Research shows that
Link to source: (https://brandongaille.com/20-noteworthy-statistics-of-blended-families/)
- 1 out of every 3 Americans is either a step-parent, a step-child, or has some other form of a blended family in some way, which means almost 100 million people.
- It is estimated that more than half of all Americans either have been or will be included in a blended family during their lifetime.
- 40% of the married couples with children in the US are forming blended families right now.
- Step-dads are more common than step-moms.
- Americans get married, get divorced, and choose to cohabit more than any other Western society, which accounts for the inflation of many of these numbers.
- 10% of women in the US have had three or more marriages, divorces, or long-term cohabitation arrangements by the age of 35.
- By the age of 15, 3 out of every 10 US kids will have experienced at least two mother partnerships.
- 1300 new step families are forming every day.
It’s one thing to write inspiring words for the world to read and then it’s another thing to live them out loud for the world to watch.
When I first started writing blogs nearly a decade ago, I had no idea what twists and turns my world would take. I just wanted to let God use my life more and I saw blogging as an opportunity to venture out into new territories with that.
This small step of faith eventually led to another and another. It fueled my heart to believe God was calling me to write books, host conferences, apply for seminary, and even believe that He could use my life to reach 1 million people.
The last 3 years have been very painful for me. Much more then I could ever conjurer up the words to share.
BUT God.
He’s been so very faithful my friends and He is rebuilding my life one piece at a time. Only He could turn something so broken into something so beautiful.
Only He.
As He heals my heart, I am finding my inspiration again and I forgot how good it feels. I pulled up an old word document that I started working on a few years ago. It was the beginning of a book on being a blended family…I guess it’s time for me to live out my own words. It’s time for me to practice what I preach.
The world has much to benefit from a blended family who lets their light shine bright.
November 2014
” I don’t think that it’s every little girl’s dream to one day write a book about becoming a blended family. I know that it wasn’t mine, yet God has filled me with an incredible passion to do so. Why? Because it’s part of my story. Yes, we are a blended family. I walked into this role when my children were very young.
When the boys were born, the thought of having to say goodbye to them before they ever hit double digits was never something that I thought about. It was too early for me to think about what life would look like for me when they were out of the home, but I was forced to do it when they were still very young. Sure, I still had them quite a bit, but I had to share my time with them with their father. Our life and family quickly became one of sharing holidays, weekends, and birthdays. It has not been an easy journey but God has been so faithful and because of that, I have been able to find purpose through it all. Even this, something as ugly as this, I can now look at as a precious gift from God.
If you are searching to find healing with the pain and loss of not having your children with you all of the time, there is hope, I promise! The truth is that these have been some of my favorite years. You see, He has a plan and He will see you through. In my journey of becoming a blended family, I have discovered so much about myself and my children. Things that I may have never discovered without this journey. Our story matters to God and He is painting a beautiful story with our family. We are survivors of divorce and God is making all things new.”
