Download or read book A Home Built from Love and Loss written by Sabrina McDonald and published by Focus on the Family. This book was released on 2024-02-06 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Grieving is part of every blended family. Sabrina and her new husband were both widowed when their families blended, so grieving was expected. They recognized the losses suffered in their families would take time to heal. What they have since learned is that every blended family experiences grieving—whether you are widowed or divorced. And the process usually takes longer than expected. Sabrina vulnerably shares her personal experiences and struggles, revealing her mistakes and fears that she had early on in her new marriage and with her new family. In A Home Built from Love and Loss, you’ll learn to work through different parenting styles as a stepmother or stepfather; parent kids in different ages and stages of development (hormones, personalities, and power dynamics); compassionately address chaos and hurt feelings together and independently; deal with feelings of guilt; handle initial rejection from stepchildren; glean biblical wisdom on how to do life together with grace; connect better on an emotional level with your newly-formed family while keeping traditions that have grounded your family; and honor the bereaved or divorced spouse. For anyone facing the challenges of blended families, A Home Built from Love and Loss offers practical advice and spiritual guidance to find hope in the midst of grief.
Download or read book Building Love Together in Blended Families written by Gary Chapman and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Create a Loving and Safe Environment for Your Blended Family Blended families face unique challenges, and sadly, good intentions aren’t always enough. With so many complex relationships involved, all the normal rules for family life change, even how you apply something as simple as the five love languages. That’s why Gary Chapman, the bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages® andnational expert on stepfamilies, Ron Deal, join together in this book to teach you how the five love languages can help your blended family. They’ll teach you: About the unique dynamics of stepfamilies How to overcome fear and trust issues in marriage How to develop healthy parenting and step-parenting practices How the love languages should—and should not—be applied You’re going to face many challenges, but with the right strategies and smart work, your family can be stronger and healthier together.
Download or read book Love What Matters written by LoveWhatMatters and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-05-02 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the bestselling tradition of The Five People You Meet in Heaven and Humans of New York comes a collection of authentic, emotional, and inspiring stories about life’s most important moments, as curated by the editors at Love What Matters. “90% of the reads bring me to tears. I just can't believe the love this world truly has when all we see is hate. This is so uplifting.” —Shelsea Where do you go when you want to feel inspired? When you want to forget about the divisiveness and the anger? For over five million people, that place is Love What Matters, a digital platform dedicated to finding and sharing the daily moments of kindness, compassion, and love that so often go overlooked. This curated collection of powerful stories features first person accounts and photographs that perfectly capture each moment: A husband learning he’s about to be a dad. A new mom embracing her body. A cashier inadvertently teaching a young girl a lesson about patience. A bagel from a stranger that saved a homeless man’s life. From long overdue adoptions to military heroes returning home; from a fireman’s touching 9/11 tribute to what an old dinner plate found at a bake sale can teach us all about life—these are the moments that matter. They are genuine. Authentic. Raw. And they are perfect in their imperfection—just like all of us. You will no doubt experience goosebumps and tears, but this mosaic of life’s moments will leave you with something even more profound: a reminder that, in the end, love always wins. “This really is the best page on Facebook. It renews your love of humanity. There are still good people. We need more reports of acts of kindness.” —Johnny
Download or read book Write God In written by Sabrina McDonald and published by Barbour Publishing. This book was released on 2017-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This lovely journal will enourage you to deepen your relationship with the heavenly Father through "writing God in" to every area of life. Twenty-fived themed sections--including Generosity, Gratitude, Patience, Kindness, and Contentment--feature devotional thoughts, journaling prompts, prayers, and more. along with generous room to write. Whether you're looking for inspiration. . .motivation. . .encouragement. . .or simply a beautiful, faith-filled journal, you'll find it here in Write God In.
