License to Parent with Trace Embry

Our guest, Dena Yohe, is the author of the book You Are Not Alone. She has personal experience with her own troubled teen, and will give us practical advice to help parents with their struggling teens.

Dena Yohe is the wife of a former pastor, and the mother of a formerly troubled daughter, Renee Yohe. Renee, was a once-suicidal, addicted, depressed, self-harming girl whose situation led friends to start the well-known nonprofit To Write Love on Her Arms. Renee’s life was also portrayed in the 2015 Sony Pictures release by the same name. Dena and her husband, Tom, live in Orlando, Florida. Their full time work now is with their ministry, Hope for Hurting Parents.

How to Cope if you Have a Troubled Teen

Well, by the time I see parents at Shepherds Hill Academy (SHA), they’re more than sideways. They’re upside down and inside out. They’re crushed. Today’s guest will do a much better job of sharing those feelings than I could ever begin to do. In fact, I might even come across a bit callous to a lot of parents at SHA, because:

 I’m not nearly as emotionally involved as the parents are.

 I haven’t been the recipient of their child's abuse for months and years.

 I know how these things usually turn out after a year at SHA.

For the parents in the middle of their journey they can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Many feel they have nobody to lean on or to identify with.

Usually parents’ greatest concern is that they just want their teen to be happy; which, I think is a misguided and culturally-driven emotion. Usually, their greatest need is relief—to see light at the end of the tunnel and the hope of an emotionally, psychologically and spiritually healthy child. That’s been my experience. Our guest may see it vastly different. Either way, she’s here—not so much for the sake of giving advice about healing kids, but to help parents deal with the difficulties of dealing with their troubled teen. Because, not only are there a lot of hurting parents out there, but there are a lot of self-defeating thoughts that go along with that hurt. Topics Dena shares:

Dena’s story and how she walked through the journey of a troubled teen.

Are there more families struggling with troubled teens than years past.

Encouragements that will help you cope amidst the crisis of a troubled teen.

How to address the spiritual component to your teen’s challenges.

Signs that your teen may be troubled.

How to develop a relationship with your struggling teen.

What role sin plays into the internal struggle with troubled teens.

Picture provided by DR. DAVID POTTER.

Our guest, Dena Yohe, is the author of the book You Are Not Alone. She has personal experience with her own troubled teen, and will give us practical advice to help parents with their struggling teens. Dena Yohe is the wife of a former pastor, and the mother of a formerly troubled daughter, Renee Yohe. Renee, was a once-suicidal, […]

Today’s teens have access to more knowledge than arguably any culture in history. This makes for cliche answers to life’s toughest questions remain credible in their eyes. Gone are the days where parents can hide behind the phrase “because the Bible says.” Our guest today, Dr. Alex McFarland gives us practical insight.

Alex is a speaker, writer and advocate for Christian apologetics. He serves as director of the Center for Christian Worldview and Apologetics at North Greenville University in South Carolina; a leading Christian college in the United States. Dr. Alex McFarland is the author of several books, including the best-selling 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity. He is a graduate of Liberty University and he and his wife live in North Carolina.

Why You Should Incorporate Apologetics into Your Home

Our kids have access to information that no other generation of adults ever had as kids. Kids are seeing some of the greatest challenges to the Christian faith ever dealt with in the history of the church. In many ways this is a good thing. We shouldn’t be afraid of the tough questions. But, I think it’s dangerous when tough questions are presented to a generation of emotionally fragile and spiritually immature kids who aren’t equipped—emotionally, spiritually or otherwise to field what some 50 year-old ex-Christian with an axe to grind spews on the Internet.

You wouldn’t let your child defend himself in a court of law without proper counsel would you? But, our kids are being thrown before these “spiritual predators” on the Internet every day. These people have made it their life’s ambition to debunk the Christian faith in order to justify their own sins. This strategy is particularly effective against our impressionable young people who just aren’t equipped to defend their faith as they need to be in this day and age. And what makes it even more dangerous is the fact that these Internet spiritual predators are using a medium where they have a captive audience. The same kids that won’t step foot in a church, will spend all night on the Internet—and these people know it.

Unfortunately, most parents can’t answer the challenges that these people on the Internet bring to the table either. Think about it... Questions that were historically reserved for tenured theologians are now being fielded by garden-variety anemic-churched lay people who, by and large, have no clue how to answer this level of questioning. But, these questions are very legitimate; and, there are legitimate answers to them. Unfortunately, the answers too often given are as anemic to the atheistic mind as the theological acumen of the zealous, yet naive and inexperienced, person giving the answers.

Too often, good answers to Christian apologetics aren’t getting seen or heard. Dr. McFarland helps parents navigate through the following:

Why are apologetics important?

The truth about the millennial generation’s church attendance.

How the breakdown of the family has lead to atheism.

Practical resources for addressing life’s toughest questions.

Why parents need to dig deep and learn to articulate what they believe.

Today’s top apologists that parents can listen to to improve their understanding.

Picture provided by Pixabay.com.

Today’s teens have access to more knowledge than arguably any culture in history. This makes for cliche answers to life’s toughest questions remain credible in their eyes. Gone are the days where parents can hide behind the phrase “because the Bible says.” Our guest today, Dr. Alex McFarland gives us practical insight. Alex is a […]

Yet, like anything else, the power of Jesus Christ can walk us through the traumatic experiences of our past and limit the collateral damage it might otherwise produce in, not only ourselves, but in those we know best and love most. Our guest today is Raymond W. Kahle, Ph.D, Th.M and he provides us steps to practically navigate life’s traumas.

Our guest, Raymond W. Kahle, Ph.D, Th.M, currently an instructor at the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) and teaches classes in crisis intervention. He is the Director of Kindred Spirits, where he works with law enforcement as a traumatologist. His passion is to assist those that serve our country in working through the trauma they may experience.

