Roles in traditional homes grow with the family. But in stepfamilies, it's not always clear how everything should work.
Marriage is full of surprises, but anyone in a blended-family marriage knows adaptability is a requirement for stepfamily success.
One of the most stressful aspects of blended family life is the relationship between a stepparent and stepkids. Here are four tips to help you manage the emotions you feel.
Obviously, sexual stress negatively impacts a marriage. Blended-family marriages are no different, but the nature of the stressors is different.
Dave Weier considers it pure joy to father three stepsons. But while he didn't hesitate to step in, he admits it wasn’t always easy.
Ever heard of National Stepfamily Day? No matter what season you’re in as a blended family, here are three reasons you should celebrate.
The process of planning and preparing for the wedding can help build family identity and bonding even before the ceremony.
You’ve invested time to build your relationship with your partner. You need to be just as intentional with children to co-create a blended family.
It can feel overwhelming to plan a blended family wedding. Here are six drama-free ideas to make your ceremony special.
When we learn to embrace our differences as a stepfamily and keep God at the helm of our family, we walk away from shame and brokenness.
Stepdads don’t always get the attention and gratitude they deserve. But it’s never too late to show appreciation for all they do.
It is rare for a couple to meet, fall in love, marry, and parent their children the exact same way. It is even more uncommon in stepfamilies.
Your stepfamily wilderness season may involve a broken marital vow, a stepchild who doesn’t want to be part of the family, or loneliness. Regardless of your circumstances, you don’t have to stay stuck wandering in the wilderness.
What makes a man marriage material? In my own search, I’ve kept a list of nonnegotiables—most revolve around Christlike character.
Romance easily gets pushed out when we’re juggling the overwhelming emotions and hard-to-navigate circumstances in a blended family.
I began to see how God would use my broken engagement when I stopped fighting for control. He wanted to grow me through it.
Among the hectic schedules and between-home dilemmas, stepfamilies can have fun memory-filled holidays, too. It just takes some extra work.
Holiday seasons aren’t always merry for blended families. The season can resurrect grief from divorce, death, or another tragedy.
Good ministry to stepfamilies must also begin with good theology. Sin is messy. But it is no match for God’s unfathomable grace in Christ.
It’s likely your holiday season will include tense moments. Don’t fret. Holidays can be joyous and memorable even if they’re not perfect.
Rejection shows up at some point in most every stepparent’s life. If you’re not a stepparent yourself, you might wonder how to help. Here are a few ideas.
You may not find quick-and-easy answers to all your questions when you marry into a stepfamily. But with God’s help, you can lead your stepfamily well.
Co-parenting, jealousy, and stepsibling conflict can chip away at a family’s future. But five changes can create a lasting impact on stepfamily dynamics.
Being a stepdad on Father’s Day can be a tricky, often overlooked, role. But here are a few ways to show your appreciation.
A mixed bag of emotions comes with being a stepmom on Mother’s Day. A day set aside to honor moms, where does that leave a stepmom?
My heart grieves as friends describe new struggles and blended family stress during the pandemic. It feels like too much to manage some days, doesn’t it?
Quarantine and most blended families don’t mix. And if you’re wondering how to bond with your stepfamily while home, you might feel stuck.
I worry about blended families in quarantine where emotions are being processed in a place that doesn’t feel safe. For stepchildren and stepparents alike.
The effort to lump stepfamilies at church with biological families may have noble motivations. But it often leaves stepfamilies feeling unloved and unseen.
Most people mistakenly believe remarrying in the empty nest years is easier. But this union brings its own unique struggles.
