License To Parent With Trace Embry

Resilient Kids The American culture is full of adults who are ideologically divided, emotionally fragile, addicted, mentally ill, and devoid of God. Sadly many of these adults are also averse to logic, objective truth, common sense, and even science. As responsible parents, we need to foster resilience in our kids like never before. But how do we do this when our kids seem to have lost so much confidence in and respect for the parents of the last few generations? Especially when many of these parents have taught them to trust and even emulate people like teachers, coaches, medical and mental health professionals, lawmakers, law enforcement, media personnel, businessmen, scientists, and too often even clergy. Dr. Kathy Koch will help bring clarity to this issue through the discussion of her book “Resilient Kids: Raising Them to Embrace Life with Confidence.” Discussing Resilience with Kathy Koch Dr. Kathy Koch is the Founder and President of Celebrate Kids and the co-founder of Ignite The Family. Dr. Kathy ha

The Blessing Let me tell you about this gift. There is very little investment involved.  The gift is so much more valuable than the latest gadget your child may want. It’s a gift that can improve their lives now and in their future. It’s unlike most any other gift you know of.  This gift is The Blessing. So, what is the blessing?  You can find out today on License to Parent. Discussing Blessing Your Children with John Trent John Trent has the "best job in the world" according to him.  He is the Founder and President of Strong Families.  John writes, speaks, and trains others to create cultures of blessing in their homes, workplaces, ministries, and around the world. John has written over 30 books. We’re going to talk to John today about his award-winning book called The Blessing. Episode Highlights: How do we bless our kids the most? What is the greek word for forgiveness? How is it significant? What is it like to experience the blessing? Does one’s childhood guarantee success or failure as an adu

Healthy Teens If you have ever thought that we now live in a time and place where it has never been harder to raise healthy teenagers, you'll get no argument from most parents. However, could it be that today's dystopian-like society might be making it impossible? Frequent listeners to License to Parent know the answer. There is a possibility of raising healthy teenagers. Teaching you how to equip your child to navigate the pitfalls and dangers of teen life in a world gone mad is our work.  Discussing Health with Tom Kersting Tom Kersting is a nationally renowned licensed psychotherapist, family counselor, author, and educator. He is a regular guest expert on many national television shows and talk shows. He also lectures throughout the country offering expert insight and advice for parents, children, and educators. Tom is the founder and owner of Valley Family Counseling LLC in Park Ridge, New Jersey. He and his wife have two teenage children. His latest book is "Raising Healthy Teenagers: Equipping Your Chi

Words of Love How many of us have ever had a deep discussion with our kids about love? About what it is and what it is not? Love is a multifaceted term and the English language only has one word for it, but other languages, like Greek,  have many. Greek’s uses of its other terms for love can be for describing a parent, or the love of a spouse. An entirely different word for love is used for the love of a friend. And still, another word for love transcends all the rest. It is the kind of sacrificial and unconditional love that springs from God Himself. It can be so easy for our kids to get a distorted idea about love when this term is applied to the myriad relationship scenarios that life brings our way. We need to ask ourselves what are the biblical perspectives on love? Discussing Love with Shannon Bream Shannon is an American journalist and attorney. She is the host of Fox News Sunday and the chief legal correspondent for Fox News Channel. Shannon is also the author of several best-selling books including,

Hard Questions Last week we spoke with Dr. Don Williams about his book “The Young Christian’s Survival Guide.” In this podcast, he told us that his Grandfather was an illiterate country farmer from central Georgia and yet he had a tradition that marked Dr. Williams’ life forever. He required the youngest of his nine children (who was literate) to read the Bible aloud for him each evening when he came in from the fields. His commitment to scripture marked Dr. Don’s father and in turn, marked Dr. Don. He genuinely loved the Lord and God’s word, despite his flaws. He had a real foundation. And this foundation is where apologetics truly starts. A person’s apologetics can only begin to be effective when that person is living a life of sacrificial love for the Lord. This conversation continues in this week’s podcast. Discussing Biblical Truth with Don Williams Dr. Donald Williams is a professor emeritus of Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, Georgia. Dr. Williams calls himself a border dweller. He says he stays p

