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Dear Friends,
The Largest demographic in the Church today - Single and
Blended Families!
Statistics tell us that over
60% of today’s families are either single parent or stepfamilies. The same research indicates that 2700
new single parent or stepfamilies are “born” every day! The tragic reality is that 74% of these
marriages within stepfamilies will fail in the first 6 years.
We as the Body of
Christ have a great opportunity to minister to this growing segment of
our population. (We'll be covering
this topic at our Family Ministry Conference highlighted above!) Yet we are reminded that building all
of the marriages represented within our churches is vital! Maxine Marsolini
of Blended Families.net says
this:
"One
of the biggest challenges for remarrieds is
finding time to nurture the new marriage. There is no gradual
adjustment to a new partner or extended time for “just-the-two-of-you”
bonding as is customary to a husband and wife without children.
Blended families go almost instantaneously from I do to packing school
lunches and coping with intrahousehold and interhousehold demands. To maintain a healthy
relationship, an effort must be made to nurture the new marriage despite
the frustrations that are so common to the blended family. One of
the best ways to plan time for the two of you is by keeping a date night
on your calendar. If possible, arrange to have a weekend away every
couple months. When intimacy diminishes anger and disillusionment
are often close at hand.
If remarrieds don’t have enough to deal with, they have
to consider the adjustments of their offspring. It is common for
these fragile family units to see instant competition between
stepchildren. Our sons and daughters were not shopping around for extra
brothers and sisters—or for a new parent figure. Now there are
rooms to share, less bathroom time to go around, and mom isn’t as
available as she used to be. You know, like before she married
‘him’.
One thing is for
sure: Blending doesn’t just happen; we purposely journey into
it. Though it takes years, we have this promise from God:
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to give
you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)."
Good information for us all. For additional ministries specializing
in Single and Blended Families visit: Successful Step-Families, or In Step Ministries
(featured speakers at our Family Ministry
Conference).
Celebrate
your family!
Bruce McCracken
Founder, House on the Rock Family Ministries
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If you
found this information helpful, we have made other Pebbles of Truth articles
available on our website (www.hotrfm.org). Each month we feature
articles on the topics of: men's issues, marriage, blended families,
parenting, and church ministry to families. You will also find a
great deal more information about House on the Rock Family Ministries!
Thanks for visiting.
Please
feel free to forward this to friends and family … we just ask that you
keep it intact … thanks
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