02/19/2026
An invitation to join us in prayer… ⬇
A couple of weeks ago, I met an older woman from Nigeria whose 39-year-old daughter has been “captivated by witchcraft.” She is yet another mother in a long line of mothers whose children have turned their backs on their faith and decided to no longer follow Jesus.
We have an epidemic on our hands—an epidemic of “prodigals.”
Without getting into the semantics of the word, I use “prodigal” to describe anyone who is far from the Lord—those who are lost and don’t yet know they need to be found, and those who once believed and ran toward Christ but are now running in rebellion. Prodigals are those who have left the church, but they are also those who still sit in her pews every Sunday.
As Timothy Keller reminds us in his book, The Prodigal God, we serve a God who extravagantly pours out mercy, grace, and love. To that good news what can we say other than, “Who are we that God is mindful of us? Who are we to receive such gifts from His hand?”
My dad has always taught something similar. In The Parable of the Prodigal Son, we see the heart of a compassionate father who watches and waits for his son’s return. When he finally sees him on the horizon, the father unashamedly hikes up his robe to run—hurrying to scoop his beloved son into his arms with hugs and kisses.
As a mother of prodigals myself, I also watch and wait, longing for their return. But I don’t watch and wait alone. I cry out to the only One who can reach in, change their hearts, and bring them home—knowing that He watches and waits with me, ready to run and scoop them into His warm embrace.
We may have an epidemic of prodigals, but more importantly, we have a Father who loves these sons and daughters. We have a Father who is watching, waiting, and working. A Father we can trust with prodigal hearts.
At FamiliesAlive, we’re committed to praying for these loved ones, young and old. If you know someone who is far from the Lord, we would love to spend the next 40 days praying for them by name.
Simply send an email to [email protected] with the names of those we can pray for. Feel free to include specific requests, but know that the Lord already knows them by name; He knows exactly what they need and when they need it. A name is enough.
We also invite you to join us as we intercede together. We'll be hosting two in-person prayer gatherings in Parker, CO and two gatherings via Zoom (see details below). Together, let’s battle for the hearts of those we long to see come home!
For His Name’s Sake,
Becky