Lasting Impact In our nation's past most people would have found it safe to say that kids who were submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ were more likely to bring joy to themselves and to their families than the kids who chose to pursue the sinful pleasures of the world. Yet in today’s information age the truth of Scripture, and the virtues of faith, family, and common sense are often belied as too restrictive, oppressive, and even immoral. Many now consider the Bible to be an evil collection of dark fairy tales that speak of the evil deeds of an oppressive God- far too horrifying to be true. In this world parents and children need help to answer some of the toughest questions that pertain to the veracity of God and His Word. Discussing God's Veracity with Don Williams Dr. Donald Williams is a professor emeritus of Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, Georgia. Dr. Williams calls himself a border dweller. He says he stays permanently camped out in the borders between theology, literature, serious scholars

Empty Nesting Many parents invest 18 years into the lives of their kids before sending them out into this great big world. Maybe that’s you right now and your child is leaving the nest and that is something you excitedly anticipate. Or maybe it is a time of apprehension and sorrow and possibly even dread. Either way, it is a time of significant change and there is a certain sense of loss that is part of this new equation. However, that sense of loss does not have to result in the loss of your joy. Discussing the Empty Nest with Jim Burns Jim Burns is the president of the ministry Homeword where he writes and speaks on their core values. The core values are; strong marriages, confident parents, empowered kids, and healthy leaders. Jim and his wife live in southern California and they have three grown daughters. Jim and his wife are finding joy in the empty nest. Jim has authored multiple books, the latest of which is, "Finding Joy in the Empty Nest: Discover Purpose and Passion in the Next Phase of Life." Ep

Ask Trace If you could sit down and get some free advice from a 20+ year expert on troubled teens, what would you ask? Here I ask questions on behalf of you, our listening friends. Every once in a while we sit Trace Embry down and ask him questions about parenting difficult teens. As you know Trace is the Founder and Executive Director of Shepherd's Hill Academy. Shepherd's Hill has turned around many young people that are heading in the wrong direction. Trace is skilled in working with teens and knowing what it takes to help your teen thrive. Find answers to questions about bullying, discernment, and more. Email asktrace@licensetoparent.org to ask your tough questions. Discussing Parenting with Trace Embry Trace Embry is the Founder and Executive Director of Shepherd’s Hill Academy a Christ-centered, outdoor-focused, year-long, therapeutic boarding academy for troubled youth. Trace and his wife Beth started Shepherd’s Hill Academy in 2001 to bring healing to hurting families. They came to Christ after becom

Rebel Parenting The cultural revolution in the 1960’s changed the face of America. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll led the way to much of what we still see today in rebellion and immorality. After all it's the youth of that generation that are the grandmas and grandpas of today. Now many parents, the children of the rebel generation, are having to navigate this new cultural norm and they’re finding that Biblical parenting flies in the face of what they were taught and what much of the culture now believes. Do today's Christian parents face a different kind of rebellion as they raise their kids? Perhaps a rebellion against the rebellion? Discussing Parenting with Ryan Dobson Ryan Dobson is a dad of two and he's the son of parenting expert Dr. James Dobson. Ryan has written six books. He speaks most weekends to people wanting help with their families and he is host of the podcast Rebel Parenting. Episode Highlights: How do you win the spiritual war? What does a “weirdo” look like? Who can learn to live in

God in Tech Just before the advent of the smartphone, it was reported that former US Education Secretary Bill Bennet said, “America is rapidly becoming the kind of nation that civilized nations send missionaries to.” For those who heard Mr. Bennett’s comment, it would have been hard for them to believe the kind of changes that would occur in America over the next 15 years. Smartphones have become a cultural change agent and maybe have even broken down the American Dream and culture. Those change agents seem to have gotten the drop on those who would otherwise use the internet for good. As we head into Easter it's a good time to ask the question, “does scripture have anything pertinent to say about the digital age and technology that we now have to navigate as parents?” Discussing Tech with Chris Kaspar Chris Kaspar is the founder of Techless an innovative tech start-up that created Wisephone- a pure and simple phone for intentional people. Chris is married to Ciera and is the fun dad of four beautiful daughte

