Ron L. Deal - Daily Encouragement for the Smart Stepfamily

H ave you got a minute?

In todays fast-paced world thats sometimes hard to come by. If youre like me, youre busy. Kids pull on us this way, career demands that wayeven our mobile devices seem to pull on our time and attention. Lets face it, life demands. And if were not careful, our relationships and daily need to once again find True North get lost. And then we get lost.

So, have you got a minute to find your bearings? Its kind of important.

This book has a daily dose of encouragement you can read in a minute or less. Its really not complicated. Your main objective is to glancejust for a minuteat your compass and realign your life and family toward True North. Think of each daily reading as a bit of guidance, inspiration, or challenge to keep you on track. Read the days thought, reflect on it, and give voice to the prayer. Then try to carry one point, one application, or one insight with you into your day.

I suggest you:

• Start where you are. Look up todays date and start reading.
• Read each entry as a couple. But dont fret; if life gets in the way, read individually and briefly discuss it later if you can.
• Share one or two per week with your children, perhaps over dinner or while driving in the car. Bring them into your faith journey so you can help shape theirs. Theres another reason to do this: regularly bringing family members together around Gods truth aids in the bonding process of your blended family. Over time this can build family harmony. One more thought: Be discerning about which entries you pick or which part you share based on the ages of your children and the strength of your relationship. Dont force the material; just go with what makes sense in this season of your family life.
• Dont let guilt throw you off track. If you miss a day... or week, dont be defeated. Just turn to the current days entry and start again.

As someone who has studied and worked intimately with stepfamilies for over twenty-five years, I can assure you that blended families are complex creatures; not every page in this book will apply to your family. But I hope that each day youll be able to find a nugget that does apply. If not, say a prayer for the family to whom it does pertain. Maybe the next day theyll be praying for you.

Want more? These thoughts are based on my one-minute audio feature called FamilyLife Blended , which is available on hundreds of radio outlets nationwide and on social media. Find hundreds more daily doses of inspiration at our website, familylifeblended.com .