Prodigal Daughter

I haven’t blogged in a loooong time because honestly I’ve had a crazy a couple of months were I’ve been walking around trying to hide the hurt and disappointment that my heart was aching with…key word being WAS. I have been telling my sweet friend Paula NO about going on the Emmaus Walk now for about 6 years. I finally gave in right after Christmas and said yes and I can say it was the BEST decision I have ever made. I can’t share a bunch of details about the actual Emmaus Walk maybe because I have a few friends I plan on duct taping their mouths shut and making them go or maybe it’s because I can’t even begin to describe the experience and the effect it’s had on my heart. I went there expecting not much of anything and I left expecting everything to be different. The story of the Prodigal son found in Luke 15 was the focus of a lot of this past weekend and I wanted to share the few verses that really spoke to me.

Luke 15 ^28-32 “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!''

I have always heard the story of the Prodigal Son and never really thought much of it because I couldn’t be that son that turns his back on his family, God and everything he knew. I was the one who always did everything by the book….college, married my High School Sweetheart, had the perfect little children, worked hard at my job, supported my husband and his desire to minister to others, and was at the church EVERYTIME the doors were opened it seemed like.  I had become that angry, cold hearted, and bitter older son and I hadn’t even realized it. I had gotten so wrapped up on pleasing everyone around me that I had forgotten God’s purpose for my life. GRACE and FORGIVENESS are what I am called to show to everyone around me not condemnation and self righteousness because now I can see that hasn’t helped my witness at all but only hurt it. God has given us all what we needed not Deserved.

Praying that other see his grace and mercy in my daily walk with him.