Introduction

Ron Introduces Mike and Kim Anderson

Understanding and Overcoming Emotional Pain

Managing Anxiety and Staying Engaged

 Navigating Pain Cycles in Relationships

Handling Emotional Challenges 

https://fl-podcasts.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/FLBP/pdf/FLBp2025-12-29.pdf

https://fl-podcasts.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/FLBP/docs/FLBp20251229_S08_180.docx

Holidays got your blended family feeling like a tossed salad of joy, stress, and edgy emotions? Podcast hosts and blended marriage coaches Mike & Kim Anderson bring real talk, raw truth, and restoration therapy magic. Learn how to swap pain cycles for peace, chaos for connection—and maybe, just maybe, survive a blended family Christmas with your sanity and your stepkids.

Show Notes and Resources
Order a hardcover copy of The Mindful Marrriage. You can pre-order a paperback version any place books are sold. 
Learn about Mike and Kim 
Send in a year-end gift to FamilyLife Blended 

Holidays got your blended family feeling like a tossed salad of joy, stress, and edgy emotions? Podcast hosts and blended marriage coaches Mike &amp; Kim Anderson bring real talk, raw truth, and restoration therapy magic. Learn how to swap pain cycles for peace, chaos for connection&mdash;and maybe, just maybe, survive a blended family Christmas with your sanity and your stepkids.
Show Notes and Resources
<ul>
<li><a href="https://shop.familylife.com/product/the-mindful-marriage-create-your-best-relationship-through-understanding-and-managing-yourself/">Order a hardcover copy of The Mindful Marrriage</a>. You can pre-order a paperback version any place books are sold.&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/">Learn about Mike and Kim</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDG&amp;cru_medium=DesktopHeaderNav&amp;cru_campaign=Blended">Send in a year-end gift to FamilyLife Blended</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

FamilyLife Blended® provides timeless wisdom and practical help and hope for blended families and those who love them. Join Ron L. Deal, LMFT, LPC as he and his guests discuss a wide variety of marriage, family, and relationship topics related to blended families.

Timeless wisdom and practical help and hope for blended families with Ron Deal, LMFT, LPC.

FamilyLife Blended® Podcast

Blended family Christmas got you juggling joy, stress & edgy emotions? Podcast hosts and blended marriage coaches Mike & Kim Anderson drop truth & tools for your stepfamily's holiday, helping you trade pain and chaos for peace and connection.

180: Tinsel, Tension, Togetherness: Navigating Your Blended Family Christmas--Mike and Kim Anderson

Ron Introduces Wynand Jacobs

Understanding Brokenness

Community and Redemption

Final Thoughts

https://fl-podcasts.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/FLBP/pdf/FLBp2026-01-12.pdf

https://fl-podcasts.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/FLBP/docs/FLBp20260112_S08_E181.docx

Overwhelmed by blended-family brokenness? Ron Deal and Wynand Jacobs dive into the messy, unpolished reality of blended families in New Zealand. Using Kintsugi as a gospel metaphor, they explore God's power to reform shame into beauty, grief into testimony, and mistakes into stories that shine. It's a masterclass in the divine alchemy of blended family life.

Show Notes and Resources
Learn about FamilyLife New Zealand 
Find an event on our blended map 
Send a donation to further the blended ministry 

Overwhelmed by blended-family brokenness? Ron Deal and Wynand Jacobs dive into the messy, unpolished reality of blended families in New Zealand. Using Kintsugi as a gospel metaphor, they explore God's power to reform shame into beauty, grief into testimony, and mistakes into stories that shine. It's a masterclass in the divine alchemy of blended family life.
Show Notes and Resources
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.familylife.nz/">Learn about FamilyLife New Zealand</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/find-an-event/#blendedmap">Find an event on our blended map</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDG&amp;cru_medium=DesktopHeaderNav&amp;cru_campaign=Blended">Send a donation to further the blended ministry</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Overwhelmed by blended-family brokenness? Ron Deal and Wynand Jacobs dive into messy, unpolished realities, using kintsugi as a metaphor. They explore God's power to reform shame into beauty, grief into testimony, and mistakes into stories that shine. 

