Faith Over Fear - Reflections for the Heart: Episode 14: The Prodigal Son - The ache of watching him fall apart - Pt. 1

The Prodigal Son: The ache of watching him fall apart (Pt 1)

In this raw, unscripted episode, Kimberly opens the door to a story that spans decades - motherhood born in crisis, a son raised in hardship and love, and the long, aching road of addiction that has stolen so much and still hasn’t had the last word.

At 21, disowned and working two jobs, she delivered her firstborn alone and learned to survive in a world that offered no soft landings. There were the years in the ghetto - the late walks home from a midnight shift, the fear, the assault that left scars you can’t see.

There were the early signs of brilliance in her boy - quick to walk, potty-trained by two, reading early, artistic and athletic, then ADHD and school troubles that required creativity and grit. There were the moves, the blended family, the identity clash of a teenager who had acted as “man of the house,” the tragic “hangman’s fracture” after a drunken fall, months in a halo, and a mother who felt the edges of her ability to fix anything.

Then came the long war. Drinking that turned to blackouts. DWIs. Somewhere along the way, drugs. Kimberly fights domestic violence and a psychotic break. A protective order. Boundaries. And still, the love.

Over the years: more than twenty rehabs, from local centers to out-of-state programs. Five children. Seasons of sobriety when he was the attentive, tender dad and seasons of disappearance when absence was the safest mercy. There were midnight searches through dangerous streets; a drive straight to Maryland where he completed a one‑year program and graduated. Hope rose: a job, a home, a baby on the way—until he disappeared again.

This is the cost: thousands of dollars gone; pawned wedding rings (hers) and electronics; food, clothes, and change taken; phone bills paid just to keep a lifeline open. Children watching a mother pace and pray and refuse to give up. And still she hoped.

The present valley is painfully recent. December brought rehab. March was a reckoning. On April 23 she could only whisper, “I can’t breathe,” and resolved to stop enabling—no phone, no cash, no bed—choosing to become “his prayer intercessor.”

On June 13 he sent a healthy photo; twelve hours later he vanished, returning a week later. Things were going well.

July 21 he celebrated his 39th birthday and was set to start a new job on the 28th, July 26 became a lament: “Why?”

This episode is not a tidy testimony. It is a lament with a pulse, an altar built from groans, boundaries, and a mother’s surrender. It’s for every parent who has loved a child they cannot rescue and for anyone asking where God is when the phone won’t ring and the night won’t end. You will hear the exhaustion, the anger, the honesty, and a stubborn, surrendered hope.

Scripture:

Luke 15:20 (the Father who sees from far off)

Psalm 13:1–2 (How long?)

Romans 8:26 (the Spirit’s groans)

The prayer at the end is for weary parents who need to release what they cannot carry and entrust whom they cannot save.

This is Part 1 of a two‑part series. In Part 2, Kimberly will step into the breaking point and invite the community to ask God to meet us here—together.

If you’re walking this road: you are not alone.

If this episode moved you, share it. If you know someone walking this journey, help them carry this burden. Pray for and with them interceding for them and their child. Subscribe to the podcast and check out more reflections on Kimberly's blog Whyfaithoverfear.

If you're looking for a community walking out their faith together check out her FB community Abide & Arise.

Kimberly is a coach who works with women seeking restoration after pain, loss, or identity crisis. She ministers to women navigating complex emotional wounds—including divorce, abandonment, rejection, trauma, and spiritual disconnection blending biblical truth, personal experience, and coaching principles to create a compassionate, Spirit-led partnership with her clients. Book a free 30-minute discovery call.