FamilyLife Blended® Podcast

4.8 (319)
CHRISTIANITY
UPDATED MONTHLY

FamilyLife Blended® provides timeless wisdom and practical help and hope for blended families and those who love them. Join Ron L. Deal, LMFT, LPC as he and his guests discuss a wide variety of marriage, family, and relationship topics related to blended families.

MAY 19

164: Building Character for Stronger Relationships: Developing the 4 Essential Character Traits to Raise Resilient Kids

Dr. John Townsend defines four essential character traits that individuals need to navigate life's challenges and demands. He shares with Ron Deal that these components are required for stronger relationships. We can help our children and stepchildren develop them and be resilient kids. 1) Attachment: the ability to trust and be vulnerable with others 2) Separation: the ability to have your own voice, which includes healthy boundary-setting 3) Integration: navigating both the positive and negative realities of life 4) Adulthood: the capacity to take responsibility, make sound decisions, and live a purposeful life. Show Notes and Resources Access Dr. Townsend's TPRAT and other resources Search on and/or post to the blended ministry map Give a gift to support blended families Ron's trainings and events List of Recognized Providers See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

56 min
MAY 5

163: Cutting the Tension: Building Trust Between a Stepmom and Stepdaughter

The stepmom-stepdaughter relationship often includes competing loyalties and confusing dynamics and can be the hardest relationship to navigate when blending a family. Ron Deal talks with stepmom Jessica Pickens and her bonus daughter, Jayla, about their ongoing struggles, cutting through tension, which began early and continued for years, and how they finally built a loving, trusting relationship with one another. Jayla explains how her position as a “Daddy’s girl” and her relationship with her own mother impacted her desire for a bonus mom. She didn’t respond well to Jessica’s nurturing, and tension escalated as she got older. In time, Jessica began to understand the complexity of their relationship, change her expectations, and parent Jayla differently. Slowly, their relationship moved toward understanding and love toward one another. Show Notes and Resources New To Our Community? Here's a gift for you! Watch Women & Blended Families on YouTube Learn about Jessica and Blended Family Matters and their podcast Jessica and Jayla's podcast with Ron. Give a tax-deductible gift. Check out Ron's events. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

53 min
APR 21

162: One Family's Journey to Blended Unity: Looking Back to the Teenage Years

Tim and Olivia Smith brought six kids into their blended family in 1997. In their conversation with Ron Deal, they share the joys and challenges of melding together two families, how to encourage relationship building between siblings, and how stepparents can move from a place of isolation to a place of belonging in a stepfamily. Tim’s daughter, Christie, joins the conversation with her perspective as a teenager from the early years of their blended family. Although the stepmom—stepdaughter relationship is often the hardest to connect, Christie shares how Olivia’s small actions of moving toward her and allowing her to engage at her own pace created a loving, long-lasting relationship that she treasures today as an adult. Show Notes and Resources Get a copy of The Mindful Marriage. Get your copy of Blending-100 Day Guide for Step-Parents. Learn about Blended Not Broken Get our monthly newsletter See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

55 min
APR 7

161: Growing Up Blended, and Navigating the Maze to Build Strong Blended Bonds

Robert and Jennie Lord both grew up in blended families. They share their stories with Ron Deal about the residue left behind from the maze of parental divorce, multiple stepparents, challenges in relationship building, unwanted transitions, and ongoing instability. They’ve sought healing from those experiences and now want to share what they’ve learned with others. Married with a family of their own, they are committed to their marriage and want to provide an upbringing for their children that is vastly different than what they experienced. They teach and model a life built on faith and seek to provide stability and build strong bonds with their children. Show Notes and Resources Get the Blended & Blesses All-Access Digital Pass Blended resources for you! Learn more about Chosen and the work that Jenni does. Get a copy of The Mindful Marriage. Support FamilyLife Blended with a gift. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

