verse that Isaiah 49.25, that he will save our children. Father, your word says in Isaiah 49, 25 that you will contend with those who contend with me and you will save my children. Lord, I place my prodigal in your hands today. Fight the battles that I cannot see. Break every chain, every deception, and every stronghold in their life in the name of Jesus. Draw them back to you and fulfill your promise of salvation over their life in Jesus' name. The Lord saves, his word says it. So who are you going to believe? Are you gonna believe some of the nonsense, the distractive voices in your ear? Or are you gonna believe the word of God? Now, I understand having community to share this with. I understand better than anyone, as I've been a prodigal and I have walked down the road of having prodigals. And let me tell you, friends, it has not been an easy road, but I can tell you there is light at the end of the tunnel. Keep doing good. Do not give up. You're so close. We started a group on um Facebook called Prodigal Prayers. Look it up, find it, join it. It is a safe place to voice your opinions, to give hope and encouragement for those, not just with a son or daughter being a prodigal, but if you have any prodigal in your life, period, that affects you. We're here for you. Let's join together. You know, so many times um I took the wrong approach with my prodigal. And as I grew and matured in Christ, I learned kind of what had worked and what didn't. It was trial and error. There was no instruction book of having to deal, but taking my own pain when I was a prodigal and remembering how I was disowned, completely disowned. Now, this isn't about me, but I'm gonna tell you something to be very careful in your words that you speak, even in anger or the actions that you elude. At the end of the day, if you've got a child that's a prodigal, that is your child. That is never going to change, no matter what they say in anger to you or what you say in anger. They are your child. God gave them to you as a gift. Love that gift. Do not discard them because they let you down. Do not discard them because something that happened may embarrass you. Do not discard them if they're arrested. Love them. You claim to be a Christian, then be a Christian. Love like Jesus. Now, this does not mean not having healthy boundaries or setting rules and sticking to them for accountability over your prodigal. Your responsibility to your prodigal is to love. You know, and again, I was guilty. Sometimes I let word curses or let other family members speak death into me. And really unknowingly, we're just going, yeah, yeah. I came into agreement with that madness. So right now, if you think that's happened, let's pray this prayer. Lord, I come to you humbly right now, standing before you at the throne, Lord, and I come out of agreement with anything that I've unknowingly or unknowingly or knowingly said about my prodigal. Lord, I speak the truth, the way, and the life. Your word says that you are going to save my children. And I believe you, Father, because your word never returns void in Jesus' mighty name. Amen. If that resonated with you or it tickled your ears, you're definitely in the right place. I definitely want you to know that you are not alone. So many times when we are watching our prodigals struggle with something either that we have experienced before, or we've seen on TV or other media, it's almost unbelievable. It rocks your world. It causes you to have a self-examination of all the things that you might have done wrong or what you could have done differently, or seeing that sign. You know what? Again, I'm going to tell you something. We are not perfect. You are not perfect. I am not perfect. The only perfect person that walked on this planet was Jesus Christ Himself. The little whispers in your ear, I should have done this, I could have done that, I could have prevented this, stop it. You cannot change the past. What you can do is examine your words, examine your actions today, and make steps forward to make sure that if your child or your aunt or your mother or your father, whoever walked through that door today or picked up the phone to call you, that you are meeting them with the grace, the grace that God has given you, the grace that Jesus has given you when you woke up this morning. Open your arms and receive them with love. There are so many resources out there, even when we don't know what to do, that help point in the right directions. All you have to do is ask for help. If you have questions, need resources, contact me at gracenthebreaking.com. You know, we are a community of love and spreading the word of Jesus. There have been hard seasons. I have watched my prodigal go through hell and back. And it wasn't until later on in life, now that he's walking free in Jesus, that I knew a lot of the other things. So I'm going to tell you: in the midst of any prodigal, they will lash out at those who they love the most, say horrible things that cut you to the bone, or do horrible things against you as a punishment. Folks, it's it's not a lot of times a malice. Now, I suppose there could be some demonic possession going on there, et cetera. But remember any time that something's operating in darkness over a person, hate what is on them. Love the person. I remember getting calls the first time one of my prodigals had OD'd. I remember the impact. I remember almost the numbing feeling. Then it happened again. By the way, the breaking is out and it details some of the most recent and gritty testimonies. So I encourage you for a little bit of hope, read The Breaking, where the season that almost took me out and the God who didn't, it will give you hope. It was written as a labor of love to inspire those walking through pain, those walking through pain with prodigals, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And I pray that it makes you smile again because your day, just like mine, will come. Your prodigal will return. For a long time, I realized that I was enabling my prodigals because of the trauma and rejection that I experienced being a prodigal and being completely shut out. Um, I mean, I couldn't even call people completely shut out. That I wanted to mother and try to fix situations in my own strength. So, for you know, I will fully take responsibility that for um a very long time I actually aided in the continuous cycles. It wasn't until with my prodigal that I was like, listen, I love you. And because I love you, I'm gonna hold you accountable. I am no longer going to enable you. I am always here if you need me. I love you. When you're ready to get help or you're ready to change your ways, I am right here. Pick up the phone and call me at any time. Now, will your prodigal test you on those things? Um, yes. Especially when they are accustomed to you saving them, saving them, saving them, saving them, saving them. Okay. First, I want to remind you, they are never alone. You are never alone. Jesus Christ is always by your side. If you think he's not, holler out one, two, three, Holy Ghost, or say Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, and he will come right then and there. That accountability speaks volumes. Now remember, don't get caught up when something doesn't go your way, or a prodigal says really mean, loud, derogatory things about you. It's because they love you. They're in pain, they're lashing out. So, mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, don't take it personal. