Customer Reviews

God Breathes on Blended Families

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is often very difficult for divorced persons of faith to move on into a life of fulfillment and grace. Sometimes it's guilt, sometimes it's regret and sometimes it is resentment that holds us down in the bonds of living a half-life.

God Breathes on Blended Families by Moe Becnel & Paige Becnel reminds us that this is not what God wants for our lives. Christ came so that we may have life, and have it abundantly. Through Christ, we ALL have forgiveness for not-so-perfect pasts. This simple reminder echoes through the book in reassurance that the regret and guilt that restrain us are imposed by the ideals of an imperfect man... not by a perfect, forgiving and loving God.

The tenderness and truth of the Becnel's story inspires hope and comfort in the family struggling to form the delicate bonds that truly define a "family". This book has given me hope for the future, and has highlighted the forgiveness of my past. The Becnels have reminded me through their intimate depiction of poigniant moments and proud smiles, that...

YES! God Breathes on Blended Families!

I am a Christian, a husband and a father who with his wife, started on a blended family journey three years ago. All seven of us expected family bliss. But then reality hit and the difficulties began in earnest. With the accompanying workbook we also purchased, this resource not only illuminates many of the difficulties our family is dealing with - which helps us realize we are not alone in such struggles - it also encourages a compassionate heart and true understanding of 'the other side' of why the struggle is happening in the first place. Using the Bible as it's basis for responding in grace yet tough love, Paige and Moe weave a theme of having us remove our own pride from the equation, and start having us see things the way God sees things, to get things back on track. While it is true that it will take time to turn things around for ours or any other blended family, I have for the first time through this Becnel account, a reason for hope in what I was beginning to see as a hopeless situation, and a vision of what our family truly CAN be. If I had to describe this book and workbook, I would describe them as a message of Hope and a reason to continue on. If you are at your wits end in frustration with a blended family situation that just does not seem to be getting better, you need this book!!

As a blended family author myself, I take great pains before recommending any self-help book, but Moe & Paige Becnel took even greater pains when penning God Breathes on Blended Families -- and thus I recommend this book with five stars. (Though I'd give 6 if I could!) It is hard to think of a time when a family needs God's grace more than when blending together, and in a time when 1 out of 2 families is indeed "blended," it's hard to think of a time when we might need this book more. If you are part of a blended family, or becoming part of a blended family, or know someone who already is, you owe it to yourself to get this book.

If you are getting married or already are with children this book is a necessity for your family! My husband and I just completed Blended Families 10 week course with Moe and Paige using this book and the workbook and all I can say is WOW! This book will start you on a lifelong journey wanting to be the best family that you can be. With God on your side, how could you fail!
God Breathes On Blended Families has brought me closer to my children, my husband , and especially to God. I've learned how to deal with simple little things in life that in a new family often seem so hard to over come. We've just begun our journey as a "blended family" but with what we've learned reading this book, it has created a solid foundation for us to build our new family on. I hope and pray that you read this book in your life. With God and Prayer in your life anything is possible!

My wife and I read this book prior to getting married two years ago. It was a tremendous blessing. It explored different pitfalls that are common with 2nd and 3rd marriages. If you're in a blended family, or about to; please not only read this book, but heed the advise.

My wife and I read it over a weekend-it was an easy read and it approached the subject of blended {step} families from a different perspective-one of hope, not helplessness. It made a difference for us!

I wasn't sure what a blended family was until I read this book. I think it takes a great deal of courage to get down into the trenches with people, eyeball to eyeball, and talk about such a painful subject. The book reminds me of the power of unity and what we can do with God's help.

I did, and I'm glad. So many books point you toward helping yourself, so many others try to help you, and even more ask you to look to God -- this book does all of that and more. It's a nice little package that had a BIG impact on my life, and is bound to do the same for you.

This book is obviously written with love and great intentions. However, the Becnels have no formal training in the areas of marriage and family therapy and dispense some frightening advice. They list several symptoms of "unblendedness" in stepfamilies and define them as "the devil's work of dividing". The first among these is "You discipline yours and I'll discipline mine" followed by "New Children call the new parent by their first name". They emphasize that these events in blended families are from Satan! I am a Christian, Biblical, licensed marriage and family therapist with 20 years experience in the field and a specialty in blended families. A great deal of the Becnel's advice is guilt producing, stress-exacerbating, and unrealistic. Quit bluntly put, much of their advice is very dangerous and could cause serious trouble in your blended family. PLEASE read another book along side this one so that you can get a realisitic perspective of what it takes to make a stepfamily REALLY WORK. Read James Bray's Stepfamilies; Love, Marriage and Parenting in the first decade. It is based on professional research and expertise!

This book was such a blessing to me. It addressed many of the ways I have been feeling in my blended family towards my husband and his children. It let me know that my feelings were natural but gave me hope that things can and will change for the better. The Becnel's were very open & honest in the way they felt and handled their problems. Paige stated in Chapter 6, "Loving and parenting a child who was not born to you is not a natural thing." This really helped me and my husband in understanding that there's a process for us to bond to one anothers children, love didn't come at first sight, so to speak. She also suggested that you mentally & emotionally adopt your new children making them a vital part of your world. My husband even read this book and told me how much he enjoyed it. There was a previous review by a lady who didn't like this book or didn't enjoy all the scripture references but as Christians the Word should be our manual by which we live. I was blessed by the scripture references and by the prayers!!! If you are on the verge of leaving your home because of difficulties with your husband/wife or stepchildren please get this book first and apply the principles given!!!!