License to Parent with Trace Embry

Some say, Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result is a sign of insanity. If my child comes up missing, does praying then, make me insane? “No, and I think God does the exact opposite, he says to ask, to seek. God says to be like the widow in front of the judge asking for justice, asking for justice and asking for justice.” The unknown is a different pain when you are...

The trauma of having a child abducted is an emotional ride that we never want to feel. The wondering of what happened, are they alive, who could have done this or even knowing who abducted them is overwhelming, to say the least. The number of suicides of parents who have lost a child to abduction averages 1 a day. Most parents think there is only one type of abduction, that is, someone driving aro...

Inside Shepherd's Hill Academy, there are two types of audiences that pass through. There is the one where the kids have bought into the culture hook, line and sinker. Giving in to their temptations, whatever their bodies want, give it, whatever feels good, whether it be drugs, sex, it doesn’t matter the harm it can do. On the other hand, we have the audience that does not necessarily understand t...

Without America turning back to the God Who blessed her, today modern-day Sodom Gomorrah will, likely, only get worse. But, what’s even more frightening is the Orwellian twist that’s now emerged and growing in our culture, a culture where logic, facts, even science and most assuredly, God--are no longer the final arbiters of truth. American culture is, in and of itself, not just a toxic environmen...

There’s a pretty good case to be made that allowing our kids unencumbered access to “all things digital” has been--and still is--a terrible mistake. This is particularly true when it comes to the indiscriminate way we’ve, carte blanche, divvied out these addictive devices we call smartphones, to our kids. But, has the convenience and seemingly endless stream of information and amusement been worth...

As parents have we had an unhealthy need to keep our kids dependent on us? Why shouldn’t the teen years be a time where kids are trained to embrace responsibility rather than be allowed to avoid it. And, finally, what do most teens REALLY think about being overly-indulged, ill-equipped and pampered into an existence that’s bound up with the strings of dependency anyway? Their answers might surpris...

As we reach the end of the year, we make decisions about the future path of Shepherd’s Hill Academy and License to Parent. What programs do we keep? What do we cut? What staffing needs and changes need to be met to meet the ever-changing needs of teens in crisis. For the next half-hour, we want to pull back the curtain and share some of those needs with you. That’s next on License to Parent. Trace...

So could movies, music and other tools outside the local church be effective tools of ministry? Could they actually help us be more efficient and effective inside the walls of the church? Today, we speak with someone who is doing just that. Alex Kendrick has dedicated his life to following Christ and making His truth known among the nations. After serving in church ministry for 20 years, Alex now...

Our nation’s political climate has become emblematic of what should be our preeminent and most basic form of government. And this government is found under the roofs of virtually every home in America today. It’s traditionally been called the nuclear family. Yet, like our government, it has also become a broken and divided group of people, who actually have more in common than they have difference...

One might not expect that scientific data would actually be needed to assert such claims, but in today’s world, anecdotal evidence alone doesn’t fly anymore. And for good reason. Parenting Teens in a Troubled World Empirical science is the final arbiter of truth for most people living in today’s digital age; trusted, almost as a religion in and of itself. So, does the claim that religious faith ca...

Joshua sees first hand every day how teens enter Shepherd’s Hill Academy and what things can lead to their trouble. We’ll conclude our three-part series today as we speak candidly once more on License to Parent. Parenting Teens in a Troubled World Episode Highlights: What impact does the peer to peer parenting mentality have on our kids? What leads to entitlement in today’s culture? What does a he...

Today we continue the conversation and dive into parenting troubled teens and some of the mistakes parents make along the way. One such mistake includes trying to become friends with our kids. That will come, but first is a process and a period of “pruning” in order for our children to grow into healthy and responsible adults. We will hear more about what Joshua and others see when students arrive...

Trace and I will be having a candid discussion about some of the more sensitive and under-discussed topics that face American parents these days. I want to warn you, this program will not be for the faint of heart. In fact, it could even step on some of our toes a little bit. But, if you’re willing to take a hard look at some of the critical issues we parents are going to have to face in order to...

