FamilyLife Blended® Podcast

Preparing to blend a family can be a daunting endeavor. But you can—and should—get smart about stepfamily living ahead of time to create a strong family. Listen to Ron Deal talk with two stepcouples about what they did during their pre-married season that helped them prepare to blend their families. Show Notes and Resources JonathanPitts.net Preparing to Blend + FREE resources. Send us your questions for Ron. FamilyLife Blended Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. To submit a review or question, call us at: 407-826-2606 See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Remarriage after widowhood creates unique struggles. Listen to Ryan and Jess Ronne, parents and stepparents to 8, share with Ron Deal about how insecurities can create conflict in a new marriage after widowhood and how they found beauty from ashes as they worked through their struggles and insecurities. Show Notes and Resources JessPlusTheMess.com Blended with Grit and Grace. Sunlight Burning at Midnight. Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. Smart Stepfamily Therapy Providers. FamilyLife Blended resources. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

What does a healthy sex life really look like? How do you find healing if you've experienced sexual brokenness? Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Dr. Juli Slattery on what makes a good lover, the importance of bringing God into that equation, and how sexuality is a tangible way of helping us understand God at a deeper level. Show Notes and Resources Authentic Intimacy – Dr. Juli Slattery's website Preparing to Blend by Ron Deal. Episode 30: Re-Sex: The Challenges of Sex for Blended Family Couples. FamilyLife Blended. Get a certificate in Blended Family ministry. All access pass to The Summit. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Pro baseball player Darryl Strawberry has experienced fame, fortune, and notoriety. But he's also walked through addiction, divorce, and anguish. Today, he's far more interested in talking about Jesus than baseball as he and his wife Tracy, parents of 9 kids in their blended family, share with Ron Deal about the importance of keeping Jesus at the center to find healing and redemption. Show Notes and Resources Finding Your Way – Darryl and Tracy's website Preparing to Blend by Ron Deal YouTube interview with the Strawberrys Summit on Stepfamily Ministry FamilyLife Blended Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Special days give families an opportunity to honor each other, celebrate one another, and strengthen their identity as a stepfamily. Ron Deal and his guests present ideas on how to creatively take advantage of your family calendar in ways that will strengthen family relationships throughout the year. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/. Listen to episode 21: Stepfamilies and The Holidays https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-blended-podcast/21-stepfamilies-and-the-holidays/. Get Ron's newest book: Preparing to Blend. https://shop.familylife.com/p-6133-preparing-to-blend.aspx. Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDGandcru_medium=DesktopHeaderNavandcru_campaign=Blended. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended. https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/blended-families/. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Sometimes in stepfamilies, we take things out on each other that really are about someone or something from the past. We have something to say to a parent from the past, but instead fight that battle with a child—or spouse—in our present. Listen to Ron Deal talk with Shelby Abbott on how to keep unresolved issues of the past from damaging relationships in the present. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Shelby Abbott. https://shelbyabbott.com/. Get Shelby's books. https://shop.familylife.com/product-creator/shelby-abbott/. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended. https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/blended-families/. Listen to other Growing up in a Blender episodes: 51: Growing up in a Blender: Play the Long Game with Jim Ramos – https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-blended-podcast/51-growing-up-in-a-blender-play-the-long-game/ 43: Growing Up in a Blender: Who's my Daddy? with Ray and Robin McKelvy – https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-blended-podcast/43-growing-up-in-a-blender-whos-my-daddy/ 28: Growing up in a Blender with Ryan Guinee and David Bowden – https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-blended-podcast/28-growing-up-in-a-blender/ Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDGandcru_medium=DesktopHeaderNavandcru_campaign=Blended. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended's annual Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/. Get blended family resources. https://shop.familylife.com/product-category/marriage/blended-family/. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

The end of your marriage doesn't mean the end of God's favor. But when you're in ministry, it can feel that way. Drs. Bobby and Janice Love speak with Ron Deal about how to manage the spotlight of ministry and the pressure that follows when you walk through divorce and remarriage, offering personal stories and suggestions to help. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Rev. Dr. Bobby and Dr. Janice Love. http://www.stepwithlove.org. Get Dr. Janice's book, One Plus One Equals Ten: A First Lady's Survival Guide for Stepmoms. https://www.amazon.com/One-Plus-Equals-Ten-Survival/dp/0615695388/. Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDGandcru_medium=DesktopHeaderNavandcru_campaign=Blended. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended's annual Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/. Get downloadable tip sheets for ministering to blended families. https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/resources/. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/blended-families/. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

What does the Bible teach about divorce and remarriage? How do we consider Truth and Grace when we apply it to God's people? Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Dr. Rubel Shelly on a subject that's hard to understand in Scripture and often disagreed upon in Christian circles. Show Notes and Resources Get Dr. Rubel Shelly's book, Divorce and Remarriage: A Redemptive Theology. https://www.amazon.com/Divorce-Remarriage-Redemptive-Rubel-Shelly/dp/0891123628. Read Ron's article, "Loving Mercy." https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/blended-family/loving-mercy-a-theological-basis-for-blended-family-ministry/. Get the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry Digital All-Access Pass. https://shop.familylife.com/p-5938-all-access-pass-summit-2020.aspx. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended's annual Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/. Get downloadable marriage ministry tip sheets. https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/resources/. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended. https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/blended-families/. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Stepparenting is a marathon, not a sprint. And getting to the finish line with strong relationships requires a lot of grace, personal strength, and wisdom as you accommodate people's grief and feelings along the way. Listen to Ron Deal talk with Jere and Laurie Short on this important topic. Show Notes and Resources 60: Grace-filled Stepparenting https://laurieshort.com/. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended's annual Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/. Check out Laurie on the Blended and Blessed All-Access Pass https://shop.familylife.com/search.aspx?searchterm=Blended+%26+Blessedandsearchtype=Any. Drop us an email and let us know what you would like to hear on future podcasts or send us a review. blendedquestions@familylife.com. Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDGandcru_medium=DesktopHeaderNavandcru_campaign=Blended. Pre-order Ron's new book Preparing to Blend https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-Blend-Couples-Becoming-Stepfamily/dp/0764237934/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1andkeywords=preparing+to+blendandqid=1622129394andsr=8-2. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Little things can create big changes in blended family homes. In this episode, Jed and Jenny Jurchenko share with Ron Deal how they created positive change in their home by taking small, positive steps to grow their most important relationships and give examples in their book, 131 Conversations for Stepfamily Success. Show Notes and Resources Get your copy of Jed and Jenny's book. https://www.amazon.com/131-Conversations-Stepfamily-Success-Intimacy/dp/1543236731. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended. https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/blended-families/. Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDGandcru_medium=DesktopHeaderNavandcru_campaign=Blended. Get Ron's book, Daily Encouragement for the Smart Stepfamily. https://shop.familylife.com/p-5224-daily-encouragement-for-the-smart-stepfamily.aspx. Learn more about FamilyLife Blended's annual Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy