The busy days of summer are behind us and crisp air has arrived, both in Michigan (Wendi’s home) and yes . . . even Florida (Karilee’s abode). We are so blessed by your prayers, support, and love as we continue to minister to hurting families.

HIGHLIGHTS:

WCM parents’ retreat—a wonderful, relaxing time, as hurting parents came together Sept. 9-11 for encouragement and fellowship. The excellent accommodations and superb homemade food at Oak Forest Center in Frederic, Wisconsin set an uplifting tone as attendees enjoyed music by Josh Calhoun, a former “wild child” himself. Dan and Wendi each taught sessions and Karilee joined in for Q & A. Look for another retreat: Fall 2012

Wendi’s Schooling & Work—nearing the finish line! Wendi has finished her “Practicum” of 100 hours and is one-quarter of the way through her “Internship” hours (700 needed), working at the Webster Youth House in Muskegon, MI, an outreach to troubled teens, and at Every Woman’s Place, where she works with domestic violence clients. Wendi will take her final class next semester and will graduate in the spring of 2012. We thank everyone for their prayers on Wendi’s behalf.

Even though her schedule has been “crazy-full,” and chronic infections still flair up regularly, her liver-function seems to be improving. With all that is before her, God continues to give Wendi sufficient strength and ability to work, study, counsel, and speak. (This month Wendi spoke at a parolee event, where she was able to share her story of God’s grace in her life.)

Wild Child, Waiting Mom Book Reprint—thank you, each one who donated toward this project. We are happy to announce that our reprint will take place the first part of November . . . and none too soon, as we are almost to the bottom of our supply. What a joy it has been to see God meet this important need through you.

Thank you, dear friends in Christ, for supporting Wild Child Ministries through gifts, prayers, and love. May you sense our Lord’s presence and guidance each and every day – and may His deep love encompass your hearts and minds with His abiding peace.

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto him and bless his name.” Psalm 100:4

In the 20-year journey of waiting for our prodigal daughter to return home to the Savior, many times I found myself totally spent of energy, exhausted and discouraged from the myriad challenges of Wendi’s deteriorating life. “How long, oh Lord, how long?”

A glimmer of hope triggered by any small, positive action or word by Wendi would send my spirit soaring, like a kite, to the heavens—only to be cruelly dashed to the ground a short time later as the grip of sin drew her into even deeper snares.

Up . . . down . . . up . . . down . . . my emotions soared and plummeted like a grossly mismanaged kite . . . that is, until midway through this two-decade-journey the Lord reminded me that Wendi’s struggle was not mine to “figure out” or manage. Her behavior sprang from a spiritual void in her soul; and until Jesus captured her heart, nothing I could do or say would change her behavior. Only the Holy Spirit had the power to reach into her hardening heart and change her life.

[Click here to read our complete Summer 2011 Update PDF]

When I truly came to understand that fact, I let go of the strings by which I was trying to manipulate Wendi’s life, giving Jesus total control of this wind-buffeted journey. I had to relinquish control every single day. Whenever I tried to take back control, I’d consciously surrender Wendi back to the Lord: “Please reach into her heart, Dear Lord . . . awaken her soul . . . bring her home,” I would pray. Of course, as a mother, I’d help and guide when I could—but the burden of accomplishing her turnaround was lifted. That was God’s job.

My responsibility was to Pray, Lean, and Trust:

PRAY – The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16 – ESV)

LEAN – Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you (Psalm 55:22 – ESV)

TRUST – Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass (Ps. 37:5 – KJV)

Guess what! I have discovered in the years since Wendi’s return to the Savior, that Prayer, Leaning, & Trusting is just as crucial for me today as it was during that 20-year prodigal trial. I still find myself battling a propensity to fly the kite of life all by myself; yet, I’m happy to say that I now more quickly and readily turn things over to Him. I’ve crashed too many life-kites.

Do you have burdens? . . .

Worries . . . fears . . . pain . . . ?

Are you discouraged . . . saying, “How long, oh LORD?”

Then perhaps you can find rest in your difficulty (as I finally did during Wendi’s rebellion). Learn to Pray, Lean, and Trust your heavenly Father as you hand-over that burden to Him.

[Click here to read our complete Summer 2011 Update PDF]

A weekend of encouragement for those who struggle with the heartache of a rebellious child is scheduled for September 9-11, 2011 at Oak Forest Center in Frederic, Wisconsin.

This will be a weekend of practical instruction from those who have experienced the prodigal journey firsthand. We understand how to trust the loving heart of God for the wandering child you love.

Click here for more information and registration.

Can you help? The initial 10,000 copy printing of our book, Wild Child Waiting Mom, is nearly depleted – and it’s time to reprint. We’ll be printing the same book, cover, and design through Focus on the Family (not under Tyndale), and this time the expenses of printing will be met by Wild Child Ministries.

We need to raise $5,000 to cover costs and are hoping you can help meet this need. The good news is that the money will return to the ministry as copies are sold, to be used for additional printing.

We are praying that God will provide funds for this second printing so we can continue to encourage struggling families. No gift is too small. Thank you in advance for your donation!

Dear friend, ARE YOU:

Still waiting for your prodigal to return home to Christ?

Still praying through tears year after year?

Still hoping for that miracle?

• • Don’t give up!
• • Don’t stop praying!

God’s timetable is not the same as yours. He is accomplishing His purposes as you wait on Him in prayer. So remember this: As long as there’s life and breath, there’s hope for your beloved’s return! “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” – James 5:16 (ESV)

Recently Dan & Karilee were given opportunity to share their testimony as parents who awaited Wendi’s return to Christ for 20 years. Sharing at three services of their church in March, they were part of 5-6 testimonies given at the end of the service to affirm not only God’s existence, but His supernatural work in people’s lives. God, and God alone, brought our prodigal daughter back to Himself in 2000. How we Praise Him!

FROM WENDI:

My studies are coming along well – I have completed 72 of the 98 credit hours needed for my degree.

Coming Up:

● My Internship begins in June, ‘11 at Webster House in Muskegon, MI. Webster House’s primary work is done with runaway teens and troubled teens in a four-county radius. After completing a 100 hour practicum, I’ll be putting in 600 intern hours.

I’m so thankful that God has given me this opportunity to work with an agency that will allow me to tailor-fit my experience. I will be working with two populations of teens: 1) pregnant teens (helping them with employment issues); and 2) troubled teens in the four counties served. What is incredible is that these counties are the exact ones I hope to establish my counseling practice in with Wild Child Ministries! I drove away from my internship interview smiling at how ONLY GOD can create such amazing, perfect opportunities! YOUR PRAYERS ARE BEING HEARD. Thank you!

CURRENT ACTIVITIES:

● I’ve been meeting with (and e-mailing) many individuals who struggle with prodigals. Some I meet with are mothers . . . others are the teens themselves. Please continue to pray for me!

● Upcoming speaking opportunities:

Summer, 2011 – coordinating engagements in Michigan – will post on WCM site

September, 2011 – weekend seminar for families of prodigals in northern Wisconsin. I’ll be sharing speaking responsibilities with my father, Dan Hayden.

FUTURE VISION AND PRAYER REQUESTS:

● The reprinting of our book

● We’re seeking God’s direction for a person to organize a core prayer group for individual names that come to WCM and to help develop local prayer outreaches

With all the health issues I’ve experienced in the past year, I’m deeply grateful for the daily strength the Lord gives me as I work toward the completion of my degree while reaching out to individuals and the community. THANK YOU, EACH ONE, FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

“If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?” Matt. 7:11

The first Christmas following our daughter’s downward spiral into rebellion, our hearts were filled with great sorrow. Wendi was sixteen – and pregnant. Where could we find “joy to the world” that season? How could we celebrate Christmas when we hurt so deeply? The only gift we wanted that Christmas—our only wish—was for our beloved prodigal to return home to Christ. Yet, during those days of heartache . . . and every single day of her waywardness . . . we discovered an abundance of gifts readily available to us, her parents. Where? . . . Under the tree called Calvary, where plenteous gifts were ours for the taking:

• PEACE – when we kept our minds stayed on Him (Isa. 26:3)
• ENCOURAGEMENT – from God, a “very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46)
• HOPE – an abundance of hope! (Rom 15:13)
• COMFORT – because we were His children (2 Thess. 2:16-17)
• JOY – in His presence (Psalm 16:11)

Jesus offers you “GOOD GIFTS” too—gifts chosen especially for you!

Whatever your pain is today—no matter how impossible your situation seems, dear friend—Jesus Christ will be your Comforter, Sustainer, and Giver of all GOOD GIFTS.

