License to Parent with Trace Embry

Friend of Trace - Holly Hunter

Holly Hunter is the founder of Hunter Investigations, LLC and Safe Passage Global.  It is her passion and calling to help families in crisis.  For more than twenty years she has been a private investigator helping parents with crisis management intervention.  Holly also helps families transport troubled teens to therapeutic programs via Safe Passage Global.  She is certified in crisis management, a mental health coach, first responder, a Christian life coach, and so much more!  On a more personal level, Holly cares deeply about people, loves to take pictures, writing books, and singing.

Help for Parents with Unruly Teens 

Trace Embry, Michelle Hill, and Holly Hunter share their experiences about the challenges parents face when dealing with troubled teenagers and the options available for help. They discuss the role of residential care programs like Shepherd's Hill Academy, which offers therapeutic and educational support for teens in crisis.

They also discuss the importance of parents maintaining their relationship and not blaming each other for their child's issues. Our guest, Holly Hunter, founder of Safe Passage Global, explains her organization's role in transporting troubled teens to therapeutic schools and programs and their benefits. She emphasizes the importance of family unity and the need for professional help in extreme cases. They also touch on the legal aspects of involuntary treatment and the misconceptions surrounding it.

Episode Highlights:

Informing parents that long-term treatment programs exist for the safety of their child and family?

No shame in seeking outside help for your family.

Holly explains residential care?

What resonates with parents to help them choose residential care?

What is the important to not play the blame game?

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Friend of Trace - G. Craige Lewis

G. Craige Lewis has been ministering for over 30 years. He’s been pastoring Adamant Believers Council in North Richland Hills, Texas for over a decade, promoting the message of Christ and fighting against the secularization of God’s church.

Lewis also leads and is the founder of EX Ministries; established to share God's Truth to the body of Christ and others, and to expose the deception of the enemy. He is often called on to speak about the hip-hop sub-culture, as he authored the "The Truth Behind Hip Hop" series. 

Musical is Spiritual

Trace Embry, Rich Roszel and G. Craige Lewis discuss the impact of music on children and teenagers. They share that the music young people listen to can shape their identities and influence their behavior!  To a higher degree, certain types of music, particularly rock, rap, and hip-hop, can have a negative impact on young people, potentially leading them to engage in harmful behaviors.  They all stress the importance of parents being intentional in their parenting and being aware of the music their children are listening to.

G. Craige shares his views on the spiritual nature of music and its effect on human behavior. He argues that music can bypass a person's moral code and influence them in ways they may not be aware of.  He also emphasizes the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit to discern the spiritual nature of music.  Rich expounds on this and shares a personal story about how music touched his soul.

Trace expresses this;  "I think we've got too many people claiming the name of Christ who want to live like hell and expect heaven for a reward.  It just doesn't work that way."

Episode Highlights:

Is there an inherent evil found in certain songs or certain kinds of music?

Can certain music profoundly affect our kids behavior negatively?

Why do parents overlook the effects of music?

Is today's music worse spiritually than in years past?

What are God honoring lyrics?

Learn what Ex Ministries is all about!

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📣 ANNOUNCEMENT:  For a Season, production of New Radio programs of License to Parent is on "Pause" mode.  We Thank Our Radio Listeners!!  The Podcast will now showcase the Best performing, Most listened to programs at this Website and at your favorite Podcast platforms.  Click Here to Subscribe & Continue Listening!  The RSS Feed will be updated with the Classics of License to Parent so you can Stay Tuned!!

Keep Reading for the Reason for the Season as Trace shares his heart below.  His audio message is also at the 27:20 mark in this .mp3 file and in the last recorded program "Emotional Safety with Dr. Joshua Straub."

Trace Shares His ❤️

For the last 15 or so years I have had the honor and a privilege to interview many of the best and the brightest in the fields of child and family relationships, cultural studies and insights that affect parent-child relationships. Hollywood film makers, scientists, theologians, authors, mental and medical health professionals, philosophers, and many of the giants in today's broadcasting who have had their fingers on the pulse on many of the things affecting child-rearing for today's parents, Christian, and secular like. And virtually every one of them, whether they realized it or not, would've understood and affirmed the biblical principles for child-rearing from their respective disciplines, whether they were actually Christians or not because the Bible and science don't contradict one another. The Bible and objective truth do not contradict one another.

For all these years, I've left every License to Parent broadcast feeling very much affirmed about what our kids and families are learning and experiencing at Shepherd's Hill Academy. Family healing and life transformations are the physical evidences that God and His Word through Jesus Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life and certainly the model for a parent's best shot at raising healthy, well-adjusted kids in a society that's imploded before our eyes.

When we first launched License to Parent, only a man and a woman could possibly make a marriage. Only man and woman could've possibly birthed and raised a healthy child. Virtually all Americans would have agreed with that. Today, in the eyes of more and more people, our systemically mentally and spiritually ill society doesn't even know what a man or a woman is! This and much more is just an example of how quickly and how drastically reality itself is being redefined and how science is being ignored.

