Prodigal Son’s Story of Addiction and Redemption Detailed in Inspiring New Memoir from Father and Son Duo

Hope Lies Ahead is one family’s story of God’s goodness and redemption in unexpected places. James Banks shares his perspective as a dad watching his child self-destruct through substance abuse, and Geoff Banks writes as the prodigal who finds his way home. This back-and-forth approach candidly shares their experiences and addresses the spiritual and practical challenges families face. 

"I felt my son slipping away, and had to do something,” writes James. "Where was the little boy I had been so close to, that boy who was so sweet and open? When a day would go without drama, Cari and I frequently found ourselves saying, 'Today was a good day.' It became our own special phrase, something we’d repeat reassuringly to each other. It was packed with meaning, code for 'Today was a day with no discoveries of drugs, no unpleasant surprises, no arrests, no emergency phone calls….’”  

Geoff's situation seemed hopeless. He had made a mess of his life. His parents struggled to understand the choices the son they loved so much made. And they prayed. Through the hurting, the questions, the frustrations. And through it all, God walked with them. 

The father and son duo will point you to God for comfort, healing, and restoration during your own difficult prodigal journey. In whatever way your loved one is turning from the values and faith you hold, you will relate to the raw emotions of fear, despair, and relief. You will nod, cry, call out to God, and—most importantly—you’ll find hope for tomorrow.

Hope Lies Ahead is a follow-up to James Banks’s popular book, Prayers for Prodigals, which he wrote in the midst of his son’s drug addiction.

For more information, visit HopeLiesAhead.org.  

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