Advertise on podcast: FamilyLife Blended® Podcast

Childhood-trauma healing doesn't erase the past—but it can change your future. Worship leader Kim Walker-Smith shares how growing up through divorce, multiple stepfathers, abuse, and loss shaped her life, and how one faithful stepdad became a picture of hope. On FamilyLife Blended, Ron Deal explores what healing can look like for anyone carrying wounds from a broken family. Show Notes and Resources Watch this episode on YouTube  Learn about Kim Walker-Smith Browse free blended resources Give a tax deductible gift See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Helping kids with big emotions starts with understanding what's really driving them. Counselor Michelle Nietert joins Ron Deal to unpack why kids in blended families often struggle with grief, overwhelm, and divided loyalties—and how parents can respond without making things worse. On FamilyLife Blended, discover practical ways to become the calm, steady presence your child needs most. Show Notes and Resources Watch this episode on YouTube  Learn about Michelle Nietert, LPC and get a copy of one of her book List of Christian Stepfamily Therapists Give a donation to help strengthen blended families See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Remarriage after the death of a spouse brings hope—but it can also uncover grief you didn't expect. Ministry leaders Rod and Rachel Faulkner Brown share the realities of building a blended family after widowhood, helping children navigate loss, and learning that love doesn't erase pain overnight. On FamilyLife Blended, Ron Deal explores what it really takes to become family again. Show Notes and Resources Watch this episode on YouTube  Learn about Rachel's ministry Browse free blended resources Donate to FamilyLife Blended See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Many kids grieving divorce never have words for what they're carrying. Blake Hudspeth grew up through four different stepfamilies and knows how family change can shape a child's view of love, trust, and belonging. On FamilyLife Blended, Ron Deal talks with Blake about the grief parents often overlook, the questions kids rarely ask out loud, and why feeling "fine" isn't always the whole story. Show Notes and Resources Watch this episode on YouTube  Get a free download for how to build love with your stepchild Read the article: Bridge Building: Strengthening Relationships with Stepchildren Get your copy of The Mindful Marriage Ministering to students tips sheet Send the Blended team a donation See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Blended family life can feel like walking into someone else’s story: guarded kids, mixed loyalties, no clear playbook. Montell Jordan—the artist best known for his hit, "This Is How We Do It"—and his wife Kristen join Ron Deal to unpack growing up in the chaos—and what kids wish adults understood but rarely say. Show Notes and Resources Learn about Montell and Kristin's ministry Dozens of free blended resources for you Find a small group in your area Reserve your cabin on the Love Like You Mean It Cruise!  Register to receive your access link to The Smart Stepfamily on Right Now Media  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Blending a family isn’t a Hallmark montage. It’s a minefield of hurt feelings, mixed loyalties, and second-guessing...everything. Debbie Alsdorf shares hard-won “do-overs” from 36 years as a stepmom—what she got wrong, what she’d never repeat, and what actually helped a fractured family slowly become one. From Debbie's book, Beyond the Brady Bunch, this stepmom advice skips fantasy and deals with real life. Show Notes and Resources Access blended resources familylifeblended.com Give to Familylife Blended directly  Watch the show, Renewed Hope for the year, on Women & Blended Families  Read Debbie's article, "10 Things I Would Do Over as a Stepmom"  More about Debbie and her ministry      See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

"God hates divorce": you’ve heard it, maybe felt crushed by it. Cheryl Shumake joins Ron Deal and Gayla Grace to pull apart what Malachi 2 really says—and what it doesn’t. If you’ve felt judged, stuck, or sidelined by church talk, this conversation meets you there and pushes toward truth, clarity, and hope without easy answers. Show Notes and Resources Blended family resources familylifeblended.com Give to Familylife Blended directly Blended ministry certificate  Start a stepfamily ministry  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

You thought you were rebuilding after sexual betrayal—whether from this marriage or the previous—but something still feels off: Distance. Triggers. Questions you can’t shake. Authors Matthew and Joanna Raabsmith get brutally honest about how betrayal trauma, perhaps from sexual addiction, porn, affairs, or other sources, affects your brain, your body, your marriage...and why quick fixes don’t stick. From their book, Building True Intimacy, Matthew and Joanna map a slower, sturdier path forward when trust feels shattered. Show Notes and Resources Find a Mindful Marriage event and small group in your state  Access blended resources familylifeblended.com Learn more about The Raabsmiths  Look through the list of Smart Stepfamily Therapists  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

You raised them right—so why does it feel like you’re losing them? Jim Burns steps into the ache parents don’t say out loud: regret, distance, and the fear you blew it. Drawing from When Your Adult Child Strays, he gets real about what to do when pushing harder only pushes them away—and what actually keeps the door open. Show Notes and Resources Email us [email protected] Learn about Jim, Homeword, and get his book, When Your Adult Child Strays  Give a tax-deductible gift  Ron's speaking schedule  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Father’s Day feels weird, or even stings, when the chair at the table is empty—or when your stepkids pull back because they’re still hurting. Ron Deal talks with the widowed and remarried Brian and Debbie Doyle--about grief, holidays, and blending families with adult children. If you’ve ever worried about stepping in or stepping too hard, this conversation gives you permission to move with patience, empathy, and faith. Show Notes and Resources Free blended resources  Look for a live or virtual small group to join  Iron Sharpens Iron  Get the Smart Stepdad or The Smart Stepmom  Give a donation to help strengthen blended families  List of Smart Stepfamily Therapist Providers    See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Mother’s Day can sting when your story didn’t turn out like you planned. Maybe that looks like wayward kids. Courtrooms. Even prison sentences. And silence where relationship used to be. Ron Deal talks with author Carol Kent about loving a son serving life in prison—and finding faith when the worst actually happens. If you’re carrying shame, regret, or heartbreak as a mom or stepmom, this conversation sits with you in it—and refuses to let despair win. Show Notes and Resources Use blended resources for free!  Watch Carol and Gayla talk about how to cultivate a thankful heart in dark seasons on Women & Blended Families  Learn about Carol and her ministry  Donate $5.00 or more to help Jason's ministry to other inmates  Support the work at FamilyLife Blended  Enroll in the certificate program in Blended Family Ministry  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Loss shattered you; remarriage after widowhood humbles you amid trauma, blending families, and recurring developmental grief. If comparison, unmet expectations, or past pain threaten your marriage and home, listen in. Daniel and Brittany Brooker (Refuge Widowers) share Scripture-soaked wisdom, practical strategies, and hope to redeem brokenness for God’s glory. Show Notes and Resources Our events, small groups, and ministry map  Learn about Daniel's ministry  Learn about Brittany's ministry  FamilyLife Blended resources  Give a gift to FamilyLife Blended ministry  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

If you were growing up in a blended family, you knew the drill—new houses, new rules, new “normal” every few years. And now you’re the parent, wondering what stuck and what still stings. Ron Deal talks with Barna's Micah Scharchburg about growing up in family chaos—and why your story doesn’t have to define your kids’ future. If you’ve ever asked, “Did that mess me up?” or "Am I messing up my kids?" this conversation meets you right there—and points you forward. Show Notes and Resources Get a Blended & Blessed All Access Pass blendedandblessed.com Blended resources for you  Learn about Barna  Ron's speaking schedule RonDeal.org See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Meet Matt and Kari Perkins, widowed parents who blended a family of seven after deep loss. They know you don’t “get over” loss—you grow with it. Find honest hope for grieving parents and blended families as you form a future without erasing the past. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Matt and Kari, and the Grief to Growth Pathway  You still have time to register for Blended & Blessed!  List of Christian Stepfamily Therapists  See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

You’re not crazy. Blended family life is complicated—and sometimes it feels like you’re fighting battles that started long before this marriage. Old fears. Ex-spouses. Money tension. Kid loyalty binds. Ron Deal and Gayla Grace name the “ghosts” haunting stepfamilies—and why you lean out when you meant to lean in. If you’re tired of walking on eggshells, this one will feel uncomfortably familiar—in the best way. Show Notes and Resources Watch Women & Blended Families  Attend Blended & Blessed for free this year!  Get the All- Access didgital pass from previous Blended & Blessed years  Listen to the podcast with Dr. Juli Slattery  Get your copy of The Mindful Marriage    See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy