The Prodigal Daughter
A Guest Post by Meg Carmichael
Hi. Meg here. Some may say I’m fictional, but I’m no more fictional than the Prodigal Son Jesus talked about in the Bible. You know the story, I’m sure.
Change the gender, change the era from AD30 to AD2023, tweak a couple of details, and it’s my story.
Like the biblical dude, I had everything. I had parents who loved me and met my every need. I had a big brother, James – a much nicer big brother than the one PS had. Do you mind if I call him PS for Prodigal Son? It’s faster. Easier. Oh, I also had a little sister. The Bible doesn’t say if the PS had one of those.
And like good old PS, I itched for more. For other things. For a reckless life. I guess one difference is that I didn’t ask Dad for my inheritance. I just ran off on my own. I’d really rather not talk about all the things I did. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty, okay? There was sex. There were drugs.
I… well, here’s when I told Eli what happened.
“The night I realized I was pregnant was the night God shone a beam of light into my darkness. I remember staring at those two pink lines in utter shock. I’d been so careful.”
A flush crept up Meg’s neck as she realized what that must sound like to Eli. “As careful as a tramp like me could be, I guess. Anyway, not careful enough. In that moment, two thoughts went through my mind. One, that I might as well end my life right then and there. I’d crushed everyone I’d ever cared about, and there was no hope for me anywhere.”
“And the second thought?” Eli asked when she’d been quiet for a moment. His voice carried no judgment, and she nearly broke down on account of it.
“My second thought was the entire parable of the prodigal son playing out in vivid technicolor. I saw myself so clearly, clamoring for husks in the pigpen along with that poor guy. And just like him, I realized my father’s workers were in far better shape than I was. Maybe if I came home, humble and penitent, my parents would toss me some scraps from their table.”
Eli leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “But I think they responded like the prodigal son’s father.”
“They did.” Meg’s voice choked. “They threw a party. Welcomed me home. Helped me prepare for Aiden’s birth. They have been beside me every step of the way.”
And Eli… I don’t even know how to talk about him, either. We’d known each other as teens. His dad worked for my dad. He was my brother’s good friend. Back then, Eli hadn’t known Jesus, and I’d already rejected Him. And now, several years later, he’s a believer. He’s back in Saddle Springs. And he’s everything I should have been looking for in a man all along.
But first, I needed to look for Jesus.
How can Eli love me with a forever kind of love after crushing on me as a teen?
Only with God’s help, that’s for sure.
Want to read my story? The Cowboy’s Forever Crush will be available in a twelve-author box set, Once Upon a Starry Night, on October first. You can pre-order it for $2.99 today, or wait to borrow it in Kindle Unlimited.
What other novels have you read with strong prodigal son or daughter themes?
Valerie Comer is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner who writes where food meets faith and fiction. She injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Her life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
Sounds like a great story!
Thank you! Enjoy.
nice covers
Thanks!
This sounds so good!! I read an ARC of one of the other books in this set, and it was good, too!!
I”m excited about many of the stories! I just landed a complete ARC :D
I am so glad I pre-ordered the anthology. I can’t wait to read the books!
I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed!
Oh sounds so good. Thanks for sharing. I have really come to love the story of the Prodigal Son over the years. There is so much wisdom in it.
Isn’t there??? I’ve loved coming back to it several times in my stories.
It definitely sounds like a great and intriguing story! Looking forward to reading it. :)
Yay!
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of the anthology. I have already read one of the books and looking forward to reading others.
Lucky you! I hope you enjoy The Cowboy’s Forever Crush :)
This sounds a great set of stories. I can’t think of any books I’ve read with a prodigal son theme – it’s such a great parable and I love the sound of your reworking of it.
I hope you enjoy it, Ruthie!
Having received the anthology ARC, yours was the first story I read! Still getting through the others. They all look amazing! Jessie’s story I’d received earlier, or it would have been a coin toss….!!
Meg and Eli’s story was a real encouragement to all the other prodigal daughters out there. Such a great prequel to Saddle Springs!
Ooooh yay!!!
Oh! Interesting!!!
I truly hope so!
Sounds like a great book I just received an arc from Jessie gussman.
I hope you enjoy mine as well as hers! And the other ten :)
I have the set preordered. Your story sounds amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy the collection.