“No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” – Psalm 84:11

REMEMBER THIS, HURTING PARENT & SUFFERING CHRISTIAN:

To believe His Word is to receive His gifts

We wish you JOY this Christmas season and in 2011!

IT’S A WAR ZONE OUT THERE:

Research has shown that more than 75% of Christian teens are leaving their faith (or churches) after graduation from high school (stated by the Barna Group, and Lifeway Research). What a sobering statistic! It is Wild Child Ministries’ desire and purpose to be “in the trenches”—battling with families through prayer, counseling, and solid biblical resources, for the return of their prodigals—to help draw these loved ones back to a living, vibrant and energetic faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

VOICES FROM BATTLE-WORN PARENTS:

“Please pray over my sons . . .” (One has been disowned by his unsaved father, and seems to be searching for Christ. The other is into Buddhism and very disrespectful with his parents.)

“We are raising our 16-year old grand-daughter… we have had her since she was three. She is awaiting court for selling drugs at school. Right now we just need to know where to turn for help. Loved your book and it opened my eyes on many things about my grand-daughter I didn’t realize.”

“Our daughter left home 10 weeks ago . . . without our blessing or knowledge. . . . I just found your website tonight and am so encouraged to know that we are not alone. . . . Please pray for us and for our daughter.”

[Our son] continues to struggle and we’d appreciate your prayers once again. He was sober for two years but one drink started the whole thing all over. …We are grateful for the Good Samaritan who found him unresponsive at the park and called an ambulance. He is alive only by the grace of God. He is facing up to a year in jail because of a third OWI. Thank you for your prayers.”

WCM – IN THE TRENCHES:

Currently, I am still meeting regularly with a few single moms in the Grand Haven area as well as meeting one-on-one with parents of prodigals. I also have the opportunity to invest a considerable amount of time into a young single mother of two, who is hoping to soon attend college. This is an exciting time for me. I am blessed that God is giving me opportunities to share my insights and compassion with all of these individuals. I ask for your prayers as new opportunities develop to speak and work with individuals and churches.

The 10th annual Unity Christian Music Festival is August 12-14, 2010 at the beautiful Heritage Landing Park, on the waterfront in Muskegon, Michigan. Wendi English is scheduled to speak at the UnityXchange Seminar Tent

• Thursday, 12 August at 6:00pm
• Saturday, 14 August at 3:00pm

>>> View the promotional video here <<<

Those of you who signed up for WCM’s e-mail updates received a letter from Wendi in March 2010 which spoke of her improved health, recent visit to the Orlando House of Hope, and upcoming plans to attend a Speak Up Seminar in June. In the e-letter Wendi asked for specific prayer for increased opportunities to share her vision and testimony with others. Two days after that prayer request was sent out, Wendi received an invitation to participate in a fantastic opportunity: she will share her testimony at the Tenth Anniversary Unity Christian Music Festival in Muskegon, Michigan – August 13, 14, 15. Thank you for praying!

A link to Wild Child Ministries will be posted on the Unity 2010 web site; we will also have an information table display at the festival with WCM literature and our book, Wild Child, Waiting Mom. Several thousand young people are expected to attend – please pray with us that God will use Wendi mightily!

PRAY! – Thank our Lord with us, for the wonderful opportunities listed above

PRAY! – for continued guidance as WCM looks to partner with National House of Hope

PRAY! – for administrative needs as WCM grows

PRAY! – for discernment & wisdom for our board of directors, who will meet in August

PRAY! – for health & strength for Wendi, who battles chronic lung, ear, and sinus infections

We stand amazed at God’s continued blessings and provision for Wild Child Ministries. He has blessed us with YOU — our prayer partners and giving partners — and has answered so many prayers along the way: recently bringing Wendi back to better health, opening new doors of ministry, and providing strength and wisdom for daily responsibilities. We cannot thank you enough for your prayers! WE LOVE EACH OF YOU, and PRAISE GOD FOR THE LOVE YOU HAVE SHOWN US. 

♥ Even as parents’ hearts break for those children who choose to go the way of the world, so our Lord’s heart reaches out in love to His children who stray – Rom. 10:21

♥ He loves our prodigals more than we as parents can humanly love them – Eph. 3:17-19

♥ Does your patience wear thin? God’s love is PATIENT, KIND, and EVERLASTING! – Rom. 8:39