When I first stumbled across Lauren Daigle’s new collaboration with Petey Martin, Come Back Home, I felt… seen. One thing that is not widely known about me, but that I freely share when asked, is that I spent a number of years of my life running from God. And that’s putting it lightly. What I believed ensured my return to the fold was having a mother who never stopped praying. Even when others looked as me as one beyond hope, beyond help, even when we clashed and fought didn’t see ANYTHING eye to eye, she prayed. If you want to hear my whole story, I shared it on Facebook a while back. Here it is:
If you have a prodigal in your life, or if you were one, I hope this song blesses you as much as it did me:
And if you are feeling helpless and defeated as you consider your lost loved ones, I implore you – Never.Stop.Praying. I am evidence that prayer can move mountains and soften the hardest of hearts.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Your words went right to my heart. I was reading a book, about a month ago, and the writer commented that when he was “an immature Christian”, he would always pray with the words, “If it is in Your will, God.” He went on to say that he has since learned that we are to pray boldly, without using that phrase, like the disciples did when they healed people.,,,having absolute faith that that prayer will be answered. I have been praying about that, because it seems to me there is never a time when I am so sure that my will is the same as His, that I shouldn’t acknowledge the wisdom of deferring to His. After all, I cannot see the entire picture of His plan. Only he sees everything clearly. My brother went to heaven 7 years ago. He was my best friend and the best person I have ever known. We come from a long line of very long-lived people and I always assumed we would grow very old together. During his short battle with stage 4 cancer, my best friend told me emphatically that she knew God would definitely heal him. It didn’t sit right with me, even then. I know her heart was in the right place, but I believe she was unduly swayed by her love for me and my brother, which falsely led to her certainty God would heal him. I feel God was answering my question through your story. I will continue to pray, “If it is in accordance with Your perfect will, God.”