Preparing to Blend: The Couple’s Guide to Becoming a Smart Stepfamily

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.

We are offering our FREE Preparing to Blend Leader’s Guide.

Endorsements:

“There is absolutely no one better than Ron Deal to help blended families. No one. This resource is a critical tool in helping a couple prepare for their future together and the future of their blended family. Do the critical work now and your kids will thank you later.” – Dave and Ann Wilson, co-hosts, FamilyLife Today

“‘It can’t be that hard, can it?’ In reality, many couples and families are unprepared to blend as one. The transition can often be unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and uneasy. Ron L. Deal has provided parents and family members with a hope-filled, practical, timely, and insightful resource in Preparing to Blend.” – Dr. Tim Clinton, president, American Association of Christian Counselors; executive director, James Dobson Family Institute

“This beautifully written book is an extraordinary gift to stepfamilies and to those who want to help them. Ron Deal brings decades of experience, deep compassion, profound wisdom, and step-by-step practical guidance to forging a unity of heart for stepcouples and children journeying through the complexities of becoming a ‘blended family.'” Dr. Patricia L. Papernow, author, Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships and The Stepfamily Handbook

“Many blended families reflect back on navigating the unique realities of bonding and thriving as a blended family and say, ‘No one prepared us for this.’ And they’re right; most premarital preparation doesn’t foster the needed dialogue to prepare for blending families. But now, Preparing to Blend gives couples a roadmap they didn’t know they wanted! Ron gifts us with a one-of-a-kind resource from a deep, practical well of decades of focused work counseling blended families and biblical expertise.” – David Robbins, president and CEO, FamilyLife(R)

“I thank God for Ron Deal! His advice is so practical, real to life, wise, and helpful. This will be my go-to book to give to couples who are about to blend their families.” – Gary Thomas, author, Sacred Marriage and Sacred Parenting

“Many books on blended families focus more on helping parents and minimize children’s needs. Preparing to Blend boldly dives deeper into the struggles of family members. This is a powerful, effective, and easy-to-follow roadmap for every blended family. If you want a healthy and strong blended family, Preparing to Blend is a must-read.” – Meg Meeker, MD, bestselling author, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters

“‘I wish I had learned about blending before I got married,’ are the most common words I hear from stepfamilies. And Ron Deal has provided the perfect go-to resource, rich with insight and packed with relevance. Preparing to Blend explores the crucial topics and unique dynamics associated with blending a family and why it’s different than a first marriage. Ron Deal’s expert voice and years of experience provide a travel guide of wisdom through the issues, such as what to expect, why it’s different, how to handle unhappy kids, setting boundaries, the former spouse, jealousy, discipline, bonding, loyalty, and other issues that can cause conflict. Preparing to Blend is a must-read for blending couples, extended family, pastors, and therapists. I highly recommend this resource.” – Laura Petherbridge, speaker, author

Ron L. Deal is Director of FamilyLife Blended™ and President of SmartStepfamilies.com. He is a family ministry consultant and conducts marriage and family seminars around the country; he specializes in marriage and stepfamily enrichment. Ron is author of the bestselling book and DVD curriculum The Smart Stepfamily and author/coauthor of The Smart Stepmom, The Smart Stepdad, and The Remarriage Checkup.

He has extensive experience training pastors, ministry leaders, and counselors and has appeared on dozens of national radio and TV broadcasts in the US, Canada, and the UK. Ron is considered a leading voice in stepfamily education and ministry and in the prevention of redivorce. He and his wife, Nan, have been married since 1986 and have three boys. For more information visit RonDeal.org.