The Stepfamily
Redemption Connection By Katie Hill
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:5
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ccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, roughly 1,300 new stepfamilies are created each day and this number is increasing. If this statistic holds up, the odds are either you, or someone you know is part of a blended family.
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The brutal reality is that by definition, stepfamilies come about because of loss. Either one parent has died or both parents have been ripped apart by divorce. Both circumstances mean there is a lot of healing required and that can take a very, very long time. And then when a stepfamily is formed, this healing gets compounded by trying to build new relationships. I know this is not what you signed up for. Deep down, you might even wish that somehow your dad and mom could just pull it together and not be divorced anymore. You still desperately miss your mom whom you lost to cancer, even though you appreciate what your stepmom does for you. Maybe you struggle to get along with your stepdad. You like your stepbrother, but your stepsister? Lord, have mercy! And then there’s the matter of going back and forth between two houses—sometimes it feels like you’re walking on Jello. Why do I care? Besides having been a teacher and watching many young people go through these family changes, I’ve been on both ends of the stepfamily spectrum myself. My mom was divorced when I was 5 and remarried when I was 7. Because my biological father surrendered his parental rights, my stepfather legally adopted me and gave me his name. He took on an instant family and invested the time to raise me and love me for the sake of my mom. I know I gave him a hard time