42 min
MAR 24

160 From Shame to Strength: A Single Mom's Journey to Healing and Hope

Jennifer Maggio shares her story with Ron Deal of her challenges as a single mom that propelled her to begin a national ministry, serving over 1,000,000 single moms. Now married in a blended family, she continues the mission that no single mom walk alone. Show Notes and Resources You can still register for Blended & Blessed! Learn more about Jennifer Maggio and her ministry. Get a copy of the book, Preparing to Blend. Support FamilyLife Blended with a gift. See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

43 min
MAR 10

159 The 3-Step Guide to Navigating Hard Feelings in Your Blended Family

What do you do with feelings like anger, jealousy, hurt, or rejection in your blended family? Listen to Ron Deal’s conversation with Dr. Alison Cook, who offers a three-step process to work through hard feelings and find healing and hope for your journey. Show Notes and Resources Register for Blended & Blessed Look for blended ministries and events in your area. Learn about Dr. Alison, get her books, and listen to her podcast. Listen to the show on grief with Diane Fromme Support FamilyLife Blended with a gift. Blended resources See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

58 min
FEB 24

158 Prodigal Parents: Rebuilding Relationships with Children and Not Losing Your Influence

Parenting a prodigal creates pain and helplessness as we seek to navigate difficult relationships. Listen to Ron Deal’s conversation with Judy Douglass, a prodigal parent, on how to tenderly manage these tenuous relationships while staying calm, present, and patient in rebuilding a relationship on their terms. Douglass and Deal discuss the Prodigal Son story in Luke and the parallels with our prodigals in opening our arms to them when appropriate but not chasing or threatening in any way with our behavior. We move toward the goal of gaining influence as we patiently work to bring back love and trust in our relationships. Show Notes and Resources Make plans to join us at Blended & Blessed! Judy's podcast with Ron Judy's podcast: When You Love a Prodigal Order your copy of When You Love a Prodigal See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

57 min
FEB 10

157 "I see you": Creating Community for Brown & Black Blended Families

Cheryl Shumake wants to reach brown & black blended families with brown & black voices. She & Clifton Howard talk with Ron Deal about her new ministry, Sawubona, which means “I see you” & its goal to break through the barriers with culture-informed spaces Show Notes and Resources Watch Blended & Blessed from anywhere in the world! Join us on the 2026 Love Like You Mean It Cruise Learn more about Cheryl Sawubona Ministries Send a tax deductible gift Ron's upcoming events Blended Small Group Ministry Map See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

45 min

See All (163)

4.8

out of 5

319 Ratings

163 was a blessing

May 7

Youngdadpod

Episode 163 was an absolute blessing me and my wife. We’re a blended family and we needed that episode. Truly from God.
This is a much better choice for past abuse victims!

May 5

MrsMelB

I am so thankful to have found this podcast for blended families. I tried for over a year to listen to every podcast episode for another blended family ministry. For those of us who left abusive marriages where we had MULTIPLE mental health professionals and judges advocating that we uphold healthy boundaries with our ex spouse to avoid further abuse……only to listen to this other podcasts continue to advocate that we strive to have closer relationships with our exes as a way to measure success in our coparenting journey is disheartening (and ultimately dangerous for those abused.) But your podcast focuses more on the stepfamily aspect moving forward from I have heard so far. I’m grateful that this podcast exists. Thank you!
Trusted Resource for my clients

06/04/2024

SweetBigMomma

I’m a therapist and have referred clients to Ron’s book for years. The podcast is one more amazing resource for them!
Invaluable resource

02/12/2024

PastorBrianV

I thought that remarriage and integration of my family and my SO would be easy. Why is it so hard? Why didn’t anyone tell me all the potential pitfalls? Well, here is an amazing and invaluable resource for step-families and those contemplating blending families.

FamilyLife Blended® provides timeless wisdom and practical help and hope for blended families and those who love them. Join Ron L. Deal, LMFT, LPC as he and his guests discuss a wide variety of marriage, family, and relationship topics related to blended families.