181: Beauty in the Broken: A Kintsugi Approach to Blended Family Life

https://d39ogy74mn1yxi.cloudfront.net/FLBP/pdf/FLBp2025-12-15.pdf

https://fl-podcasts.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/FLBP/docs/FLBp20251215_S07_E179.docx

What happens when God’s good plan lobs an unplanned pregnancy into a blended family? Jay and Tammy Daughtry chat about shock, grace, and choosing love over shame. From unfiltered Day One reactions to faith-fueled healing, they offer a blueprint for both welcoming chaos and blessing it. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to turn unexpected blended-family moments into hope-filled family legacies.

Show Notes and Resources
Ron and Nan's schedule 
Learn about The Daughtrys coparentinginternational.com
Unplanned Grandparenting 
Give a year end gift and it will be doubled! 

What happens when God&rsquo;s good plan lobs an unplanned pregnancy into a blended family? Jay and Tammy Daughtry chat about shock, grace, and choosing love over shame. From unfiltered Day One reactions to faith-fueled healing, they offer a blueprint for both welcoming chaos and blessing it. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to turn unexpected blended-family moments into hope-filled family legacies.
Show Notes and Resources
<ul>
<li><a href="https://smartstepfamilies.com/events/find-an-event">Ron and Nan's schedule</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Learn about The Daughtrys <a href="https://www.coparentinginternational.com/">coparentinginternational.com</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.coparentinginternational.com/unplannedgrandparenting">Unplanned Grandparenting</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDG&amp;cru_medium=DesktopHeaderNav&amp;cru_campaign=Blended">Give a year end gift and it will be doubled!</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

God’s plan threw an unplanned pregnancy into their blended family. Jay and Tammy Daughtry unpack their Day-One big feelings, a discovered grace to cover shame, and their faith-fueled healing. Discover a blueprint for turning chaos into hope.

179: From Shock to Strength: Unplanned Pregnancy in a Blended Family

https://fl-podcasts.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/FLBP/pdf/FLBp2025-12-01.pdf

https://fl-podcasts.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/FLBP/docs/FLBp20251201_S07_E178.docx

Their first Christmas nearly broke them. Five kids, two parenting styles, zero prep. But Scott and Deana Thayer didn’t quit—they built a blended family from mismatched traditions, co-parenting chaos, and grace-fueled grit. As a couple now helping blended families thrive, the Thayers share hard-won wisdom, church-sized challenges, and the “95/5” rule that saved their sanity. Blending isn’t easy—but it’s worth every messy, beautiful step.

Show Notes and Resources
Gift a copy of Gayla's new devotional, Beautifully Blended 
Access the free Smart Stepfamily Series
Look for a small group online 
Blended & Blessed is April 18, 2026 
Find a qualified counselor for your marriage and family 
Support FamilyLife Blended 

Their first Christmas nearly broke them. Five kids, two parenting styles, zero prep. But Scott and Deana Thayer didn&rsquo;t quit&mdash;they built a blended family from mismatched traditions, co-parenting chaos, and grace-fueled grit. As a couple now helping blended families thrive, the Thayers share hard-won wisdom, church-sized challenges, and the &ldquo;95/5&rdquo; rule that saved their sanity. Blending isn&rsquo;t easy&mdash;but it&rsquo;s worth every messy, beautiful step.
Show Notes and Resources
<ul>
<li><a href="https://shop.familylife.com/product/beautifully-blended-101-devotions-to-encourage-couples-in-blended-families/">Gift a copy of Gayla's new devotional, Beautifully Blended</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.familylife.com/content-offers/the-smart-stepfamily/">Access the free Smart Stepfamily Series</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/find-an-event/#blendedmap">Look for a small group online&nbsp;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.blendedandblessed.com/">Blended &amp; Blessed is April 18, 2026</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://smartstepfamilies.com/smart-help/therapy-providers">Find a qualified counselor for your marriage and family</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://donate.familylife.com/blended/?cru_source=D000BLENDG&amp;cru_medium=DesktopHeaderNav&amp;cru_campaign=Blended">Support FamilyLife Blended</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Five kids. Two parenting styles. One rocky first Christmas. Scott and Deana Thayer share how faith, grit, and their “95/5” rule turned chaos into connection—helping blended families find hope, healing, and love that lasts through every messy moment.

180: Tinsel, Tension, Togetherness: Navigating Your Blended Family Christmas--Mike and Kim Anderson

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