One thing parents can do when their children seem unreachable is PRAY for them.
Is the missing element....in spite of both young men's rather affluent or comfortable homelife....a void of faith?
Were either brought up with a spiritual foundation of their place in God's world.
Did the parents try to instill a sense of purpose for their lives.....did they train them with spiritual principles and basic moral standards?
"One thing parents can do when their children seem unreachable is PRAY for them."
Amen. I had long been away from the church, and wasn't sure I believed in God, but I reached a point with one of my children where I would do ANYTHING to help, anything at all. If that meant taking that leap of faith and begging God to help-- well, I could do that, and I did. MY beliefs were nothing, MY pride was nothing, I was willing to do whatever was necessary. My prayer was, "If you are there, God . . ."
Well, He was there. I didn't mention anything, but a couple of days after I first prayed, my daughter said to me, with a very puzzled, confused look on her face, "There's something weird going on here, it feels different." So I told her what I had done.
He changed both her heart and mine. Life hasn't been all perfect since that time, but we've found the Way forward and she's going to be fine.
JAMES DOBSON AND HIS WIFE fasted and prayed--either every Thursday or every Friday for their kids.