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The Stepfamily Ministry is a platform dedicated to understanding and addressing the unique challenges and complexities associated with blended families. The program, anchored on Ron Deal's "The Smart Stepfamily," equips stepfamilies with practical strategies, everyday solutions, and a supportive community that helps them navigate their unique circumstances. It offers constructive advice on handling expectations, raising stepchildren, and maintaining a healthy marital relationship.
The topics are designed to address common pitfalls and provide guidance on working as an effective parenting team. This ministry believes in shaping a home that not only addresses the complexities of blended families but does so with love and understanding.
Reconciliation Resources has made a huge impact in my life. The small groups are led by people that are or have gone through the same things as you. Being part of a small group is important to me because of the safety, encouragement, and advice you can only find in a settings small groups provide.The Bible talks a lot about being part of a community so you can learn and grow together; even Jesus had his disciples. We cannot heal and grow being by ourselves we need people who understand and have experienced similar things as us, it doesn’t matter how hard you try and how many people you have supporting you – forgiveness and healing only come from the grace of God.
Celebrate Recovery is a decades-old ministry that came out of Saddleback Church. (Recovery from: alcoholism, divorce, sexual abuse, codependency, domestic violence, drug addiction, sexual addiction, food addiction, gambling addiction). I recommend this ministry to everyone because it’s literally for everyone; for people who struggle to overcome “hurts, hang ups and habits”. I went through the Step Study in 2015 while I was going through divorce and struggling with anger, co-dependency, depression and anxiety.Being part of a close knit supportive community is actually biblical. If you want to be forgiven Jesus will do that in a moment. If we want to be healed, we need each other. In CR I was loved, encouraged, prayed for, supported, and taught. I experienced many more of the “one another’s” found in scripture. We were not created to go through our struggles alone and that is why I go to CR; for myself and for the sake of others.
I became a stepmom to 3 children in 2021 when I married Jeff. I had read a couple books about “how to survive becoming a stepmom” while we dated, however the best advice was found in Ron L. Deal’s books. It was Jodi who gave Jeff ‘Dating and the Single Parent’ and me ‘The Smart Stepmom’. Now we have purchased ALL Ron L. Deal’s books and we highly recommend them! Despite all the reading I felt lonely on my journey. Thankfully during the pandemic I joined Family Life Blended (FL) events, and training sessions via Zoom. I learned so much from the presenters and the attending couples. So once the pandemic had settled I started my own Blended Family Ministry here in Saskatoon! I’d love to help you and your family on the journey: to share joys and hurts, to acknowledge the struggles and to grow in wisdom and love. Contact me at hilary.rrministries@gmail.com for more info.
