Parents face devastating loss when alienated from their children due to a former spouse. But there is hope for redemption! Dr. Richard Marks shares his story with Ron Deal of re-connecting with his mom as an adult and enjoying a thriving relationship with her.

What does it mean to work smarter, not harder? How do we apply that to our relationships and why is it important? Listen to Ron Deal and Gayla Grace talk about unique blended family dynamics and the value of intentional behavior as we build relationships.

It's the most wonderful time of year! Wait ... is it really? We want Christmas to feel magical. But too often, we feel disappointment, stress, sadness, & loneliness. Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Bob Lepine on how to find lasting joy this season.

How did Ron Deal get started in blended family ministry? When was FamilyLife Blended birthed and what is Nicole Burns' role? What about Gayla Grace's start in ministry? Listen to Ron and Gayla tell their stories and how they intersect with FamilyLife.

Growing up in an unstable blended home with 7 stepmoms left Fred Von Canon determined to change his legacy. Listen to his conversation with Ron Deal as he & his wife Anita describe their commitment toward creating a godly home in their own blended family.

As a single parent, it's natural to yearn for a marriage partner who will love you AND your kids unconditionally. But is that realistic? Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Sabrina McDonald about dating, remarriage, and stepfamily life after widowhood.

Need tips on parenting with a former spouse? Dr. Mary Jeppsen literally wrote the book on constructive, cooperative coparenting. She'll help navigate.

Pornography is everywhere. It's quickly becoming the leading sex educator of our kids. Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Brian Goins about the new documentary series "Brain Heart World" and learn how to address this important subject with your family.

Would you consider joining our mission to serve blended families as a volunteer or affiliate staff with FamilyLife Blended? Listen to Ron Deal and four couples share about why and how they minister to stepcouples and the blessings they receive in return.

As parents and stepparents, we want to raise our kids well, but we often feel inadequate. In this episode, Ron Deal talks with Ginger Hubbard about parenting the heart of our children and motivating them to become God-pleasers, not people-pleasers.

Are you in the early years of blending a family and you wonder if life will ever get easier? Listen to Ron Deal & Gayla Grace talk about the honeymoon season that follows hard relationship-building years and the rewards that come as familyness begins.

Is God calling you to minister to blended families, but you feel inadequate? Ron Deal explains how to earn an online ministry certificate as you glean from blended family experts with 7 hours of engaging video content, handouts, and bonus resources.

Non-traditional families are now considered traditional. As churches, how do we meet changing needs & serve them well? Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with three senior pastors on why and how to love all families, despite the narrative of their past.

Our bonus episode offers another question and answer format with Ron Deal and Gayla Grace to address those hard-to-navigate circumstances in your blended family with solutions that offer nuggets of wisdom and practical suggestions.

Do you have stepfamily questions for the experts? We have answers! Listen to Ron Deal and Gayla Grace address everyday issues that our listeners have asked with practical answers.

Do you struggle to find unity as a couple or need help setting boundaries with an ex-spouse? Maybe you want a few tips on navigating the teen years with your stepdaughters. Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Kirk McGregor on these common topics & more.

Veteran stepcouples have a wealth of knowledge on best practices for stepfamilies. Listen to Ron Deal's conversation with Sandi Patty and Don Peslis, married in 1995 with a blended family of 8 children, on wise solutions to common issues stepfamilies face.

Do you need help growing unity and character in your stepfamily? Our convenient online course, Well-Blended, can help! Listen to Ron Deal and Dave & Ann Wilson talk about how it can help you build robust, resilient relationships in your unique stepfamily.

Are you steering your kids toward Christ while the other home steers them toward the world? Ron Deal talks with Kara Powell & Gayla Grace about how to manage value differences between homes and how to answer 3 important questions every teenager is asking.

When remarriage occurs after the death of a spouse, the stepcouple faces emotional minefields in relationship-building. Ron Deal talks with Bill & Evelyn Thompson, who both lost a spouse prior to remarriage, on how to blend a family after significant loss.

Sometimes in stepfamilies, we take things out on each other that really are about someone or something from the past. Listen to Ron Deal talk with Shelby Abbott on how to keep unresolved issues of the past from damaging relationships in the present.

Critical relationship skills are needed in every important relationship, particularly in stepfamily life. Ron Deal talks with a dynamic mother-daughter duo on practical ways of gaining a larger toolbox of wisdom and skills for strengthening relationships.

As a stepdad, you take on a heroic challenge in choosing to parent someone else's child. Gil Stuart talks with Ron Deal about his video series, Unsung Heroes, and how vulnerability, courage, & humility helped him create lasting relationships as a stepdad.

Krista Smith-Larson is a blended family mom who produces games that help draw out matters of loss and stepfamily transition in order to bring about hope & healing. Listen to her dialogue with Ron Deal & learn about games that can benefit your stepfamily.

The benefit of "fun" is often overlooked when we consider how to build healthy stepfamily relationships. But Ron Deal's podcast guest, Dr. Jim Burns, says it's an important piece that can help connect relationships. Listen to their conversation about why and how intentional play can benefit your family.

God loves the work of refining our character. We become more like Christ as we learn how to love, forgive, show kindness, and be family to one another. Ron Deal talks with Summer Butler & Gayla Grace about the value of God's refining fire for stepmoms.

When a relationship feels fragile, it's tempting to stop speaking the truth.