Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals

By Wendy Gorton Hill

Walking in the wake of your beloved prodigal's devastation can leave you shell-shocked. Wendy Gorton Hill knows, too well, that indescribable agony. Her heartfelt prayer poems express the anguish she could barely utter after discovering her teen's drug use. With authentic vulnerability, these psalms cover the vast emotions you may experience – embarrassment, helplessness, uncertainty, fear, guilt, anger, regret, and despair. These powerful poems are paired with supplemental scripture and journaling questions.

"Watching the Wayward" can serve as individual devotional, support group discussion starter, or corporate worship liturgy. Hill's words offer profound identification and persistent hope. They pinpoint the best weapons for battle – scripture and prayer.

• 62 prayer poems – Gut talks with God from the trenches
• 519 supplemental scriptures – Further biblical backbone supporting the psalms
• 168 journaling questions – Opportunity to interact and personalize the journey

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667835891

Book preview

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Copyright © 2022 by Wendy Gorton Hill

Visit the author’s website at www.wendygortonhill.com

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of brief quotation in a book review.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION ® (ESV): Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®.

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan.

Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT): Scriptures taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION,

Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked GNB are taken from the GOOD NEWS BIBLE (GNB): Scriptures taken from the Good News Bible © 1994 published by the Bible Societies/Harper Collins Publishers Ltd UK, Good News Bible © American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976, 1992. Used with permission.

Disclaimer: Please be aware that Internet websites or links listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

Print ISBN: 978-1-66783-588-4

ebook ISBN: 978-1-66783-589-1

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

ENDORSEMENTS

Praise for Wounds in the Enemy’s Field

DEPARTURE

Prayer for a Wayward Teen

Residual Stench

Wounds in the Enemy’s Field

Who’s the Prodigal?

Runaway Train

Lying With the Dogs

Clouded Perspective

DISCIPLINE

Double-minded

Baggage Complicates

Frequent Flyer on If Only Airlines

When Ignorance Ignites Imagination

The Divine Alchemist

Chisel Me

When Comparison Steals My Joy

Distracted by Other Runners

Clenched Hands

While on the Wheel

DISILLUSIONMENT

Only You Fit

Yearning for Yesterday

Send Him a Nathan

Shatter Satan’s Strongholds

When I Fear the Water

Revive My Heart

Dancing With the Worst-case Scenario

RETURN

I Know Your Extravagant Grace

Remind Me of the Morning

Revive

Carving a Path to Peace Through Praise

Progression to Enemy Flight

Fortify My Response

Tenuous Calm

Protected by Your Pinions

You Steer; I’m Just a Pinion

When Satan Seeks to Pinion

REJOICING

Hide and Seek

Altered Vision

Dichotomous Flight

The Privilege of Prayer

Silent Scream

Identifying With the Father

Still

Actions and Reactions

Standing in the Breach

Ready to Rejoice

RESENTMENT

Rein Him In, Lord

Praying Onlookers

Pardon Me, Lord, My Pride is Showing

Bring Me to My Senses

Unconditional Grace

Prodigal Catch-22

Deeply Disgraced

Sibling in the Shadow

REINFORCED REJOICING

Lord, I Want the Pen

Home

Open My Eyes

Proving Ground

Not by Chance

Prodigal Testimony

May Our Prodigal Story Make Us Run to You

Surrendered

The Gift of Prodigal Parenting

Conveying Comfort

SUPPLEMENTAL SCRIPTURES & JOURNALING QUESTIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ENDORSEMENTS

Wendy Gorton Hill's voice is rich and engaging. It is a healing balm for parents of prodigals. I wish my mother and father could have read Hill's poetry when I was a prodigal son. — Dr. Lyle W. Dorsett, Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism Emeritus, Beeson Divinity School. Samford University, and author of numerous books, including biographies of C. S. Lewis, E. M. Bounds, Dwight L. Moody, and Billy Sunday

These prayers, articulated in the seemingly endless sequence of questions and the despair of waiting, [are] heart-felt and express the love of a mother's hopes and longing with a tenderness that communicates line-by-line. — Paul du Plessis, former Salvation Army physician whose own poetry can be viewed at www.thedups.com

Lovely… honest, Christ seeking, healing. The words dance.

— Sarah Suzanne Noble, poet and author of I Cry Unto You, O Lord:

Poems of Lament

The poems are very relatable, beautifully varied, and paired with the scripture progression… are filled with hope and sympathy. The images struck a chord! — Karen Pommier, job coach for Safe Harbor, in Hickory, NC, helping women escape addiction and abuse

Powerful. Very helpful for struggling parents. Many of these poems would be so helpful in worship settings. — Kyle L. White, poet and author of Freezing, Thawing: New and Revised Stories from the Midwest

"Profound and beautiful treasures... What a gift… with words and…

the heart behind it is a treasure as well." — Nanette Helm, former teaching leader of the Westside Indianapolis Bible Study Fellowship

Praise for

Wounds in the Enemy’s Field

Excellent. I saw and felt it when I read it and I think many parents of prodigals will too. – Lynn Suchy, missionary to Mongolia and parent of former prodigal

Beautiful. When we realize that we are not of this world, it brings perspective to the suffering we (and our kids) endure. I appreciate the word ‘wound’ because wounds heal — it speaks of hope and not defeat. Thanks for encouraging my heart. – Carol Wurtz, Salvation Army officer

"I like that these poems have a foundation in scripture. When a prodigal departs he is going