Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents [Paperback]

Janet Thompson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 29, 2008

Offering hope, help, and encouragement to hurting parents of prodigal daughters, author Janet Thompson shares out of her own experience as a prodigal daughter and as the mother of a prodigal daughter. And the key to the help she offers is prayer.

While you, as a hurting mom or dad, may know that you need to pray for your daughter, this walk-along-beside-you book will take you gently by the hand and show you how. In it you will find candid stories of other parents of prodigals -- and even the stories of prodigals themselves.

Don't wait until you have a prodigal situation. Any parent will benefit from this book's incredible insights, prayers, and stories. Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter is about hope, help, and support from others who have walked a similar road.

Chapter Topics Include

• Setting Boundaries • Surviving in Marriage • Resolving Conflict

• Making it All About Her • What Did We Do to Cause This?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Thompson (Dear God, They Say It's Cancer) offers Christian mothers practical help and ample—even overwhelming—resources for praying for their prodigal daughters according to biblical principles. Thompson, whose own past included years as a prodigal who ran from God, rededicated her life to Christ only to discover that her poor example had confused and influenced her daughter, Kim, to follow in her footsteps. The author writes candidly, in topical format, instructing and encouraging mothers to pray fervently for their daughters no matter how dire the circumstance, how long the wait or how resistant their children have become. Each of Thompson's chapters includes brief narratives authored by a praying mother followed by a daughter's autobiographical essay. Many of Thompson's own heartfelt entries are drawn from her personal diary. Readers will find Thompson's book clearly laid out and simple to digest. Particularly helpful are suggestions for both praying scripture (as found in the appendix) and in the practical application found in the family and support group discussion questions. Thompson's heart for drawing prodigal daughters back to the fold is clear; however, some readers might feel weighed down by the overabundance of ideas to implement into their prayer lives. (Feb.)
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Review

"How I wish Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter was available when my journey as a prodigal's mom began! What a wealth of encouragement, reality checks, and practical help for hurting parents. Janet's transparency brings hope in what often feels like a hopeless situation." -- Chris Adams, Women's Enrichment and Ministers' Wives Specialist, LifeWay Christian Resources

"Janet Thompson has produced a dynamic prayer resource coupled with practical everyday suggestions for managing your hurts, doubts, and emotions while you wait for your prodigal daughter to return. Thank you, Janet, for baring your heart and bringing wise counsel to families." -- Debbie Taylor Williams, speaker and author of Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion

"Finally, a book I can recommend to parents of prodigal daughters! This message of hope and encouragement is for every parent who has experienced the pain of a wayward child. Thank you, Janet, for your honesty in sharing your own firsthand experience, as well as the experiences of others. Get several copies because you will want to pass this book around!" -- Vicki Courtney, national speaker and bestselling author of Your Girl: Raising a Godly Daughter in an Ungodly World

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (January 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416551867
• ISBN-13: 978-1416551867
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have a wonderful husband and four married children who have blessed us currently with nine beautiful grandchildren. I say currently, because we are a fast growing family. I founded the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry at Saddleback Church in 1996 and train other churches to start mentoring ministries. I wrote a resource titled Woman to Woman Mentoring How to Start, Grow, and Maintain a Mentoring Ministry (LifeWay), and a Mentoring God's Way Bible Study Series.
My writing and speaking ministry is called About His Work Ministries.
I have been cancer free for four years and had the opporutnity to write the book I longed to have, Dear God, They Say It's Cancer (Howard Books).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for Every Church Library and Christian Counseling Center, April 6, 2008

By 

Yvonne H. Ortega "Hope for the Journey throug... - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents (Paperback)

This book isn't just for parents of prodigal daughters. Those who have prodigal sons or relatives will also benefit from reading this book. The subtitle is Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents, and Thompson delivers all three with power and a positive attitude. Every chapter opens with a personalization of Scripture and a quotation that make the reader want to keep reading. "A Praying Mother Shares" comes next. Any adult who has ever prayed for a prodigal will immediately identify with that mother's heartache and determination not to give up. Although I must admit, I had until I read this book. Then Thompson's daughter or another prodigal daughter shares part of her story. Sometimes I laughed, but other times I cried. "The Praying" section goes with the chapter titles of praying daily, Biblically, etc. Sometimes we get caught up in the circumstances and need reminders and further instruction about how to pray. Solid tips abound in the "Parent to Parent" section. I wanted to cut them out and place them on my refrigerator but didn't want to ruin my book. Excerpts from the author's "Prayer Journal" strategically come before the section, "Let's Pray Together." Janet's transparency and humility make it easy for the reader to receive hope, help, and encouragement. Janet has added questions for "Family and Support Group Discussion." How wonderful for prayer groups, Sunday school classes, or counseling groups. The last section of each chapter is "Your Prayer Journal." I looked forward to writing my own prayers for my family. The appendix has a place for a photograph of your prodigal before the 40 days of praying Scripture for her. The blank "Prayer and Praise Journal" has blanks for the reader to write prayer requests and a praise. I highly recommend this book for parents and other relatives. This book needs to be in every church library, Christian counseling center, and in the hands of every pastor and chaplain.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant but Practical, February 4, 2008

By 

Kathi Macias (Homeland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents (Paperback)

Janet Thompson has expertly pulled together a poignant but practical book that delivers what its subtitle promises: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents. Filled with real-life examples (the author's and others'), Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter includes prayer helps and suggestions, journaling incentives, and questions or family and support group discussion. Whether your praying for a prodigal daughter--or you're the daughter being prayed for--this is the book that walk you through to victory.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We are not alone, March 24, 2008

By 

P. Evans "Patricia Cena Evans" (Huntington Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents (Paperback)

Janet Thompson is a gifted writer. Being open and vulnerable, she honestly shares about being both a prodigal daughter herself and the mother of her own prodigal daughter. Included are stories from other parents of prodigal daughters which Janet offers her wisdom and experience. The end result is the feeling that we are not alone, and that through prayer and God's love and faithfulness, there is hope, and victory when our prodigal daughters return better than when they left. Every parent should read this book, because I believe there's a little prodigal in all of us.Thank you Janet for writing a book I could not put down.