In the midst of one of our nation’s worst economies, God has provided Shepherd’s Hill Academy with one of our most successful years. As 2011 comes to a close, I’d like to highlight some of the ways that the servant hearts of our supporters have helped transform the lives of well over 40 families. If you feel led to be part of transforming America one family at a time, through your financial support, we would encourage you to participate in our year end giving campaign.

Shepherd’s Hill Academy Provisions

  • 2011 has brought  record attendance to SHA. This year, alone, we have had the privilege of seeing well over 40 troubled teen’s lives transformed!  That’s over 40 families going from crisis mode to restoration.
  • As we grow in numbers, the need for a larger commercial stove in the cafeteria became evident.  A donor caught wind of it and, presto, we have a new stove!  We’ve also been gifted two cars and a church bus this year. Dependable vehicles seem to be an ongoing need here at SHA.
  • With greater attendance, however, came greater expenses and needs.  Earlier in the year, we set a goal to totally replace all of our computers on campus by year’s end – a desperate need.  To be frank, $35,000 seemed insurmountable.  Yet, right now, we are a computer and a half away from accomplishing this goal!   Our kids are so grateful!
  • Recently, by faith,  we were able to add to our administration office and provide our teachers a desperately needed prep room/office, a classroom, and a therapy office.  We never mentioned this in our newsletters. By faith, two different donors sent checks that covered all costs of the building that we acquired by faith! They had no idea of our need.
  • This summer, one of our students earned a free trip to Washington D.C.  He was one of 40 students across America honored with this prize.  He got an up close and personal tour of the inner workings of our nation’s capital and met with a number of high-level government officials with his dreams and concerns.  It was a life-changing experience for him–especially seeing all the evidence for America’s Godly roots carved in granite.
  • SHA was gifted a house and commercial building in downtown Toccoa, GA!  This was a tremendous gift!  Our thought was to eventually use the storefront as a thrift store and the house for staff housing and/or a home for some of our SHA graduates who have turned 18.   As we eagerly await God’s perfect plan, many different ideas are brewing.

License to Parent Provisions

  • In addition to all the teens being transformed and families being reconciled right here at Shepherd’s Hill Academy, there are untold numbers who glean parenting and cultural insights from our License to Parent with Trace Embry radio broadcast, which can now be heard around the world.  God has affirmed His hand on this work this year.
  • The content of License to Parent and the work of SHA has given us a platform to develop relationships and insightful face to face meetings with many of the world’s most respected Christian leaders.  In addition, a popular radio voice for many world-wide radio ministries has given his voice to License to Parent at no cost to help promote our work!
  • An anonymous donor not only built us our own radio studio right here on campus, but he stocked it with brand new radio equipment as well!  We didn’t ask for this.  This was, without a doubt, a God thing. This will save the ministry thousands of dollars annually!

Opportunities

  • SHA and License to Parent have also acquired formal endorsements from world renowned Christian ministers like Ken Ham, Ravi Zacharias, David Barton, Tullian Tchividjan, and other Christian leaders this past year!  I was also asked to consider writing a chapter for an upcoming book of another popular Christian leader pertaining to my experience with kids in residential care.
  • Staff and students of SHA can be seen in a documentary movie called “Captivated” filmed in July.  It is a testimony to what we know about technology’s affect on today’s youth, family, and culture.  Go to captivatedthemovie.com to find out more or contact us at shepherdshillacademy.org
  • Sensing God is bringing this ministry to another level, SHA is now working with a group to help us brand our ministry in preparation for where He is about to take us.  Books, resource material, and parenting workshops are all part of the mix – all in an attempt to bring the same Godly equipping to families that could never make residential care a reality.  SHA is the perfect proving ground for a message that many might consider a politically incorrect approach to parenting in the new millennium.
Folks, there’s a mission field in our own back yards.  For the first time in history, more missionaries are being coming to America than are being sent out!  We don’t see the forest for the trees; but, apparently, other nations see what Americans are blind to.  We’ve lost our depth.  God is using SHA to make disciples – people of spiritual depth and students of the Word.  If America is going to re-claim her missionary-sending status, she must first possess a populace that has a pool to pull from for the task.  SHA is doing what Jesus did with 12 and no internet – changing the world one disciple at a time.  Please consider SHA in your year-end giving.  Help us bring this work to those who may never otherwise get it.  It’s the help the world needs – it’s what we provide at SHA every day!

 

Author: Trace Embry is the Founder of Shepherd’s Hill Ministries. He hosts the License To Parent radio program.