‘These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.’ Proverbs 1:1-74(NLT)
One piece of advice I always give stepfamilies is this: Learn all you can about healthy stepfamily living. Sure, your general knowledge of marriage and parenting will prove helpful, but it’s the unique dynamics of stepfamily living that create stress and end up dividing families. So the smarter you are about relationships in your home, the better equipped you are to nurture and manage them.
Seek out resources specifically developed for the blended family. Although advice meant for biological parents may sometimes be helpful, in some cases it can actually backfire on stepparents. You’ll have far more success with resources designed for the blended family home with all its unique circumstances and challenges—and yes, all its wonderful blessings, too.
Getting “stepfamily smart” is the beginning of a successful stepfamily.
Father, you know the needs of our family even better than we do. Please lead us to the best resources that will help us understand how to build a strong, healthy family that honors you and blesses those around us.
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© 2018 by FamilyLife. Excerpted with permission from Daily Encouragement for the Smart Stepfamily by Ron L. Deal with Dianne Neal Matthews, Bethany House Publishers. Get more daily encouragement with this 365-day devotional that will keep your family blending and bonding throughout the year.
from Daily Encouragement For The Smart Stepfamily