If you are facing this painful situation, don’t lose hope. We serve a God of hope and redemption, who delights in giving us all second chances. In the meantime, here are a few books you may find helpful to read for ideas on how to lovingly engage with them.
1. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Rejection is an all too common experience, but it can cause
permanent spiritual wounds. Author Derek Prince shows how rejection is the root
of many problems, such as substance abuse, difficulty with relationships,
rebellion, and depression. In our society, millions of people have experienced
rejection. God has made a way to heal your wounds of rejection and bring you
into acceptance with Himself and the whole family of God. Discover how to apply
God's Remedy for Rejection to your heart, and you can leave the effects of
rejection behind permanently.
Many
families today experience the profound guilt and shame filled pain of seeing a
child walk away from their faith and values. Churches and parents feel
powerless to change the relationship and engage the prodigal in positive ways.
Carol Barnier has the insight to help. She left the faith of her pastor father,
became an active atheist, debated Christians, and explored a variety of
worldviews before she found the truth in a relationship with Jesus. But far more than her personal story, Engaging
Today's Prodigal equips readers with a better understanding of a prodigal's
motivation, useful responses that won't prevent reconciliation, clear
boundaries to protect themselves and other children, actions to take when you
know you have contributed to the problem, and the value of realistic
expectations. With effective wit and humor, Carol provides material relevant
for churches, parents and even the prodigals themselves. Can your family or church interact with a
prodigal in ways that build a relationship bridge that can provide a way back
home when they are ready? Let Engaging Today's Prodigal equip you with
clear, specific actions that can overcome the shame, hurt, and loss to bring
real hope for the future.
A generation stands on the
brink of a "rebelution." A growing movement of young people is
rebelling against the low expectations of today's culture by choosing to
"do hard things" for the glory of God and Alex and Brett Harris are
leading the charge. Do Hard Things is the Harris twins' revolutionary
message in its purest and most compelling form, giving readers a tangible
glimpse of what is possible for teens who actively resist cultural lies that
limit their potential. Combating the idea of adolescence as a vacation from
responsibility, the authors weave together biblical insights, history, and
modern examples to redefine the teen years as the launching pad of life.
Then they map out five powerful ways teens can respond for personal and social
change. Written by teens for teens, Do Hard Things is packed with humorous personal
anecdotes, practical examples, and stories of real-life rebelutionaries in
action. This rallying cry from the heart of an already-happening teen
revolution challenges a generation to lay claim to a brighter future, starting
today.
More often than not, teens who behave inappropriately are not
rebelling; they're just responding the best way they know how to life's
challenges. In What's Happening to My Teen?, youth specialist Mark
Gregston contends that all too often parents spend so much time correcting
their teen that they forget the teen's greater need for connection. If
parents spent more time trying to understand rather than trying to change
behavior, they would see a transformation in their teen's attitudes and
actions. What's Happening to My Teen?
offers wise counsel that will help parents of teens succeed at one of the most
difficult tasks they've ever encountered. As they draw from Gregston's
expertise, parents will become better equipped to: respond constructively to the inevitable
conflict, recognize when their teen's behavior is rebellion and when it's not, avoid
words and actions that provoke their teen and create a safe environment that
promotes truth and open communication. For
parents concerned about their teen's behavior, this book provides the
scriptural insight and the skills they need to see their family thrive during
those challenging teen years.
Defiant, out-of-control teenagers are holding families hostage to
their selfish demands. It would be easy to judge the parents of these teens as
ineffective and even easier to label the kids as bad seeds, the symbols of a
self-centered generation. But the truth is that even solid, Christ focused
families are not immune to the turmoil created by rebellious teenagers. Every
day, family counselors across the country see well-intentioned parents who are
driven to their wits end by the daily struggle against their children's
unmanageable behavior, desperate for a shred of hope that things can change.
They also see teenagers whose lives hold great promise, but who need help
navigating their way to maturity. In Toe-to-Toe with Your Teen, Dr. Jimmy Myers
offers fresh hope to disheartened parents who are doubtful that they can make a
difference in their teen's life. He lays out proven, specific strategies to
help parents put a stop to unruly behavior, exert their God given authority and
parent their teen to success.
