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In the first half of the breakout session, we read Luke 15, "The Parable of the Prodigal Son." Jay then answered a question that had been submitted in advance: "How should we approach someone who has drifted away from church or from Jesus?"

The first thing to consider is "why did they drift away?" The younger son in the parable was self-centered. But Jay said that in his experience, most people we know don't quite fit that mold. Were they hurt? Is life difficult for them? Did something traumatic happen? To use a medical analogy — look at the cause, not just the symptom. There are things that are beyond our control. Even so, we can think about what we can do: being present, approaching them with compassion.

The father in the parable continued to love his son no matter how rebellious he was. He could not stop his son from leaving. There are cases where someone truly does not return. The father accepted that reality, kept the door open, and waited with hope. When the son came back, the father did not say, "I did this for you, and that for you." He simply received the fact that his son had come home. It would have been so much easier to criticize him.

When a relationship is broken, even if we want reconciliation, the other person may not. Continuing to pursue them doesn't always work. The father did not chase after his son to bring him back. The father ran when he saw his son returning in the distance. In those days, an older man wearing long robes would not run — running would require lifting the hem, exposing his legs. Yet the father did not care about his appearance.

This father represents God. And we are like the younger son. Jesus was exposed to shame, beaten, and nailed to the cross. This passage reveals how deeply God loves us, and how we are to treat others.

Jay answered from a slightly broader perspective. His daughter doesn't say "I love you" every day, nor does she hug him every day. But that doesn't make her any less his daughter. We start from the foundation that "our relationship with God does not waver."

It is easy to fear that if we don't do enough, or serve enough, our relationship with God — our standing as those welcomed into his family — might be compromised. But our status as his children is not something we earn through effort. God's love does not change. The younger son left home and lost everything he had, but he never lost his status as a son. The older son was always with his father, and was able to enjoy that.

To use an analogy: not drinking water for a day won't end the world. But our bodies need water, so we drink. In the same way, we call God to mind moment by moment throughout the day. Before work, Jay prepares a coffee with cream, opens his Bible, and does devotions every day. On days when he can't sit down with his Bible, he listens to scripture on the train. That, he said, is a line he doesn't compromise on.

In the breakout session, the perspective came up that our relationship with God can also be likened to a marriage. A marriage cannot last on "you know what I mean without me saying it." It takes time and intentionality to grow closer. The foundation of the relationship doesn't change. But the more you spend time with someone because you want to know them, the deeper the relationship becomes. It is the same with God.

Life is not easy. These past few years have brought many hardships and painful events. There is evil in the world. Innocent people are invaded, and children are subjected to forced labor.

Some people may be deeply angry about the current state of politics. But in the long view, every government eventually ends. Looking across all of Scripture, a thread of God's consistency — his unchanging nature — runs through it all. Even in a troubled world, God is guiding our lives. In the knowledge that God loves us, there is peace, and a hope that goes beyond words.

Jay shared a story about a Christian with a serious cancer diagnosis. The nurses looked forward to visiting that person. Even in the midst of suffering, there was something like a light that could be felt in them.

When we pray, "Please do something right now," what does that "now" mean — this moment, today, this week, this year? Thinking in God's time, we can see this moment within eternity. In the breakout session, it was shared that even when we ask for something to be answered right now, God may be choosing the best moment within eternity.

A story was also shared about a dog. Whenever the owner left the house, the dog would always cry. But over time, the dog learned that being apart was okay. Considering the dog's whole life, teaching it to wait — at the right time — is also an important thing.

God may be preparing a blessing beyond what we expect — something even better. God does not coldly say, "It must be hard," and leave us waiting alone. God is the one who says, "I am waiting with you. I will give it to you at the best time," and waits alongside us.

Jay said openly that when he is completely worn out from work, he is at his worst. When friends or people from church come by, he can muster the energy to greet them warmly. And yet, he doesn't always do the same for his family.

He also touched on the tendency to use the Bible like a machine gun to attack others. Being the head of a household is not about pushing others down — it is about lifting them up.

Even if the other person was more in the wrong, my own reaction was bad. Jay said that the responsibility for restoring peace in the home lies with oneself. More important than who is right is whether there is unity and peace. Even when you are right, you can be wrong in terms of the relationship. What is asked of a husband is not who was right, but whether he treated the other person rightly before God.

Protecting family from outside threats is also important. But the hardest battle, Jay said, is within oneself. He shared that he realized how deeply self-centered he is. That self-centeredness shows in the results.

There was also a discussion about how to apologize. "I'm sorry" and "I was wrong. Will you forgive me?" are completely different. The first says, "I hurt your feelings." The second acknowledges your fault and asks the other person for forgiveness. It takes courage, but it matters. If an argument breaks out before bed, seek reconciliation right then.

God knows everything. He already knows that today I will do something foolish and self-centered.

Jay gave an example about his son. If he recommends a job saying, "I think this would be good for you," but his son chooses Nintendo instead, Jay would be disappointed. But God already knows our choices in advance. Would he still be disappointed?

Because God loves us, he desires for us to learn from wisdom rather than from pain. And yet we sometimes learn only from consequences. God loves us even so. After saying all of this, Jay also answered honestly: "I honestly don't know."

God's anger was also discussed. Human anger and God's anger are different. If you've been looking forward to salmon roe all day, walk into a sushi restaurant, and are told "Sorry, we're sold out for today," you'd be angry. God does not get angry like that. God is angry at the injustice of this world, at the failure of justice in society. But Jay also said: "Because I am human, I honestly don't know how God feels."