Download or read book The Blessings of Loneliness written by Sabrina McDonald and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-09-16 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sabrina McDonald's book The Blessings of Loneliness suggests that those who experience loneliness don't need to pursue marriage as the ultimate answer to their hurt, but they need to embrace the blessings that come through the pain. Having dealt with loneliness as a single woman and again as a widow for more than three years, McDonald proposes that loneliness itself is not a blessing, but the fruit that comes through it is. So many Christians forget that God calls His people to the low places. He calls us to be humble and meek. He even calls us to give up everything to follow Christ. None of these come easily, and they often require pain. But we've been promised recognition, grace, inheritance, and everlasting life in return. The same is true for the pain that comes through loneliness. Feelings of rejection and relational hurt force a person to die to his own desires, reach out to others, and find intimacy in Christ, but in return, God has promised a life filled with blessings if we reach within the pain and put our trust in Him. In The Blessings of Loneliness, McDonald encourages singles to see marriage as a calling, not a cure. She also encourages them to see singleness as a calling, and to take advantage of their time in order to reach others with the love of Christ. Throughout the book, McDonald uses her own experience and testimonies of others to prove that loneliness can bring about the abundant life. She uses scripture to back up her words of inspiration and wisdom, and each chapter contains practical steps that lead the lonely single down the path of a deeper relationship with Christ. Many men and women struggling with loneliness have found hope through this message. Here are a few personal testimonies: "You don't know what a blessing this has been. It has been such a message of confirmation and of comfort! Earlier this year, my Dad told me to continue being busy for God. Don't worry about timetables and how things look with regards to not being sent a mate.... Isn't it awesome to realize that God is more than enough for you? I just loved your words and I could write on and on...just wanted you to know that your testimony has blessed me and so many others!" "Thank you for this testimony. I am single now after separation from my husband. Reading your story is very comforting to me." "Thank you for that encouraging word. I'm a turning-27-single myself and I could identify with all the struggles you went through. Most of my friends can also relate to your valley experiences as a single. Praise God for the love and assurance of His presence every day. Although loneliness is a physical reality, when a woman chooses to run to the even more real presence of God by faith, she'll learn to embrace the joys and challenges of single-blessedness. I realize I am only beginning this journey of discovering these, and I thank God that he's my guide and fellow sojourner. I hope you'll continue to minister to singles and point them to Jesus!" "I just read The Blessings of Loneliness, and I appreciate your sharing such profound words of wisdom. I have been in the season of singleness for what seems like an eternity. While seeking God to satisfy the desire for a mate, I too discovered His love for me, and now I can't stop talking about Him. God bless you in your endeavors." The Blessings of Loneliness is a message of hope and healing for singles in any stage of life. The book is an easy short read with many stories that will draw the interest of a variety of readership. It's guaranteed to inspire anyone who struggles with feeling alone.
Download or read book Stepcoupling written by Susan Wisdom and published by Harmony. This book was released on 2007-12-18 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Love may be sweeter the second time around, but once the bliss of a newfound relationship wears off a little, the reality of being part of a stepfamily sets in. If you are one of the millions of remarried Americans facing the challenge of blending two existing families into one cohesive whole, you are part of a stepcouple—and you know all too well how hard it can be to make your marriage work in sometimes tough terrain. Different parenting styles, finances, relationships with ex-spouses, legal matters, and even seemingly simple issues such as the kinds of chores assigned to children can chisel away at your union if you don’t always make your marriage a priority. Stepcoupling offers advice for stepcouples on how to do just that—all the while strengthening their blended family with a healthy marriage. Susan Wisdom and Jennifer Green provide tips and strategies on dealing with the issues remarried couples face, with a wealth of advice from real-life stepcouples, such as: * Learning to tailor your expectations of your spouse or children and remembering that no family is perfect * Knowing where your boundaries are, whether involving a hostile ex-spouse or a stepchild who demands too much attention * Realizing that traits like flexibility, tolerance, forgiveness, and openness are especially essential in a stepfamily situation * Making “us” time for talking, problem-solving, weekends away, and enjoying your marriage to constantly renew and strengthen your bond as a couple Let this invaluable remarriage manual help you make your stepcouple the foundation of a strong, happy, and successful stepfamily.
Download or read book The Smart Stepfamily written by Ron L. Deal and published by Bethany House. This book was released on 2006 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Each member has their own unique place in a family. Ron Deal explores the myth of the "blended" family offering practical, realistic solutions for stepfamilies.
Download or read book Dating and the Single Parent written by Ron L. Deal and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2012-10-01 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trustworthy Stepfamily Expert Offers Single Parents a Guide to Dating Single parents who are dating or want to begin a dating relationship wonder, How will dating affect my children and my parenting? They probably have figured out that "dating in a crowd" is complicated. Now they're looking for help. Ron Deal, who has counseled single parents and remarried couples for many years, helps single parents--as well as those who date them--navigate the potential pitfalls involved. He gives perspective on when a relationship may be harmful to the children as well as how it can be a blessing to all. Always at the forefront is the goal of strengthening families. Includes questions for individual or group study.
Download or read book Mama Bear Apologetics written by Hillary Morgan Ferrer and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2019-06-04 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Foreword written by Nancy Pearcey* "Parents are the most important apologists our kids will ever know. Mama Bear Apologetics will help you navigate your kids’ questions and prepare them to become committed Christ followers.” —J. Warner Wallace "If every Christian mom would apply this book in her parenting, it would profoundly transform the next generation." —Natasha Crain #RoarLikeAMother The problem with lies is they don’t often sound like lies. They seem harmless, and even sound right. So what’s a Mama Bear to do when her kids seem to be absorbing the culture’s lies uncritically? Mama Bear Apologetics® is the book you’ve been looking for. This mom-to-mom guide will equip you to teach your kids how to form their own biblical beliefs about what is true and what is false. Through transparent life stories and clear, practical applications—including prayer strategies—this band of Mama Bears offers you tools to train yourself, so you can turn around and train your kids. Are you ready to answer the rallying cry, “Mess with our kids and we will demolish your arguments”? Join the Mama Bears and raise your voice to protect your kids—by teaching them how to think through and address the issues head-on, yet with gentleness and respect.
Download or read book Preparing to Blend written by Ron L. Deal and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2021-09-14 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Premarital Guide for Blended Family Couples If you want to enter a blended family marriage well, this is the book for you. Aimed at engaged or pre-engaged couples who have at least one child from a previous relationship, Preparing to Blend offers wise counsel on parenting, finances, establishing family identity, and daily routines for your new life together. Within these pages you will learn how to: · predict common issues · define expectations · create solutions You, your soon-to-be-spouse, and your children will benefit from exercises designed to accelerate family bonding and help you better understand each other. There is even a chapter to help you plan your wedding with your children in mind, so you can build a strong future together. Preparing to Blend is also an ideal premarital counseling tool for marriage coaches, mentors, and pastors wanting to prepare couples for complex blended family dynamics. If you are considering forming a blended family, Preparing to Blend is the resource you've been looking for.
Download or read book Your Story Matters written by Leslie Leyland Fields and published by NavPress. This book was released on 2020-04-07 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Your Story Matters presents a dynamic and spiritually formative process for understanding and redeeming the past in order to live well in the present and into the future. Leslie Leyland Fields has used and taught this practical and inspiring writing process for decades, helping people from all walks of life to access memory and sift through the truth of their stories. This is not just a book for writers. Each one of us has a story, and understanding God's work in our stories is a vital part of our faith. Through the spiritual practice of writing, we can "remember" his acts among us, "declare his glory among the nations," and pass on to others what we have witnessed of God in this life: the mysterious, the tragic, the miraculous, the ordinary. With a companion video curriculum from RightNow Media, this is a "why not" book as opposed to a "how to" book. Leslie asks each of us an important question: "Why not learn to tell your story, in the context of the grander story of God?"
Download or read book Raising Other People s Children written by Debbie Ausburn and published by Hatherleigh Press. This book was released on 2021-05-25 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Raising Other People's Children helps you navigate the complicated world of foster and step-parenting with better awareness and greater empathy, providing real-life solutions for forging strong relationships in extraordinary circumstances. Drawing on Debbie Ausburn’s decades of experience with every facet of the foster care system, Raising Other People's Children provides expert guidance viewed through the lens of real human interactions. The responsibility and complexity involved in raising someone else’s child can seem overwhelming. Regardless of whether you’re a stepparent, foster parent or adoptive parent, it is on you to take on the challenge of caring for them, helping them to move forward while also meeting their unique emotional needs.
Download or read book Kasey to the Rescue written by Ellen Rogers and published by Hyperion. This book was released on 2010-11-02 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a story of how miracles DO happen. How courage and a never-give-up spirit can emerge victorious. How an engaging little monkey helped change a family's life. Ellen Rogers considered herself something of a tragedy snob. The single mother of five believed she could weather any storm, that she could keep her family from harm with fortitude and grace. But nothing could have prepared her for the June 2005 car accident that left her son, Ned--then 22 years old--fighting for his life. Ellen refused to give in to despair. We'll get through this, she told herself. We have to. But love and determination can only go so far, and the road home was fraught with obstacles. Ellen and Ned took comfort in family and friends. And they prayed for a miracle. Miracles happen to those who believe, the saying goes, but who would have believed that one family's "miracle" would weigh in at five pounds sopping wet? Then Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled provided Ned with an affectionate and intelligent service animal with a steadfast devotion to hierarchy, a longing for "spa days," and a craving for Gummi Bears. In other words, a diva. Life with Kasey was yet another challenge for this large and lively family, but they persevered as families do, and in time this wise and sensitive animal did more than help Ned cope with his disabilities--she turned the simple tasks of life into a life worth living. Kasey's astonishing intelligence and compassion brought hope and laughter back to a family facing its greatest challenge, and helped them see the world in a new way.
Download or read book Women Who Love Too Much written by Robin Norwood and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-04-08 with total page 355 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses "loving too much" as a pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors which certain women develop as a reponse to various problems in their family backgrounds.
Download or read book Stepparenting the Grieving Child written by Diane Ingram Fromme and published by . This book was released on 2017-03-06 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Stepparenting the Grieving Child, Diane Ingram Fromme shares the assumptions and presumptions, steps and missteps that occurred within her own stepfamily. Diane faced the key challenges any new stepparent to grieving children experiences, including helplessness to know how and when to offer comfort, awkwardness to identify the times and ways to memorialize the lost parent, and outsider blues--not only feeling uncomfortable in her own home but also in her own skin. With personal examples, insights from other stepfamilies, and knowledge gained through experience and research, Diane provides information relevant to anyone who supports grieving children. Diane's straightforward approach will help you: Gain a more relaxed mindset toward stepparenting through grief Learn meaningful ways to include and memorialize the lost parent Help the natural parent claim his or her role in the grieving family In Stepparenting the Grieving Child you'll find hope, strength, and inspiration for the journey ahead, no matter where you are now.
Download or read book Blending Families written by Elaine Fantle Shimberg and published by Berkley. This book was released on 1999-04-01 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today more Americans are part of a second-marriage family than a first. Inevitably, these newly blended "stepfamilies" will be confronted by their own special problems and needs.This insightful problem-solving guide offers solid solutions--and includes real-life stories from families who've been through the adjustment process. Written by an award-winning author who specializes in health and family care, the book covers a wide range of issues--emotional, financial, disciplinary, and interpersonal. Naturally, there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution for second-marriage families. Each is unique, with its own composition, personalities, and problems. But with patience and understanding, this new family can work, live, and eventually love--together.Includes special sections on: * Family communication * Former spouses * Grandparents and step-grandparents * Juggling households * Commuting children * Discipline * School issues * Family customs and rituals * Religious differences * Reducing stress * Adult time * Money issues * Holiday planning * Vacations * Curfews and other rules
Download or read book Black Love Matters written by Armon R. Perry and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-10-30 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Black Love Matters is an in-depth qualitative analysis that focuses on a diverse group of adult black men and their attitudes towards behavior in marriage and romantic relationships. To give voice to the men’s narratives, Black Love Matters follows the men for four years, chronicling the experiences and the circumstances shaping their relationship trajectories. Highlights include discussions related to the roles that sex, infidelity, intimacy, trauma, family of origin, masculinity, and environmental factors play in the men’s attitudes and behaviors. Given the dearth of literature on black men featuring first-hand accounts from them, Black Love Matters makes a significant contribution to the existing literature that seems to be disproportionately focused on implicating black men in discussions of what ills their families and communities.
