License To Parent With Trace Embry

The Family of the Prodigal Child These days just about every parent you talk to either has or knows someone who has a son or a daughter who has gone off the rails in terms of behavior, attitude, or both. Addiction, self-harm, and sadly even incidents of suicide are all growing at an alarming rate among America’s young people. Curiously, this is happening at a time when America’s standard of living is at an all-time high! Consequently, many parents don’t know what to do. They strive to do everything in their power to keep their kids smiling. Yet rebellion and self-destructive behaviors continue. So many of these parents are at a loss for what to do or where to turn. But the good news is there are options. Today, we’re going to explore them! Discussing the Prodigal Child with John and Fair Brocard Fair is a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and a graduate of Furman University with a BA degree in Early Childhood Education.  Following graduation, and after teaching kindergarten, she raised her three childr

Changing My Child's Behavior There’s a reason for this. Young people have been leaving the church in droves. This exodus, to use a biblical term, doesn’t seem to be slowing down. There are reasons for this also. So the question is why? Why are our young people leaving the church? What can we do as parents to keep our own kids in taking part in this rush for the door? Even more importantly, how can we keep them from abandoning what we and they have always believed to be the foundation of moral and spiritual truth? Today, we’ll be peeling back this onion on a quest to find the truth for a new generation with a special guest, Dr.  Alex McFarland. Discussing Church for Our Generation with Alex McFarland As a Christian apologist, evangelist, author, religion and culture analyst, and advocate for Biblical truth, Dr. Alex McFarland speaks worldwide. He has preached in over 2000 churches throughout North America and many more around the world. He also speaks at Christian events and conferences, debates, and othe

Changing My Child's Behavior Last time on License to Parent: “Hey, you just took that toy and pushed your brother. What does that say about how you view your brother? What’s going on inside of you is that you value yourself and what you want more than you value your brother. So what is that? That’s selfishness and it’s also pride. But the problem is that the Bible calls that a sin.” That’s Israel Wayne in last week’s episode of License to Parent. If you missed that podcast you can listen to Raising Them Up with Israel Wayne. We discussed what happens when you look to someone to “fix” your child. We discovered that fixing the child usually also means fixing the parent, the environment, and the relationships. That leads us to the question of, would it be better off to ask if we as parents are willing to invest the time, effort, and intentionality it takes to keep our child (and our family for that matter) from becoming damaged goods in the first place. Discussing Gospel-Centered Parenting with Israel Wayne I

Parenting Today's Children Today Well before you answer, fixing a child usually also means fixing the parents, fixing the environment, and fixing the relationships. Perhaps a better question would be, “are you willing to invest the time, effort, and intentionality it will take to keep your child and your family from becoming damaged goods in the first place?” That’s going to require some self-reflection, divine intervention, and intentionality on your part. It’s always harder (if not impossible) to fix the WHAT when we neglect to find out the WHY behind our children’s damaged emotions, their values, attitudes, and actions. Discussing the Importance of the Why with Israel Wayne Israel Wayne is an author and conference speaker who has a passion for defending the Christian faith and promoting a biblical worldview. He’s the author of a number of books on homeschooling and parenting including, “Raising Them Up: Parenting for Christians." He’s also the site editor for christianworldview.net and he’s the director

The Perfect Father Whether it’s a biological father, an adopted father, or our heavenly father, there’s an incalculable value afforded any child who’s been blessed with a good father. Yet as our culture downplays the significance of the traditional family, so too goes the value placed on fatherhood. As a result, more and more American men are placing their value and significance in just about anything and everything but being a quality dad. The funny thing is that the offspring of these men most often wish otherwise. Could there be a biological and spiritual need for children to bond with and cultivate a relationship with their father? And what about a man who isn’t actually the child’s biological father? Can he fulfill this same need? Today we talk with the creator of a documentary film that looks at what it really means to be a father. Discussing Fatherhood with Alex Kendrick Show Me the Father is being released on September 10th. Alex Kendrick is the Executive Producer and Writer. If you are not fami

There’s a Big Difference Last time on License to Parent: “I think sometimes people confusing walking with somebody with condoning or accepting or validating what they are doing. I can love anyone through any circumstance. But that doesn’t mean that I need to show them that I’m accepting that. I’ve got gay people that I minister to all the time and they know where I stand and we respect one another. I respect them as a human being and as a person who was created in the image of God but they know that I don’t condone what they’re doing. I can walk with them and I can hold their hand, I can pray with them and I can love them. And they know that I deeply love them but at no point in time am I risking my Christianity to say that I’m validating or accepting or condoning what they’re doing. There is a big difference.” Discussing Apologetics Today with Dave Glander That’s our guest, Dave Glander, a former devout atheist before an experience that completely changed his perspective and life purpose. Now he’s a devot

