FamilyLife Blended® Podcast

What’s it like to be a teenager in a blended family? How do you manage the confusing emotions of your childhood and teenage years while also adjusting to new family dynamics? Davis and Campbell Faulkner lost their dad in a traffic accident when they were very young. Their mom remarried and they’ve navigated feelings of loss, fear, anxiety, grief, abandonment, and more as they’ve adjusted to a new stepdad and life in a blended family. Listen to their insightful conversation with Ron Deal and learn how they’ve coped and found gratitude for their current journey in the midst of loss. Show Notes and Resources Pre-order Ron & Nan Deal's new book: The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself  Double your year end gift to FamilyLife Blended.  List of counselors and coaches  Upcoming events and resources  Please send your comments! blended@familylife.com Join us in April for a marriage event just for couples in blended families.  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Gratitude doesn’t always happen naturally in blended families, but it is worth pursuing and can move us toward unity in relationships. As we take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), consider our perspective about the circumstances we find ourselves in, and allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2), we posture ourselves toward an obedient heart that discovers blessings, even in hard seasons. In this podcast episode, Ron Deal and Gayla Grace talk about intentional ways to create a heart full of gratitude that pursues love with others and more easily moves our relationships toward connectedness. Show Notes and Resources Watch podcast episodes on YouTube  Sign up for the Strengthening Stepfamilies Newslettter  Find Smart Stepfamily Therapists and Coaches  Consider supporting ministry to blended families with a tax deductible gift.  Join us in April for a marriage event just for couples in blended families. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Foster care and adoption present difficult dynamics with issues similar to blended families. How do you help a child cope with ambiguous loss or connect as a parent when children act out from prior wounds? The loss that results from separation from a first family carries deep wounds that manifest themselves in misbehavior. Many children can’t verbalize their hurts, and families don’t have access to all the pieces of the puzzle. Love isn’t enough to fix the brokenness in a child, particularly when trauma is part of the story. Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Jenni Lord for answers to these complex issues. Show Notes and Resources Pre- order Ron's new book: The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself  Learn more about Jenni and Chosen  Ron's speaking schedule  Get our monthly newsletter  Learn more about blended family resources  Get The Summit on Stepfamily Ministry, All-Access Digital Pass  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Laura Husband, daughter of Columbia astronaut Rick Husband, was 12 years old when she endured her dad’s very public death. Laura shares with Ron Deal the layers of grief that followed with the lingering effects and expectations after an astronaut dies. When her mom began dating three years later, she felt abandoned and without a voice to the changes in her life. Her mom later remarried and Laura began an adjustment to blended family life with her new stepdad, Bill. Laura shares the loving relationship she and Bill eventually formed and how Bill chose a path, separate from her dad, that drew her in. Show Notes and Resources Get the Summit All-Access Pass  Pre- order Ron's new book: The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself  The list of Smart Stepfamily therapists and coaches.  Consider supporting resources for blended families with a tax deductible gift.    See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Laurel Slade-Waggoner, a licensed counselor and expert in navigating relationships affected by narcissism, offers invaluable insights. She discusses recognizing the signs of narcissism and its impact on blended families. Strategies for coping with manipulative behaviors like gaslighting and blame-shifting are explored, along with the importance of self-care. Laurel also shares ways to effectively co-parent with a narcissist, emphasizing the need for firm boundaries and clear parenting plans to protect children's well-being. Tune in for practical advice on navigating these complex relationships!

Does your family have a designated Sabbath? How do you spend that day? Author Kathi Lipp shares with Ron Deal her suggestions for reimagining Christian Sabbath that is a meaningful day with the Lord and one another as you prioritize rest and share a meal together. On Sabbath, we want to focus on who God is and His provision for us as we rest and connect with one another. Lipp suggests that food provides the platform to linger in relationships, and feeding your family shows you care for them. She shares recipes from her new book, Sabbath Soup, and offers ideas on preparing for Sabbath and creating a special day each week. Show Notes and Resources  Watch Women & Blended Families! Join us for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry!  Learn more about Kathi and get her new book: Sabbath Soup  Thank you for supporting FamilyLife Blended with a donation! See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

In this engaging discussion, Gayla Grace, a stepparent author and speaker, shares her insights on navigating the complexities of blended families. She highlights the importance of teamwork between biological parents and stepparents to overcome parenting disagreements. The conversation dives into emotional challenges, like feelings of rejection from stepchildren and the need for clear communication to build trust. Listeners can also discover upcoming resources and events dedicated to supporting blended families on their journey.

As a blended family couple, it’s not uncommon to experience sexual pitfalls that bring additional stress to your relationship. How do you prevent physical intimacy issues and work through those that have shown up? In this episode, Ron Deal and Gayla Grace talk about how to build trust and emotional safety to overcome common pitfalls such as: the comparison trap, fear and insecurity from "ghosts" of marriage past, unlearning old rhythms of sexual practice and learning new ones, and lingering messages from prior sexual experiences that can inhibit healthy physical intimacy in marriage. In addition, you’ll understand more about the biblical view of healthy sexuality and why God established boundaries around it. Show Notes and Resources Make plans to join us at the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry!  Check out where Ron will be speaking.  Listen to or watch episode 30, 66, or 131 of the FamilyLife Blended Podcast Send a donation and get a copy of The Smart Stepfamily Marriage  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

The dynamics of blended family life can bring hopelessness, and we lose the ability to see a future where God can make our situation better. But there’s always hope for a brighter tomorrow. In this episode, Ron Deal speaks with Dr. Lee Warren, a neurosurgeon who has experienced personal trauma and loss, and explains the difference between our mind and our brain and how to use our mind to face hard things in a constructive manner. As we transform our thoughts and consider our feelings against the Truth of what God’s Word says, we find hope again for healing, for purpose, for change. Show Notes and Resources  Send a gift and receive The Smart Stepfamily Marriage  Learn more about the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry Get Dr. Lee's book, HOPE IS THE FIRST DOSE  Dr. Lee Warren's website and podcast  Email us for a chance to win a hard copy of Hope Is The First Dose! blended@familylife.com Ron's list of Smart Stepfamily therapists.  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Ghosts of marriage past—triggers from past hurt that we carry into a new relationship—are common for blended family couples. But emotional ghosts don’t just appear from relationship baggage. We can be triggered by childhood wounds, grief, or other hurts that leave a residue on our heart and create hypersensitivity to getting hurt again. As a result, we guard our heart and resist vulnerability in our relationships. In this episode, Ron Deal speaks with Gayla Grace about how to recognize our ghosts and take responsibility to move past our fears. Ron and Gayla both share ghosts they’ve wrestled with and how to have conversations with your partner that build trust in your relationship. Show Notes and Resources Register for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry! Get your copy of The Smart Stepfamily Marriage Make a tax dedecutible donation and get a free gift! Watch Women & Blended Families on YouTube Call and leave a message with your podcast suggestions: 407-826-2606   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy