FamilyLife Blended® Podcast

For each of us, regardless of our age, the acceptance of our parents and significant others in our life is incredibly important. Many people spend a lifetime searching for something the Bible calls, The Blessing. John Trent and his daughter, Kari Trent-Stageberg, join Ron Deal for a conversation about how the principle of blessing has affected their lives and how it can be applied to parenting and blended families. Show Notes and Resources Take The Blessing Challenge. https://www.theblessing.com/ Learn about FamilyLife's other podcasts. https://www.familylife.com/podcast Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. https://donate.familylife.com/familylife-blended/ See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

If death or divorce is part of your stepfamily journey, then you know the pain and obstacles that can come when blending a family. In this episode, Ron Deal talks with Brian and Diane Fromme. They have been married 25 years-a second marriage for both of them. Diane was divorced with no children, and Brian, with two children, lost his first wife to cancer. They share stories and wisdom from their experience, and Diane gives insight on the challenge of entering a family that is grieving the death of a parent. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Diane Fromme. http://www.dianefromme.com/ Learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ Learn about FamilyLife's other podcasts. https://www.familylife.com/podcast Your generous support of FamilyLife helps create podcasts like the FamilyLife Blended® Podcast. https://donate.familylife.com/familylife-blended/ See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Whether by choice or chance, the stepmom who hasn't birthed children of her own can find loneliness in her role with her stepchildren and her relationship with her husband. Ron Deal talks with Laura Petherbridge, The Smart Stepmom, has over twenty years of experience, as a childless stepmom who has helped countless women redefine what it means to mother and love children who don't share their DNA. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Laura Petherbridge. http://www.laurapetherbridge.com/ Learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ Buy the book "The Smart Stepfamily Guide to Financial Planning." https://shop.familylife.com/product/the-smart-stepfamily-guide-to-financial-planning/ Learn about FamilyLife's other podcasts. https://www.familylife.com/podcast The Smart Stepfamily DVD: An 8-Session Guide to a Healthy Stepfamily. https://shop.familylife.com/product/the-smart-stepfamily-dvd-10th-anniversary-edition/ See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

One of the unfortunate and sometimes ugly results of a divorce is a custody battle. How do you sift through the murky waters of lawyers, legalities and loss while parenting your children? Throw in sustaining a healthy marriage will cause even more challenges. Ron Deal talks with Willie and Rachel Scott about their perspective and how God walked them through their individual stories of custody matters. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Better than Blended. https://betterthanblended.com/ Learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ Buy the book "The Smart Stepfamily Guide to Financial Planning." https://shop.familylife.com/p-5664-the-smart-stepfamily-guide-to-financial-planning.aspx Learn about FamilyLife's other podcasts. https://www.familylife.com/podcast The Smart Stepfamily DVD: An 8-Session Guide to a Healthy Stepfamily. https://shop.familylife.com/p-5643-the-smart-stepfamily-dvd-10th-anniversary-edition.aspx See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Have you ever wondered what's really going on inside a child of divorce? Or what their experience of your blended family is? Lauren Reitsema, is a wife and mother, and grew up a child of divorce and living between two stepfamilies. On this episode Ron Deal and Lauren address common questions parents and stepparents ask about kids-and share insights that will help you love and lead them well. Show Notes and Resources Lauren Reitsema's lastest book "In Their Shoes." https://www.christianbook.com/helping-parents-understand-connect-children-divorce/laren-reitsema/9780764233012/pd/233015?event=ESRCG Learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ Shop Ron's newest resources: Ron Deal's Books Learn about FamilyLife's other podcasts. https://www.familylife.com/podcast Visit FamilyLife Blended® online for articles, videos, and resources for blended families. https://www.familylife.com/blended See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Does your childhood, or previous relationships, ever creep into your current ones? If you've ever noticed that certain themes tend to repeat in our relationships you are not alone. And you'll want to listen if you've ever had an angry kid in your home and you've wondered what to do about it. Ron Deal is talking about that and much more with USA-Today Best-selling author Tricia Goyer. Show Notes and Resources Tricia Goyer's latest book "Calming Angry Kids." https://www.triciagoyer.com/ Learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ Shop Ron's newest resources: Ron's Books Learn about FamilyLife's other podcasts. https://www.familylife.com/podcast Visit FamilyLife Blended® online for articles, videos, and resources for blended families. https://www.familylife.com/blended See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Betrayal in marriage can be devastating. Kyle and Sheri Keffer have both experienced betrayal in previous marriages and have seen how the effects can carry over into a new marriage. They join Ron to discuss what betrayal can do to a person, the shame that sexual betrayal can produce, and how they're finding healing. Kyle and Sheri are both marriage and life therapists as well as sex addiction therapists. Sheri is a frequent co-host on the radio program New Life Live! with Steve Arterburn and has written the book Intimate Deception: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Betrayal. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Dr. Sheri Keffer. https://drsherikeffer.com/ Read Sheri's book Intimate Decption: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Betrayal. https://www.christianbook.com/intimate-deception-healing-sexual-betrayal-paperback/sheri-keffer/9780800735050/pd/735056 Visit FamilyLife Blended® online for articles, videos, resources, for blended families. https://www.familylife.com/blended To learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry visit. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Michele Cushatt has experienced divorce, blended family life, adoption, and is a three time cancer survivor. In this episode Michele and Ron discuss the unexpected journey of her life and the hard work of parenting hurting kids. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Michele Cushatt. https://michelecushatt.com/ Read Michele Cushatt's story in her book Undone. https://www.christianbook.com/undone-story-making-peace-unexpected-life/michele-cushatt/9780310339786/pd/339786 Visit FamilyLife Blended® online for articles, videos, resources, for blended families. https://www.familylife.com/blended To learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry visit. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

What would you do if the night before your wedding one of your children comes to you and says, "Please don't get married tomorrow?" On this episode, Mike and Kim Anderson discuss how they handled that as well as how they dealt with losing their daughter to her biological father's control. Show Notes and Resources Learn about Mike and Kim's ministry. https://www.mikeandkimcoaching.com/ To learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry visit. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ Visit FamilyLife Blended® online for articles, videos, resources, for blended families. https://www.familylife.com/blended See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

How do you give grace to a teenager? To a stepteenager, at that? And, how do you give each other grace as parents, when it comes to how they react to your teenager? Ron discusses these questions and more with Randy and Gayla Grace. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Gayla and her ministry at http://stepparentingwithgrace.com/ To learn more and register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry visit. https://www.summitonstepfamilies.com/ Gayla's book Stepparenting with Grace provides wisdom and comfort from a veteran stepmom. https://www.christianbook.com/stepparenting-with-grace-devotional-blended-families/gayla-grace/9781683972686/pd/972686 Visit FamilyLife Blended® online for articles, videos, resources, for blended families. https://www.familylife.com/blended See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy