How to Smoothly Blend a Blended Family
SERIES: Family Matters – Strength for Family Stress
Matthew 1:18-21 KJV
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Romans 8:28 KJV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Since 2004, the blended family has become the most COMMON form of family in the United States.
21,000 new blended families are being created each day.
A blended family is a family that is formed through marriage in which at least one of the children is a STEP CHILD.
70% of all remarriages that involve step children FAIL within 5 years.
Blended families have a better survival rate if:
1. The step-child or step-children are YOUNG.
2. The blended family is created because of DEATH.
3. The step-parent is a MAN and the step-children are BOYS.
The number one frustration for step-moms is that they often do all the MOTHERING and the biological mother is respected as MOM.
How to smoothly blend a blended family:
I. A BREAKING
Kids are broken from their natural parents through:
· DEATH
· DIVORCE
· DESERTION
Grief is the hearts natural response to UNWANTED LOSS because you have allowed yourselves to FEEL the emotional pain of the loss.
Good Grief allows you to accept:
a. The past will always be in the PAST
b. The present offers STABILITY and SIGNIFICANCE
c. The future holds NEW and DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES
II. A BEFRIENDING
Only use fruit that is:
a. Not ROTTEN
Galatians 5:22 KJV– But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
b. WASHED
Revelation 1:5 KJV – And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
III. A BLENDING
IV. A BONDING