The Blessing If I said that I knew what the perfect gift was that you could give your child for their next birthday you would want to know what it was, right? This gift does cost a little bit of money, and it has a little investment involved, but it is more valuable than the latest technology. The one that they probably want. This is a gift that can improve their lives now and in the future. It is unlike most gifts that you know. This gift is The Blessing. Discussing Blessing with John Trent John Trent is the founder and director of Strong Families. He claims to have the best job in the world. He writes, speaks, and trains others how to create cultures of blessing in their homes, workplaces, ministries, and around the world. John has written over 30 books including his award-winning book “The Blessing." He and his wife have two wonderful daughters. Episode Highlights: How do we bless our kids most? Who is the only perfect parent? How many people does it take to make a difference in someone's life?

Ask Trace If you could sit down and get some free advice from a 20+ year expert on troubled teens, what would you ask him? Find answers to questions about bullying, discernment, and starving children- but not from hunger. Email asktrace@licensetoparent.org to ask your tough questions. Discussing Parenting with Trace Embry Trace Embry is the Founder and Executive Director of Shepherd’s Hill Academy a Christ-centered, outdoor-focused, year-long, therapeutic boarding academy for troubled youth. Trace and his wife Beth started Shepherd’s Hill Academy in 2001 to bring healing to hurting families. They came to Christ after becoming parents and learned a lot through that process as well as in their leadership roles at Shepherd’s Hill. Trace is also the author of “The Miracles of Shepherd’s Hill: An Extraordinary Odyssey of Divine Interventions” which accounts for the full journey of how Trace and Beth came to where they are now. Episode Highlights: What are our children starving for? Science is the new- what?

Battle Plan We all know the story of the prodigal son. In fact, it seems we all know a family that actually has a prodigal child. This is true for the President of the United States down to the average American Smith or Jones family. As believers in God and his Word, we understand that there are spiritual forces battling among us vying for our loyalty. A spiritual battle is also going on for our children. What parents need is a battle plan. Warfare strategies to win back the prodigals. Discussing Warfare with Laine Craft Laine Craft is a mom, wife, and partner with God. Laine wants to see the impossible things become possible. This is because she has walked through several impossible. She walked through a marriage that resurrected after 17 miserable years, God healing her daughter from life-threatening illnesses, and seeing her three prodigal children become free, whole, and healed from porn, drugs, alcohol, and depression. Laine is also the author of the book "The Parent's Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to

Wisephone It has been long overdue, but in recent years a handful of visionaries and a growing contingent of parents are beginning to wake up to a vital need that can effect positive change not just in families, but in our culture. If you have happened to lookover ways to restore righteousness, peace, and joy to your child-rearing experience in your home then stay tuned. Find out how your family can have a wiser, safer, and more “free” alternative to the dangers and corruptions that threaten your kids through smartphones. Discussing Tech with Chris Kaspar Chris Kaspar is a leader in the creation of healthy tech. He is a part of cleaning things up. He is the founder of Techless an innovative tech startup that created Wisephone, a pure and simple phone for intentional people. Before Techless, Chris founded Dancing Fox Films a film production company and Espresso, an ad agency specializing in brand development. Chris is married to his wife Ciera and is a father to four beautiful daughters. Chris and Ciera have

Ask Trace Parent’s in today’s culture are facing some really hard choices. Raising their kids in a way that honors God means that their kids probably won’t be allowed to do things and activities that their friends get to do. When I was young it meant that I didn’t get to go to a movie theater. That was tough and caused lots of arguments in our household. Navigating culture and parenting leads to some tough questions. Discussing Parenting with Trace Embry Trace Embry is the Founder and Executive Director of Shepherd’s Hill Academy a Christ-centered, outdoor-focused, year-long, therapeutic boarding academy for troubled youth. Trace and his wife Beth started Shepherd’s Hill Academy in 2001 to bring healing to hurting families. They came to Christ after becoming parents and learned a lot through that process as well as in their leadership roles at Shepherd’s Hill. Trace is also the author of “The Miracles of Shepherd’s Hill: An Extraordinary Odyssey of Divine Interventions” which accounts for the full journey of

FBI Dads Today’s American culture continues to marginalize the value of the nuclear family. This makes it easier for more and more fathers to abandon their God-given responsibility to help nurture their offspring. As a result, the issue of absentee fathers has become a maximum problem for a culture that has been minimizing their significance. How do we turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers? Discussing Fatherhood with Ryan Roy Ryan Roy is the leader of FBI Dads. FBI Dads stands for “fathers being involved.” Ryan is the author of “Be the Dad You Wish You Had.” His father abandoned him when he was just five years old. After many years of research and trial and error Ryan has uncovered the most effective tools and methods to teach any dad how to be the dad he wishes he had. Episode Highlights: How are both men and women responsible for the creation of absentee fatherhood? According to Ryan why are dads not so involved anymore? In what way are women incent

Gamer In 2021 Americans spent over 60 Billion dollars just to play video games. What that actually cost our nation in lost productivity and revenue is anyone's guess. Anecdotal evidence gives rise to the notion that much of this could be used in the workforce to help balance out our economy, but instead, we have young adults in their parents' basements watching porn and playing video games. How can you keep your family from becoming victims in a digital disaster? Discussing Video Games with Adam Brooker Adam Brooker grew up in the Charlotte area. He graduated high school in 2010 and went to North Carolina State University for one year. He then dropped out to enlist in the Army and ended up leaving for basic training in 2012. Adam was part of the 82 Airborn Division and five years later he finished his undergrad in North Carolina. Now Adam is in his last semester at Campbell Law School in Raleigh North Carolina. Episode Highlights: What is the difference between sustenance and substance? People can’t fe

Digital Addiction Smartphones have this pull on us- me, you, and everyone. They are designed that way! When was the last time you left your phone somewhere and didn’t panic? Your brain and mine have developed and matured in ways that your child’s brain has not. So why do you give your child a phone? It is understandable- they need it for football practice and other activities. They need to get ahold of you and vice versa! But, how do you talk through pulling back on the phone? Let’s discuss some practical steps. Discussing Technology with Melanie Hempe Melanie Hempe is the founder of Screen Strong and has been on our program before. One of her goals in Screen Strong is to help parents think through the double standards on phones and other devices when they’re talking with their children. Episode Highlights: What have smartphones virtually brought into our homes? What two aspects does Trace tie to kids who become school shooters? How are hypocrisy and double standards different? What is the Gold Sta

Wrecking Ball During the course of almost every mom and dad’s 18-year parenting journey, you will encounter conflict with your children. Guaranteed. But what happens when the conflicts become routine and magnify into combat in the teen years? How should parents proceed when you can no longer restrain your teenage wrecking ball from wrecking your home and the loved ones inside it? There are options if you run out of ideas for keeping your home a sanctuary of sanity and safety. These options are provided by a professional who helps families for a living. Discussing Recovery with Holly Hunter Holly Hunter has been transporting troubled teens to therapeutic schools and programs across the country through Safe Passage Global which she founded. Holly has been a private investigator for more than 20 years, holds certifications in crisis manager intervention, and has been a Christian life coach. Holly is a certified mental health coach, first responder, and much much more. Holly is good at what she does and cares de

Defending Faith In our previous episode, our guest Alex McFarland helped parents understand what they need to do to help start changing our culture for the good. The early church prevailed because the gospel is true and because they were willing to die for their faith. What happened was that Christians built great families, Christians gave an honest days work, and men married women and had children and adopted children. Christianity turned the world upside down on the strength of family, morals, and personal excellence. We can do this again. Learn how to defend your faith. Discussing Truth with Alex McFarland Alex McFarland speaks worldwide and is known as a Christian Apologist, author, evangelist, religion and culture analyst, and defender of truth. Alex has written 18 books on apologetics and the Christian faith, one of which is “100 Bible Questions and Answers.” He is the host of the Alex McFarland Show which can be heard on American Family Radio and other outlets. He and his wife live in North Carolina.