If nothing else, at the very least, the DNA provided by fathers is essential for the very existence of every human being on planet earth. So, why has the institution of fatherhood been so marginalized and maligned in Hollywood and TV and other forms of media and entertainment in recent times? And, why have the offspring of this invaluable institution seem to have taken for granted such a foundatio...

Walt Mueller is the founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding and has been working with young people and families for over 35 years. As a result of his work with CPYU, Walt has become an internationally-recognized speaker and author on contemporary youth culture. He has written extensively on youth culture and family issues and is the author of the following books: 99 Thou...

Many Americans today, however, view right and wrong more subjectively rather than absolute. Feelings and opinions, therefore, dictate each individual's desire to live as he or she sees fit. The Bible is now considered an archaic book of myths in the eyes of many Americans. Unfortunately, too many of those Americans are our very own children. How to help defend our kids against a Cultural Jihad? Th...

Is it possible that being ill-informed with a warped, or gross lack of historical knowledge could actually be affecting our kids' perspectives, attitudes; and somehow, even their behaviors, today? If so, could this same lack or slanted view of history also be driving a wedge of distrust and disrespect, not only between parents and their children but between their children and their God? That's tod...

I want my kids to have access to the constructive things that the internet has to offer. I just want that access to have some wise and godly boundaries put into place. I want to use digital technology as a tool to engage with my kids. I hear a lot of well-meaning people say, "You have to trust your kids; just love them, train them, and shape their hearts. They'll eventually do the right thing." An...

But then we become grandparents. Suddenly we discover an entirely new kind of love. The joy of grandparenting is second to none! Today we’ll be talking about being a grandparent with Dr. Ken Canfield as he discusses The Heart of Grandparenting. Dr. Ken Canfield has committed his life to strengthen families and fathers. He has founded and continues to engage in several organizations dedicated to im...

David and Jason Benham (the Benham Brothers) are former professional baseball players, nationally acclaimed entrepreneurs, and best selling authors. Their rise to success earned them a reality show with HGTV that was set to air in the fall of 2014 – yet the show was abruptly canceled because of their commitment to Biblical values. Appearing on CNN, Fox News, ESPN, ABC’s Nightline & Good Morning Am...

Without a starting point as fundamental as the gender binary, we parents may actually have nothing meaningful at all to teach our children for which they can’t legitimately respond, “That’s just your opinion, dad/mom”. As scary as it all sounds, there IS truth that transcends our mere opinions. And it’s arguably never more evident than when we’re distinguishing boys from girls. Today we speak with...

I believe the term “toxic masculinity” is just a contrived gateway term that lulls the American masses into a continued pathway toward the feminization of our society as a whole. If they can pull it off, it’ll be a whole lot easier for the powers that be to get people to make more important decisions and life-changing policies and laws based on emotions and feelings rather than logic and reason. L...

Beating their kids into submission may be one parent’s idea of good parenting. Allowing your child to do what they want when they want maybe another parent’s measure. Historically the America standard for raising healthy, well-adjusted children largely comes from the Bible and Judeo Christian ethic. Yet many have strayed from this standard of parenting and we may be witnessing a collapse. Is it wo...

Metaphorically speaking, today's kids are born with digital DNA. Yet, as more science is understood about this issue, the more this metaphor may actually be closer to reality. It may not only explain our kids' extreme aversion to boredom; but, also their disinterest in pursuing and worshipping God, an apparent exercise in mental brutality for many kids today. Dealing with the dullness seen in toda...

Our culture is in constant turmoil. What we once held to be true is not being challenged, it’s being replaced with the opinion of the day. Those once held beliefs are having to get in line to fight to regain their relevance. So, is it any wonder we need help with parenting and giving our children a biblical point of reference for navigating life? Today we take a look under the hood of Shepherd’s H...