Reason for the Season 🙏🏼

One of the highest compliments that has been paid to this broadcast, as far as I'm concerned, is the idea that we have not been giving parents answers to the most common questions, but rather License to Parent has been giving parents answers to questions they should be asking but aren't. Just like our goal at Shepherd's Hill Academy, our goal here at License to Parent has always been to help build better parents by helping them to become change agents to our culture rather than helping them to become more microcosms of it. Today's church has produced too many of those already and now it seems we've had hell to pay for it.

But in the course of being a beacon of light in a dark world with respect to raising kids, I've also had the privilege of working with consummate production professionals who helped make this broadcast what is, people like Rich Rozel, Carl Peetz and my co host Michelle Hill. I want to thank you guys big time, this too has been an honor and a privilege.

So it's with a heavy heart ❤️  that I have to say today is our last License to Parent Radio broadcast, at least until prayer and circumstance dictate otherwise, or perhaps Jesus comes back.

There are many reasons for this decision, first and foremost for health reasons. So I would ask you to please pray for my wife, Beth who's dealing with health issues right now. She's been given a serious cancer diagnosis. Therefore I'll be doing my best to make her my first ministry right now...

About Joshua Straub, Ph.D., CMCLC

Dr. Joshua Straub is the Co-Founder and President of Famous at Home, a company that equips others with relational connections and emotional intelligence.  He is also an author and speaker.  He is passionate about helping others lead; he is a marriage and leadership coach, and is a Fellow at the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling.  He takes most pride in his role as husband and dad.  He and his wife Christi host the Famous at Home podcast.

How to Cultivate Emotional Connection with Kids

Michelle Hill, Trace Embry and Dr. Joshua Straub discuss the importance of emotional safety in raising children.

Together, they also highlight the importance of showing up for children, both physically and emotionally, and the role of a biblical community in child-rearing.  Dr. Straub suggests that parents should regularly check in with their children to understand their needs and feelings and to show them grace and wisdom.

Both Trace and Joshua share stories about their own fathers.  Joshua also gives pointers how he parents his own children as he and his wife homeschool and have family weekly meetings.

Episode Highlights:

Be sure to listen to the end; Trace gives a special announcement.

With risks all around us, how do we keep our kids safe?

God's standards never fall short.

Is there safety without boundaries or exploration?

What is effective parenting without grace?

How do messed up parents turn out some really good kids?

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About Brad Griffin

Our guest, Brad M. Griffin, is the Senior Director of Content & Research for the Fuller Youth Institute.  Brad develops research-based resources for youth ministry leaders & families.  Brad is the coauthor of over fifteen books, including Faith Beyond Youth Group, 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager & 3 Big Questions That Shape Your Future, Growing Young, and Sticky Faith.  He is also a speaker, writer, and volunteer pastor.  Brad and his wife, Missy, live in Southern California with their three teenage and young adult kids.

The Ideal Youth Group

Together, Michelle Hill, Trace Embry and Brad Griffin discuss the role of youth groups in the church and how they can and should impact a child's faith.

The ideal church youth group knows how to express and live out the importance of trust, consistency, and communication with its members. They also highlight the need for youth leaders to model Christ-like behavior and promote conversations about faith outside of the youth group.

It is suggested that parents should expect youth leaders to provide information about the content of the group's discussions and activities.  Parents should be given an outline of the youth group discussion topics to facilitate effective discipleship and transparency.

Youth groups shouldn't try to compete by trying to keep kids entertained.  They already get enough of that!  There should be an emphasis on the importance of fun in youth groups, but be cautious on relying too heavily on entertainment.

Episode Highlights:

Can parents be a stumbling block for youth leaders trying to disciple youth group participants?

Think about your own child's youth group.

Can youth groups be harmful to your child's faith?

What does the ideal youth group look like?

Does effective discipleship always include entertainment?

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About Jordan Whitmer

Our guest, Jordan Whitmer, age 25, is the Founder of the evangelism and missions organization reaching Generation Z youth called the HowToLife Movement.  He also hosts the podcast called "Gen Z Today."   He is a graduate of Liberty University, with a Bachelor’s in Religion: Biblical and Theological Studies, and is an ordained reverend.  Jordan's heart is that Gen Z find Christ and live and lead boldly for Him.

Gen Z for Jesus

Together, Michelle Hill, Trace Embry and Jordan Whitmer discuss discipling to Gen Z.

The Gen Z generation, those aged between 11 and 26, are reportedly leaving the church at a higher rate than previous generations. The reasons for this are complex, but some suggest it may be due to a lack of discipleship and the influence of secular agendas.

However, Jordan Whitmer believes that many Gen Z individuals are open to faith conversations and can be reached through peer-led evangelism events.   Learn more how to get involved and see how Jordan is making a difference.

Whitmer's movement has organized over 155 student-led evangelism events across 29 U.S. states and 11 countries. Despite the challenges, Jordan remains hopeful for the spiritual future of Gen Z!

