by Gayla Grace | Jul 10, 2018 | acceptance, Blog
Today I’m including an excerpt from my new book, Stepparenting With Grace: A Devotional for Blended Families. The book releases August 7th with Worthy Publishing and is currently available for pre-order! Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? Job 2:10...
by Gayla Grace | Aug 3, 2016 | acceptance, Blog, feelings, grief, stepmom support
A knot formed in my stomach as I watched my husband, Randy, take his suit out of the closet and pack it in the car. “I think you need to take funeral clothes too,” he said. “We don’t know what lies ahead.” I looked away as tears pooled in...
by Gayla Grace | Mar 15, 2016 | acceptance, Blog, Scripture for Stepfamily Life, stepfamily relationships
It’s been a tough week in Bossier City, Louisiana, where I live. Life-threatening storms swept through our community with 20 inches of rain over a two-day period and flooding that left many families homeless. School dismissed for three days while displaced...
by Gayla Grace | Jul 25, 2015 | acceptance, Blog, encouragement, hope, rewards of stepparenting
My son has an upper respiration infection. As he whined about his symptoms while picking at his breakfast, I didn’t want to believe him. My to-do list for the day didn’t include a trip to the doctor, a two-hour wait with screaming children sliming their...
by Gayla Grace | May 20, 2014 | acceptance, Blog, conflict, take care of yourself
I’m including a guest post today from Shawn Hartwell, founder and CEO of StepSpeak in Quebec, Canada. My girlfriend and I often struggled and fought in a toxic relationship. I wanted us to be together but didn’t realize I was making the same mistake over...
by Gayla Grace | May 7, 2014 | acceptance, Blog, expectations, stepmother role
If there’s one holiday that stepmoms would rather not celebrate, it’s Mother’s Day. It can be a hard day because we’re reminded of the time and energy we invest in our stepchildren’s lives with little or no reward. And if our stepchildren do try to show their...
by Gayla Grace | Apr 1, 2014 | acceptance, Blog, expectations, wedding
I’m including a guest post today from Holly Robinson, author of a new novel that comes out today, April 1st — Beach Plum Island. As a mom and stepmom herself, Holly offers some great tips on making your second wedding a success with the kids. Leave a...
by Gayla Grace | Dec 16, 2013 | acceptance, Blog, perseverance, stepfamily holiday tips
I’ve spoken with several stepparents recently struggling with dark days. One stepmom described her life as “hopeless.” Another spoke of daily, overwhelming challenges with her stepdaughter. I started my blog four years ago this month after coming...
by Gayla Grace | Nov 18, 2013 | acceptance, Blog, stepfamily holiday tips
Today I’m posting a guest post by Laura Reagan-Porras, MS, a parenting journalist and sociologist. She gives a few tips for thriving through stepfamily holidays. One Part of New Normal and Two Parts of Stepfamily Doesn’t Equal Holiday Fruitcake The...
by Gayla Grace | Mar 28, 2013 | acceptance, Blog, Faith, love, stepfamily relationships
I’m including a devotional today I wrote recently for stepparents. I hope you find it helpful. “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews...
by Gayla | Jan 16, 2013 | acceptance, Blog, Change, conflict, stepfamily relationships
I was recently talking to a stepmom who’s struggling in her role with her stepdaughter. In hearing some history of the relationship, I could see the normal progression that often happens in stepfamilies with various stages of integration. How a stepfamily...
by Gayla | May 23, 2012 | acceptance, Blog, loyalty conflict, stepfamily relationships, successful stepparenting
In working with stepparents recently, I’ve noticed a common thread that spells disaster in the early years of stepfamily development: the tendency for the stepparent to play a strong disciplinary role instead of allowing the biological parent to be the primary...