What’s it like to be a teenager in a blended family? Ron Deal talks with Davis and Campbell Faulkner about adjusting to a stepdad after their dad passed away and how they’ve navigated loss and grief and found gratitude for their current journey.

Gratitude doesn’t always happen naturally in blended families, but it can move us toward unity in our relationships. Ron Deal and Gayla Grace talk about intentional ways to posture ourselves toward a heart full of gratitude, even in hard seasons.

Foster care & adoption present difficult issues with similarities to stepfamilies. How do you help a child cope with ambiguous loss or connect as a parent when children act out from prior wounds? Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Jenni Lord for help.

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 her layers of grief that followed and her experience growing up blended after her mom’s remarriage.

How do you identify narcissism or cope with a narcissist? Ron Deal talks with counselor Laurel Slade-Waggoner about strategies in a relationship when someone seeks to control, manipulate, shift blame, gaslight, or behave in other narcissistic ways. Show Notes and Resources Check out Laurel's website and available books.  Laurel's Podcast  Join us for the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry!  Ron's comprehensive list of Recognized Smart Stepfamily Therapy Providers  Check out everything...

Does your family have a designated Sabbath? How do you spend that day? 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.

The intersection of marriage & parenting often creates tension for stepcouples. Listen to Ron Deal & Gayla Grace give input on how to become a parenting team as you face guilt, fear, ambiguity, different parenting styles, co-parent struggles, and more.

Stepfamily couples can experience sexual pitfalls that bring additional stress. Ron Deal & Gayla Grace talk about how to build trust & emotional safety to overcome the comparison trap, fear & insecurity, & other lingering messages that affect intimacy.

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...

Ghosts of marriage past—triggers from past hurt—leave a residue on our heart that creates hypersensitivity to being hurt again. Ron Deal speaks with Gayla Grace about dealing with relationship baggage, moving past fear, & building trust in relationships.

How do we help kids who are struggling with addictive behaviors? Ron Deal speaks with Dr Adrian Hickmon, who says we start by understanding the pain and void underneath their addiction, and then we must face the facts and determine the help they need. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry.  Learn about Capstone.  Watch the Brain, Heart, World documentary.  Get In Their Shoes with any gift amount!  Email us a review or a comment! [email protected] ...

Stepparenting myths can negatively impact stepparents. Ron Deal talks with Gayla Grace about how to cope with common myths like: all stepmothers are wicked & stepfathers are abusive, stepparents are instant parents, & we love bio &stepchildren the same.

After losing her husband in a tragic accident, Sabrina McDonald looked forward to her young kids having a dad again. But remarriage came with hardship. She shares her lessons of loss and love with Ron Deal and how God met her in the wilderness.

Growing up blended often includes hard transitions and isolation for those involved. But Marshall West's story is different. He shares with Ron Deal the beauty of God's provision for two families coming together after loss, giving him a dad he never had a...

Ex-NFL football player Devon Still and his wife Asha married shortly after Devon's young daughter, Leah, went into remission from stage four cancer. While rejoicing over Leah's healing, they were soon blindsided by blended family struggles. Devon and Asha...

God understands broken people. He sent His son to die for us. Even when we feel beyond help, He meets us where we are, He loves us, and He redeems us. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our counselor and our guide. In our messiness, God wants to use our storie...

Help for your finances! Money matters can be a hot topic for blended families, creating strife and inequity if not handled well. Listen in as Ron Deal speaks with Gayla Grace and financial expert Greg Pettys about how couples can make wise decisions on financial issues that benefit all members of their blended family. Gain insight from listener questions such as: Should my spouse and I carry separate bank accounts? How do we spend our money equitably with “his and her” kids? Why do blended...

Singer/songwriter Kim Walker-Smith grew up in a blended family with multiple stepparents, instability, abuse, and isolation. She shares her story with Ron Deal in this podcast episode, beginning with her mom’s first divorce when she was a young child. It didn’t take long for her mom to marry again, divorce, and marry again. Eventually, her mom married a stable, loving man who wanted to be a father to Smith when she was a young teenager. Hungry for his love but scared it wasn’t real, Smith...

Are there blessings in blended family life? Yes! But they might not show up in ways we expect or as quickly as we’d like. In this 2023 Blended and Blessed presentation, Cheryl Shumake talks about the many bonus blessings she has experienced and the strength God gave her during seasons of weariness to keep going when she wanted to quit. Cheryl says, “God meets us in the waiting to strengthen us for the walking.” God wants to guide our steps when we face challenges. He knows that our...

Remarriage after widowhood carries unique challenges and unwanted transitions. Expectations that aren’t realistic often show up, creating even more grief and heartache. But hard dynamics in the beginning can move toward bonded relationships and family unity with time and effort. In this podcast episode, Ron Deal talks with Rod and Rachel Faulkner Brown about their blended family challenges after Rachel was widowed twice, had two children with her second husband, and then married Rod with two...

Our past affects our present. And when we experience complicated blended family dynamics as a child, we're forever changed. Listen to Scott Kedersha share with Ron Deal how his blended family upbringing has impacted his parenting and marriage as an adult. Show Notes and Resources Join us for Blended and Blessed to learn how to build unity in your family! Get a copy of Dating and The Single Parent Order your copy of Preparing To Blend Please call and leave us a voicemail review!...

Do you wonder about God's purpose and intent for marital sexuality within marriage? What about the symbolism the Bible presents on this topic? Do you need help on how to nurture and protect this aspect of marriage? Listen to Ron Deal's message: God's Purpose and Intent for Sexuality. Show Notes and Resources Get more information on Blended and Blessed Get the Blended and Blessed All-Acess Digital Pass See where Ron will be speaking. Resouces for blended families Join us for...

Trauma and suffering can impact families in unexpected ways. Joel and Vaneetha Risner share with Ron Deal the positive effects of loss and suffering and how it helped to ground their faith, trust God in deeper ways, and bond their blended family. Show Notes and Resources Check out the podcast on YouTube! Join us for Blended and Blessed 2024! Learn about Vaneetha. Say "thank you" with a gift of support. Blended and Blessed All-Access Pass

Conflicts are inevitable on family journeys. Rodney and Annetta Whitney share their journey, confusing dynamics, and their light bulb moments with Ron Deal. Stepparent, if you feel like an outsider, keep having hard discussions and don't give up. Show Notes and Resources Grab your copy of The Smart Stepfamily Check out where Ron will be speaking. The Smart Stepfamily series free on Right Now Media! Join us for the Blended and Blessed livestream! Call us and leave a message...