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Psalms 38, 418 reminds us that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Nine times out of 10, prodigals return through that brokenness. I know in my case, that's what happened. And listen, if God can redeem me, I promise you he can redeem your prodigal. But you have to stand and not give up. If you faint and you give up, where does that leave you? Think about that today. I want you to think about right now, say it out loud or jot it down on a piece of paper. How many times have you enabled? Okay, get that number. And then I want you to make some accountability and some rules for yourself to follow. Lovingly, boundaries, healthy boundaries that one day are going to yield a huge harvest because you didn't give up and you you showed love. God is not finished with my story and he's not finished with your prodigal stories. Luke 15, 4 literally says he will leave the 99 and go after that one lost sheep. So you cannot give up hope. You have to stay encouraged. You have to encourage and love every opportunity that you get with your prodigal. Now, let's be realistic. A lot of times when we set boundaries, we set these healthy parameters, makes our prodigal mad when we don't rescue him. There was one time when my prodigal went to jail, and I was in awe of God's mercy and his glory because the child was in jail because he had a wreck under the influence and he walked away. But I had surrendered him finally at the foot of Jesus. Like I'd surrendered him like six months before, when that same child had died not once but twice and was brought back. We're talking face blue and awe. Don't you tell me God can't do it because I'll argue with you all day. I will back it with scripture, and that's that. The word speaks for itself. But I can tell you that accountability, that loving with boundaries, and that final surrender, that surrender that you are laying that prodigal down at the feet of Jesus, you are not picking that prodigal back up. Why? Because you love them. I don't care how tired you are, I don't care how mad you are, I don't care how bad they've hurt you. Love them. Love changes everything. How can we throw away like a piece of trash someone that we love? You've never been thrown around, thrown out like a piece of trash. You've never been thrown around and tossed by the wayside. You're sitting here today in front of me. That's how I know. Jesus never gave up on you. So why are we giving up on other people? We're living in a day and time where evil doesn't even hide anymore. It literally stands right out there. Now, every single day you come into contact with someone that you may or may not agree with, you may or may not agree with this podcast. And that is on you. You have free will. And with that free will, I'm praying that I'm going to push you in the right direction today when it comes to your prodigal. Let me tell you, this surrender, folks, it is not easy. And it wasn't until I prayed a very specific prayer that I'm about to share with you that relinquished it all. If you're tired, if you're tired of the cycles, if you're tired of the pain, because I was, and the prayer I prayed was, Lord, I lay him down at your feet. I pray that you shake him up one side and down the other. Lord, shake him every which way. I don't care what you got to do to get his attention, Father, let him have such a divine encounter with you that he will never turn from his ways, that it will be unmistakable, undeniable that it is you, and he will chase you in Jesus' mighty name. Now let me tell you something, folks, that is a bold prayer to play, pray. And I challenge, no matter what you are going through today, that is the prayer that you pray. Because when you boldly go before the throne and you pray bold prayers, then you see the miracle of God's glory all over it. But it's up to you, folks. The magnitude of that prayer yielded a prodigal returning home. You want to know more details? Check out the book. It is um it is a testament that showcases God's glory all over it. Because, friends, it isn't an easy road. And without Jesus, you're gonna be tossed around. Without Jesus in your prodigal's life, there is no peace, there is no stability. But I know somebody who can change that all. He can change it in a second. The next step depends on you. Are you willing to stand on the word? Are you willing to draw a circle like Jabez, put your prodigal in it, write their name in it, and pray over it and do not move till you see God move? Just like Jabez. Lord, I'm not moving till you bless my child. Lord, I'm not moving to you bless my prodigal. And you stand there. It may not happen immediately, but I can assure you that God hears the prayers of the righteous. Fervent prayers move the courts of heaven. Take it before him. The time is now. What are you waiting on? Pick up, lay at the feet of Jesus, pray the bold prayer, and watch God move. We're gonna leave you with this today, Luke 15, 20. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him, but he ran to his son. God sees them even when they're the farthest away. But I can assure you, stand with grace, open arms when they call you love on them. If they show up at your door, embrace them with love. You can still have boundaries in love. Don't let your heart be hardened, let it be softened by the love that Jesus has shown you. It's our job to show it back. Friends, family, I encourage you, your story is not over. If it's not good yet, God is not finished. Man, I love you guys. I'm standing here with you. Go to prodigal prayers if this resonates with you, or you have a friend or family member who's going through a prodigal situation, prodigal prayers on Facebook. There's a couple of questions they'll have to answer, but it is a space for unity. It is a space for trust, and it is a space for building up and confidentiality. Folks, I love you. Check out the show notes for Advocates for Africa and Happy Horizons Children's Home. Give back the love that you've been given so freely. Till next time, friends, I love you. Thank you so much for spending this time with me today on Grace and the Breaking. If this episode spoke to your heart, please remember to follow, download, and share it with someone who might need a little encouragement right now. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. As I close, I want to leave you with this reminder. 2 Corinthians 12.9. My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness. So no matter what season you're walking through, you are not alone. And there is always Grace in the Breaking. For more information, resources, or to connect with me, visit GraceInTheBreaking.com or email me at infograceinthebreaking.com. Until next time, friends, stay rooted in faith, hold on to hope, and remember that there's grace in the breaking.