Answering the Big Questions Sadly, even many churches today are hard-pressed to do so. Many would say that this is the reason that the church is now so marginalized, discriminated against, and openly attacked. But this may actually be more accurately describing churchgoers adhering to a biblical worldview today. As parents, we are going to have to be more intentional about helping our kids adopt a biblical worldview. We will also need to know and teach our kids to know how to defend a biblical worldview with the tools that unbelievers actually identify with. These are things like logic, science, history, and the ability to reason while constructing a cogent argument for what we believe. And all while being respected witnesses to the character and power of Jesus Christ. Sound overwhelming? Perhaps. But the power of God and today’s speaker may just encourage you to buckle down and buckle up knowing the truth is on your side. Discussing How, Why, and Where with Dave Glander Dave was a devout atheist prior to

God's Model for the Family In a real and abstract sense, not to understand the importance of the family is to come into life and then go through it crippled. When the family crumbles, or when it’s totally redefined by humankind, entire societies crumble. Yet even when societies do crumble, those people committed to God’s definition and plan for the family can still stand strong. The family also acts as an organic support system. It’s is one that serves in the same way that a strong and durable cable serves. Both are made up of many smaller, weaker fibers or members. But together they form something that is strong. In other words, when put together correctly the family really is greater than the sum of its parts. History and scientific data back this up. The Bible does too. Discussing Strengthening the Family with Scott Brown Scott Brown is the Director of Church and Family Life and the Pastor at Hope Baptist Church in Wakeforest, North Carolina. He is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton wi

True Representation We are the only nation on the face of the earth that has an emancipation proclamation. We are the only nation that fought a war to end slavery. But the facts are not reported. The messages coming out that supposedly represent blacks today are false prophets. Discussing Rescuing American History with Bob Woodson That’s the voice of Bob Woodson, author of the book Red, White, and Black; Rescuing American History from Revisionists and Race Hustlers. Last week with spoke with Bob Woodson on Part I of our II part series. This message is a timely one for us as parents, as well as citizens alike in a culture that tells us that we are a systemic racist society. The Importance of History Episode Highlights: How is racism defined? What is critical race theory? How you we drive discussions on racism? What should parents do if critical race theory is taught in your child’s school? How can I get alternative curriculum to critical race theory? Why is it so important for truth to be

A Redemptive People I’m talking about obvious and fundamental things like am I a boy or am I really a girl? Am I inferior because of the color of my skin? Could I actually be a racist without realizing it? Is my country systemically racist? For a child, it can be a confusing time. It’s a time when our kids’ values, worldview, and brain matter are still being developed most. It’s when their security, identity, and emotional and spiritual wellbeing are all being established. So not being sure about the basic truths of life only exasperates this confusion; especially at a tie when mental illness really is becoming systemic in our nation. Have the red, white, and blue of our United States actually become the red, white, and black of our divided states? Is your child really a racist? Are you? Today we look at who, what, and where we are as a people. Is it possible to be a redemptive people living in a redemptive nation? Discussing Systemic Racism with Bob Woodson Robert (Bob) Woodson is an American civil rights

The Term Abortion But there’s another definition for the term abortion calling it an object or undertaking regarded as unpleasant or badly made, or carried out. Sadly for some parents, even after choosing to give birth to their child, raising that child can too often be regarded as an unpleasant undertaking that’s badly carried out. Could this application of the term abortion be accurately applied to successful full-term births that result in lives that are forced to endure extreme neglect, abuse, or other misery?    However, one definite abortion, when it involves a human life there is no doubt that a miscarriage of justice has taken place. Today we look at parenting from a different kind of pro-life perspective. Today we speak with Marvin Olasky. Discussing Pro-Life Living With Marvin Olasky Marvin Olasky is editor and chief of World News Group. He’s also Dean of the World Journalism Institute. He joined World back in 1992 and has also been a university professor and provost. He’s written over 20 boo

Transformation through Empowerment If you haven’t already done so, be sure to listen to Part I of our two-part series with Kimball Lewis. Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of teen and parent interactions. Do you feel stuck? Is your teen rebelling against you? Are you at the end of your rope? If you don’t know how to handle what’s going on in your home or feel that you have lost the power in your home, then this message is for you. Discussing Practical Parenting with Kimball Lewis Kimball Lewis is an executive who spent his career using research and technology to improve the lives of individuals and businesses. He began his career as a health, welfare, and child policy researcher for a leading public policy think tank in Washington. He then served as a technologist and executive in his series of successful healthcare start-up businesses before joining empoweringparents.com. A Real Change in the Home Episode Highlights: Why do so many parents find themselves involved in long arguments with their teens or

The Problem Child(ren) Does your child lie to you and argue with you about virtually everything? Does rebellion just seem to be part of your child’s very nature? Would you enjoy a total transformation of your child with the help of an expert who’s equipped for empowering parents? Today we are going to be addressing the emerging issues we see in our children. So much of this is so practical and basic, you’ll be surprised you never thought of it yourself! Discussing Practical Parenting with Kimball Lewis Kimball Lewis is an executive who spent his career using research and technology to improve the lives of individuals and businesses. He began his career as a health, welfare, and child policy researcher for a leading public policy think tank in Washington. He then served as a technologist and executive in his series of successful healthcare start-up businesses before joining empoweringparents.com. He began as the CEO there in 2017 as he continues the work of James Leeman offering practical advice to parents

The Impact of Healthy Families All of this has combined to put a damper on the security of its people. Those are all vital to the emotional health of our people. This is a particular challenge for our kids. So when the people and institutions that our kids would have historically trusted most are no longer necessarily trustworthy. It’s even more important to ensure that we, their parents, can be trusted and we do our best to keep the institution of the family healthy and intact. With enough healthy families, we may just be able to be a part of helping to make America good again. Discussing Making America Good with Joe Battaglia Joe Battaglia is the founder and president of Renaissance Communications, a media company providing platforms for gifted communicators of biblical truth. He is also the executive producer and general manager of the nationally syndicated radio program “Keep the Faith.” He is the author of several books including Make America Good Again: 12.5 Biblical Principles to Unite Our Nation,

Standing Strong Well, it’s no doubt that as parents we would do everything we can to stand strong to stop the abuse, to teach our kids to fight back against it, and get as far away from it as possible. Let’s also remember that abuse comes in many forms. There’s sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse. But what about this: secularism, depravity, immorality, and apathy? These are all around us. Moral relativism says it’s ok. Just because it isn’t right for you doesn’t mean it’s wrong for someone else. Christians who say otherwise are hit with a borage of hate and intolerance. Unfortunately, we the parents have, in many ways, taken the guard rails down rather than standing strong and teaching our kids to do likewise. Is it any wonder then that so many kids lose their faith by the time they are in college? We are the closest representative to Christ that our kids have, after all. If we don’t stand strong, how can they? Discussing Standing Strong with Ken Ham Ken Ham is the CEO and Founder of Answers

The Divine Reset Today we engage in Part II of that conversation. If you missed Part I with Eric, you can listen to it online. Discussing America 2.0 with Eric Holmberg Eric Holmberg is the Founder and President of Reel to Real Ministries. He’s also with the Apologetics Group, an ordained minister, an author, speaker, and video documentarian. Collective Culture & the American Way Episode Highlights: What roles can parents take to create change in their own communities? How does relocation impact American thought? What can we learn about culture through the study of creation? What is the woke culture? Why are hierarchies important and essential to life? How can we prepare our kids to live and find love in today’s culture? Image from Canva

America 2.0 I mean let’s face it. The world we grew up in at least seemed to be a bit more straightforward. Not everyone followed the rules but at least most people agreed on what right and wrong were. In many ways, screens and keyboards have become our kids’ gateway to the culturally accepted source of moral inspiration and discernment. Or lack thereof. We might say that they are the new alters of worship. Many of the things our culture now accepts are contradictory to scripture, logic, science, and what used to be called common sense. If you’ve been waiting or even praying for some dynamic, spiritual, or even political leader to come along and put a halt to all of this madness, you may be in for a long wait. What seems to be needed is a reboot. America 2.0. Or maybe Christianity 2.0. Imagine what that would look like if it were birthed in our own Christian homes. Discussing a Reboot with Eric Holmberg Eric Holmberg is the founder and director of Reel to Real Ministries and the Apologetics group. He’s n

The Impact & Dangers of Technology There is a lot of conversation about healthy child-rearing. In this current age, and for generations to come, parents will be faced with concern and discussion surrounding one very important topic: digital technology. In a world saturated by media and digital technology, our children may just be at risk of being impacted every waking hour of every single day for the rest of their lives. How do we, as parents, handle this challenge and prepare them for a healthy and successful future? Discussing How to Disconnect with Tom Kersting Tom Kersting is an expert in the field of mental health and families and parenting in the digital age. Tom authored the book “Disconnected, how to protect your kids from the harmful effects of digital dependency.” Tom holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Saint Thomas Aquinas College, a Master’s Degree in Counseling and human development, a second Master’s in administration and supervision, both from Montclair State University and a Ph.D.

A Generation Raised on Technology Raising kids today is certainly different than a generation ago. There are many different ways that technological innovations have made parenting (and life in general) much easier. In other ways, digital technology and information access have actually complicated our approach to raising kids. There’s an argument to be made that technology is actually hindering parents' ability to impart, maintain and preserve moral standards, wisdom, and spiritual maturity. Additionally, there’s no question that it plays a role in the influence of young people to leave the church in droves. What can we do to better establish a biblical worldview in our kids? How can we remain relevant in a society that marginalizes people of faith? Can digital technology actually be part of the solution rather than just part of the problem? Discussing Parenting with Technology with John Fuller John Fuller has worked with Focus on the Family for the last three decades. Since 2001 he has been in the co-host

New Priorities in Parenting Where are you taking your parenting cues today? Is it from pop psychology? The media? Science? Scripture? It is essential for today’s Christian parents to keep their priorities straight. Our parenting manual comes straight from Scripture. We can be confident in our decisions when we are walking in the foundations of God’s word. Sometimes our way of parenting may seem a little odd or outdated to the rest of the world. But we don’t take our cues from them. If your parenting style, discipline, or general way of life is seen as different; take that as a compliment! Let’s dive back into our discussion on a different kind of parenting with parent expert and psychologist John Rosemond. Discussing Parenting Today with John Rosemond John Rosemond has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971 in the field of family psychology. In the past few years, John has appeared on numerous national television programs including 20/20, Good Morning America, The View, The Today Show, CNN