When Willie and Rachel began dating, he was a widower with three children and she was a divorced mother of two. At first, their relationship looked like a match made in heaven. Everyone got along so well, and Rachel was sure they would live happily as a blended family.

Unfortunately, the honeymoon was short-lived. The reality of a new marriage coupled with merging personalities into a new family dynamic was tough.  Bliss became bitterness, and the clash of personalities and conflicts became the norm with every unmet expectation. Rachel transitioned from a single mother of two, to a wife and mother of five children (and later seven) ranging in age from 2-21. Through these difficult years, Rachel gained the hard earned wisdom about how to make the “his, mine, and ours” kind-of-family work.

Today’s podcast is all about blended families. Rachel and I have a frank talk about the lessons we’ve both learned — how to handle issues with discipline, rejection, and the threat of outside influences as a husband and wife strive to nurture and protect the family God has blessed them with.

 

As a result of their experiences, Willie and Rachel have started a ministry called Better Than Blended, designed to encourage and equip blended families. They desire to assist families, like theirs, navigate the often treacherous waters of non-traditional families. While blended families face the same challenges as traditional families, those challenges sometimes show up on steroids!

With honesty and candor, Rachel shares how her family had to find a “new normal” in their daily and weekly routines.  She tells how she’s learned to be the model of a godly wife and mother without trying to force relationships with her stepchildren. She also offers suggestions of how–even in the midst of change–you can have consistency and establish expectations based on the rules of your home.  

Believe it or not, Rachel says it is possible to infuse fun into the frenzy of a blended home and institute your own family traditions that work within your new life!  Be sure and join me for my “real talk” with Rachel Scott, and check out the links to the Better Than Blended website in the  resources below!

Highlights from Today’s Episode:

  • Dealing with rejection from step children
  • Establishing boundaries; maintaining rules of the home
  • Forming a strong union between husband and wife
  • Focusing on respect for one another

Resources From Today’s Show 

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Let’s Talk!

After you’ve listened to the podcast, I’d love to continue the conversation. Be sure and leave a comment!

  1. Can you identify with Rachel’s statement that “hurt people, hurt people?” How might this concept change the way you handle conflicts that arise within your family?
  2. Has your relationship with your spouse been overwhelmed by your role as parents? How can you separate who you are as parents from who you are to each other as husband and wife?
  3. What family traditions do you have that accommodate the unique dynamics of your family?

Connect with me…

How to Listen to The Podcast

If you’re new to podcasts, think of them like little radio shows that you can listen to at your convenience. They are perfect to listen to and learn from as you workout, fold laundry, wash dishes or conquer the world.

1. Listen right here on the blog. Click the little play button at the beginning of this post.

2. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play! – Be sure and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Also, if you would be so kind as to leave a rating on iTunes and/or write a 2-3 sentence review there or on Stitcher?  Your commentary or rating helps make the podcast more “findable” by others who might not know it exists!

3. Share today’s show –   Email the link to a friend or share on social media. Just click on the sharing buttons at the bottom of this post!

You have been so great to join me on the journey here on the blog, I hope you jump right in and do the same on the podcast!