Episode Highlights:

What is causing Gen Z's to leave the church?

Learn Jordan's heart for evangelism to young people.

What is the common makeup of Gen Z?

Are Gen Z's looking for truth more than other generations?

Is Gen Z giving up on their millennial aged parents?

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About Dr. Frank Turek

Our guest, Dr. Frank Turek is an Author and President of Crossexamined.org, a Christian Apologetics ministry helping young people defend the Christian faith. Frank hosts an hour-long TV program each week called "I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist." He hosts a podcast with the same name.  He also writes for Townhall.com.

Help Defend the Faith with Christian Apologetics

Together, Michelle Hill, Trace Embry and Dr. Frank Turk discuss the challenges of raising Christian children in a secularized culture.  Dr. Turek  emphasizes the importance of Christian apologetics in defending the faith and addressing tough questions sparked by secular standards.

Dr. Turek also highlights the role of the digital age in spreading distorted information and lies about God and His word. He encourages parents to equip themselves with cogent answers to these questions and to guide their children in navigating the digital world.

There is also discussion on the concept of miracles, arguing that the universe itself is a miracle and that natural laws require a lawgiver.  Frank shares that the fundamental essence of the story of Christ is sacrifice.  People sacrifice themselves to save others, and that's what all the top movie blockbusters of the past 50 years have heroes that sacrifice.  Jesus sacrificed Himself to save His friends.  Jesus said 'There's no greater love than to lay down your life to save your friends."

Episode Highlights:

What is it others are stealing from God?

What is Christian Apologetics.

Do Christian parents have to be Theologians to answer their kid's questions?

What lies are being fed to our kids.

Who is to say what morality is?

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Continued from Last Week

In this episode of License to Parent, Trace and Michelle continue their discussion on the impact of sexual perversion and the LGBTQ+ movement on society and the church. They mention how the normalization of these issues are causing a moral decline and confusion among young people.

Open and Honest Discussion

They also discuss the importance of parents having open and honest conversations at a young age with their children about sexuality, and setting clear boundaries. They emphasize the need for parents to guide their children based on biblical principles and to always affirm their love for them, even when they make choices that go against these principles.

Episode Highlights:

What is the lie that people believe today?

What is the difference between harm and hurt?

A good analogy on God's plan for sex.

Why aren't we calling out the evil that is happening?

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About Today's Program

Trace and Michelle approach the sensitive topic of individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ that is often left undiscussed among families.  They recommend and offer this disclosure for today's program audio:  (If you have younger kids in the room, you may want to distract them from our conversation today, or hit the pause button and listen to this when they're out of the room because this is kind of a delicate subject).

Love and Lust

Trace attributes the increase of Gen Z members joining the LGBTQ+ community with regard to a combination of factors; including the removal of God from daily life, the conflation of love with lust, and the misuse of freedom.  Trace remarks that the LGBTQ+ community is not about love, but about sexual lust without moral restraint.

He also suggests that the acceptance and celebration of sexual perversion in society is leading to a rise in sexually transmitted diseases. Trace and Michelle both agree that we need to return to God's definition of love and sex within the bounds of traditional marriage.  They also discuss the dangers of other sexual behaviors including; narcissism, addiction, delusion, autism, and OCD.

Episode Highlights:

Why does the LGBTQ+ society seem to be increasing?

Can what we do in the privacy of our bedroom hurt others?

A good analogy on God's plan for sex.

Do the members of Gen Z feel peer pressure to join the LGBTQ+ community?

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About Karen Whiting

Our guest, Karen Whiting, is a mother of two daughters and three sons, and that includes rocket scientists. She's a grandmother of 15 and her late husband served in the U.S. Coast Guard, so they raised their children from Hawaii to New York and Michigan to Florida. She is the author of 27 books, an International speaker, certified writing and marketing coach, and a former television co-host.

Gaining a Peaceful Heart within Your Family

Trace, Michelle and Karen discuss the importance of peace within families and how to cultivate it.  They share their thoughts on the current state of the American family where internal conflict and anxiety are prevalent due to the complexities of modern life.  They suggest that genuine peace can only be achieved through faith in God. The conversation also touches on the role of parents in guiding their children through life's struggles, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries and allowing children to experience failure as a means of growth.

Karen shares her approach to fostering peace within her family through devotions, prayer and active listening.  She gives great examples of how this approach helped her children have love and compassion for each other.  She also discusses the negative impact of permissive parenting and the overuse of digital devices on children's mental health.

At the end, Trace and Karen differentiate between peacekeeping and peacemaking and explain which they think is a long-term solution that sometimes requires conflict, and use the example of Jesus in the temple in Matthew 21:12-17.

Episode Highlights:

What is the polar opposite of peace?

Karen's take on anxiety, and how to get your kids to get a long.

What is investigative listening?

How media or music can affect your child's peace.

Do people seem to thrive on conflict?

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