Letters to God, on a Prodigal Son: Overcoming Addiction Through Prayer [Paperback]

Mrs. Anita Estes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2011

Letters to God, on a Prodigal Son is the poignant, true story of a parent's journey through the minefield of her adult child's addiction. It is the heartfelt cry of a mother who finds peace in the midst of her tsunami and discovers the secret of victorious prayer. It is a potent journal packed with prayers, practical advice and key spiritual insights. Letters to God will encourage and help those who are dealing with prodigals and troubled youth of all sorts.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Anita Estes is an art teacher, writer and avid gardener. As an educator, she has been honored in “Who’s Who of American Teachers” for 2000 and 2005. Her work appears in several devotionals and compilations including "Upper Room", God Allows U-Turns, A Cup of Comfort and Deliver Me. She is the author of When God Speaks: 40 Days and Nights of His Promises and Transformed—Inspiring Stories of Freedom. Her newest book, Letters to God, on a Prodigal Son was released in Mrch, 2011. Visit her at www.anitaestes.com You can follow her blog:Freedom from Addictions at http://anitaestes7.blogspot.com/

Product Details

• Paperback: 154 pages
• Publisher: Transformation House (March 23, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982651015
• ISBN-13: 978-0982651018
• Product Dimensions: 0.3 x 4.9 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,584,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mother's Struggle July 4, 2011

By Theresa Franklin

Format:Paperback

Anita chronicles her spiritual struggles as she helps her son overcome an addiction to drugs. At the same time, she doesn't feel that she has the support of her husband. She doesn't sugar coat the experience or use pie-in-the-sky platitudes. The reader will not find a pat answer or a magic prayer to deliver a loved one. Rather the reader will learn with Anita as she grows in her spiritual warfare and prayer life.

Every mother can relate to the message in this book. It is a fantastic excercise in 'growing' prayers for our children. Whether the child or adult child needs deliverance from drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, low self-esteem, or risk taking behavior, any parent would benefit from Anita's lessons in spiritual growth as she learns how to effectively pray for her son.

Anita did a great job on this book and her courage to share such a painful event is to be applauded.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars How to help a prodigal son July 5, 2011

By Linda Weaver Clarke

Format:Paperback

This book is an account of a parent trying to help and understand her "prodigal son." If we were faced with a child going astray, how would we handle the situation? Ben was too open to temptations and the suggestions of peers. Like most parents, Anita wanted the best for her son and gave him all the opportunities she could, like a college education. Would he live up to her expectations? Or would it have been better to wait until he was older before sending him away to school? When he was living at home, she had more influence over her son and they were able to talk things out. But now, since he was away, there was no communication. Would it have been better in the long run for her to wait until he proved that he could handle the responsibility of living on his own? Or would it have been better to enroll him in a college closer to home? In this book, Anita tells us that it's important for parents to understand the maturity level of their child and what temptations they can handle before sending them away to college.

This book is a combination of "Lessons Learned," "Suggestions," and prayers to God. Anita said: "I've spent my whole life praying for this kid. Haven't you heard me, Lord? I can't believe you've let him fall so far from the truth, God. We sent him to a Christian school, and he winds up doing drugs!"

After every "lesson learned," she gives a "suggestion" to help your child. This is a story of hope, faith, and love. Does it end "happily ever after"? Yes, it does. That is what I love about books like this. I would recommend it to all parents who need help.

Written by Linda Weaver Clarke, author of the historical romance series: A Family Saga in Bear Lake Idaho; and the mystery series: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read if you are suspicious of drug addiction...and even if you're not! September 22, 2011

By Celeste

Format:Paperback

This is an awesome book that SOOO needed to be written. In the way she writes letters to God, we can see inside her heart as a mom seeing her son suffer an addiction, and suffers through her emotional rollercoaster. There are so many moms who deny that their child is involved in drugs. They just want to believe the best in their children, as we all do. Anita includes the signs to watch for as she takes you through her journey that just might save your child's life!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An honest account August 10, 2011

By Cheryl Lynn Peterson

Format:Paperback

Anita Estes puts behind the stigma of having a child with a drug addiction and gives us a raw, honest account of the battle she is going through. She praises God through her storm and serves as an example of a real woman with faith. The diary format with its application section makes it an interesting read where we get to hear Anita's inner thoughts and prayers through her struggle. This is not only a must read for parents or friends/family going through a similar struggle but for any parent or family member with a child.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Letters to God by Anita Estes August 10, 2011

By Gloria Clover

Format:Paperback

This book is mainly excerpts from Anita Estes' prayer journal during the hardest years of her son's addiction to alcohol and drugs. The story runs from September 2006 to January 2009.

I liked the set up of the book. Journal entries are in a personal, candid style. Direct prayers. Scriptures. Anita's poems. Neat things that showed various ways to seek God.

Then for the reader she added sections called "Lessons Learned" and "Suggestions." She would speak from the place she was in when she wrote the book, looking back to that place in the story where she was. For example, a chapter would cover a time period of say two months, and include elements of journaling and prayer. Then Anita would step into the present and say, "I didn't know then, but..." and precede to share what God has since taught her about that time in her life.

Then she had suggestions to parents of prodigal children, things to watch for, what you might do differently than she did, etc.

I particularly liked how open Anita was about her mistakes and struggles. That made her learning journey even more powerful. She had a simple way of turning the praise and honor back to God, not just for her son's transformation, but for her husband's and herself.

I recommend this book to all my friends with adult children who currently embrace the world more often than the Lord. It is a story of hope. But even more so, it is a story of surrender and allowing God to change you through His Word and grace.

So maybe you don't have to have a child who has wandered away from his/her Christian foundation to enjoy this book and gain from its insights. I don't have a prodigal ... but Anita Estes' Letters to God remind me that thankfully God is in the restoration business.