Pieces to Peace, Loving a Prodigal Daughter a Conversation with Julie Malone

Children raised in the same family sometimes grow up with very different responses to life. Such is the story of Julie Malone and her beautiful daughter, Allie. Julie and her husband, Tim loved their lives as parents and Tim’s ministry to teens. But their idyllic life would take a turn into a foreign land of broken places. Julie says, 

“I am very thankful for my childhood as I came to know and love the Lord as my savior at a very young age. I really never knew a day without Jesus in my life. I married Tim, and we had 4 beautiful little girls. We were raising our kids to know Jesus. We were a close family.  Life was good. But Tim and I often wondered how and when real suffering would enter our lives. 

For us, it didn’t come in one huge blow. For us, it came in pieces. A little ding here, and a little ding there – until the repeated dinging of the chisel brought true hardship that often made me feel weary and worn, and well…broken.  And much of this brokenness focused on our journey of parenting our oldest daughter Ally through her teenage years.”

You may not have a prodigal child, but no doubt you know someone who does, someone who is fearful for their child but may be ashamed and embarrassed. Parents of hurting children immediately blame themselves, thinking, surely, we could have done something different. Parents of prodigal children need their friends, family and church family to rally around them and Julie gives us a glimpse into how.