Navigate the Traumas of This Life

Trauma affects everyone to some degree or another. That is what I’ve observed. But how we let trauma affect us, and how we let it affect how we raise our kids, will determine a lot of things for our family’s future. To be clear; however, by “allow” I don’t mean to insinuate that we have control over how trauma affects us.

They say the past always affects the future. I think there’s a lot of truth to that. I also think Scripture alludes to it. For example; in particular, when you think about our military veterans it is pretty obvious how physical trauma—like the loss of a limb might affect a person’s ability to parent a child 100% affectively. You have to wonder how the trauma of war in general—even without a physical injury—might affect how a dad or mom approaches their parenting experience in a way that may have been different otherwise. Ray shares his year's of experience dealing with trauma for our listeners with the following topics:

Learn how Ray’s service in Vietnam helped pave the way for his work with trauma.

What is the truth about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder  PTSD).

Should you parent your kid if you have experienced PTSD?

Is trauma a bad thing?

Should we protect our kids from trauma?

How can we get to the root problems our family faces instead of saying “it’s OK?”

Signs to identify trauma in your child’s life.

The importance of addressing the spiritual aspect of trauma.

How to walk your kids through trauma.

Picture provided by Ada Be.

Yet, like anything else, the power of Jesus Christ can walk us through the traumatic experiences of our past and limit the collateral damage it might otherwise produce in, not only ourselves, but in those we know best and love most. Our guest today is Raymond W. Kahle, Ph.D, Th.M and he provides us steps to […]

Abuse and other dangerous habits can be passed on from generation to generation. So how can your family change the shape of your family tree? How can you stop the cycle of abuse in your family? Our guest, Florence Calderone Blake, provides us with practical wisdom.

Florence Calderone Blake is the author of the award winning book The Sicilian Nobleman’s Daughter. It is her powerful memoir of her testimony of living through a life of abuse. In our discussion today, Florence reveals how the abuse she experienced positioned her to break the cycle of abuse in her own life.

You Can Stop the Cycle of Abuse in Your Family

In my work with families at Shepherds Hill Academy, I’m more prone to see kids abusing their parents than the other way around. When we think of abuse, we often think of physical abuse. But there are a lot of ways that abuse can manifest. Abuse can take many ugly forms. Florence and I discuss this concept and more:

Who is Florence Calderone Blake and why should I listen to her?

How Florence’s history of abuse provided her with the courage to seek Christ.

How to change the family tree and avoid a generational curse.

How do you explain families that are not able to overcome the cycle of abuse.

The role the Holy Spirit and forgiveness plays in an abusive home.

Is it possible to have sympathy for the abuser?

Florence’s history in working with DFACS.

The difference between restoration and reconciliation.

Picture provided by Markus Spiske.

Abuse and other dangerous habits can be passed on from generation to generation. So how can your family change the shape of your family tree? How can you stop the cycle of abuse in your family? Our guest, Florence Calderone Blake, provides us with practical wisdom. Florence Calderone Blake is the author of the award winning […]

In today’s culture, the topic of miracles seems to be a snare for many. Are miracles real? Is the miracle-working Jesus whom we read about in Scripture, the same miracle-working Jesus of today? Our guest Elijah Stephens provides us with practical guidance.

We had the privilege of discussing the topic of miracles with Elijah Stephens. Elijah is an International Speaker, Film Director and Author of the book Leading Ministry Time. He is currently working on a documentary titled: Simply Kingdom that uses medical evidence to establish proof of miracles.

How to Determine if Miracles are Real

When we see the multitude of circus acts on what we call Christian TV, it becomes nearly impossible to answer the question: Are miracles real?

I had the privilege of talking with David Silverman, the head of an organization called The American Atheists. He said that he’d look at Christianity more seriously if even one Christian could substantiate one real miracle. But, according to Mr. Silverman, nobody—as of yet—has been able to do it, at least to his standards.

In discussing the topic of miracles, I have to say that even I’ve used the term “miracle” loosely. When I talk about the transformations of the teens at Shepherds Hill Academy, I often call them miraculous because of what I’ve seen. I talk about the circumstantial miracles that God performed before and during the advent of Shepherds Hill Academy.

But, to say that I can produce anything that didn’t give one chance of any being an incredible coincidence or luck of the draw—like the miracles Jesus did—no, I can’t honestly say I can. I’ve seen enough incredible things to convince me God was in them; but, not with the kind of evidence a guy like David Silverman is asking for.

But, because even our salvation is all about faith, wouldn’t it be just like God—in all his omnipotent wisdom—to use miracles at just the right time, in just the right way, and before just the right people to accomplish His ends and keep miracles a mystery just enough to keep faith in the equation?

After all, once you know how something is done, it is no longer a miracle. It may be difficult—perhaps impossible with man—but not with God. Maybe we’ll get to heaven and find out just how Jesus did some of these things. Maybe a miracle is nothing more than science that’s yet to be discovered. I can’t wait to find out. Our guest discusses this and more:

What constitutes a miracle?

Why is it difficult to find examples of miracles that can’t be debunked by today’s skeptics?

Is it our culture’s indoctrination that is preventing us from identifying miracles?

What role does your worldview play into seeing miracles?

Actual miracles that have been identified by Elijah.

How do we educate our kids on the truth of miracles?

How do you help your teen solidify their faith in a miracle-working Jesus?

Picture provided by Ivan Aivazovsky.

In today’s culture, the topic of miracles seems to be a snare for many. Are miracles real? Is the miracle-working Jesus whom we read about in Scripture, the same miracle-working Jesus of today? Our guest Elijah Stephens provides us with practical guidance. We had the privilege of discussing the topic of miracles with Elijah Stephens. […]