Every family’s story is different. For blended families, their story often starts with a season of pain, loss, and unexpected change. Not only are the parents and children having to make sense of the new day-to-day logistics, but they’re also having to work through the big feelings that come with former dynamics or what might be next. Thankfully, God still delights in making beauty out of ashes.

On this episode of “Raising Young Disciples,” Mary Jo and Daniel are joined by Cheryl Shumake, proud bio mom, bonus mom, and founder of Stepmom Sanity, to share her experiences growing and discipling her blended family. And here’s a spoiler: God’s grace, love, and mercy always shows up for her and her family—wherever they are in their story.

Guest Bio:

Ask Cheryl about her greatest adventure and she’ll tell you, “That I know and love Jesus and get to make Him known.” She is a Bible teacher, author, speaker, and founder of Stepmom Sanity, a Christ-centered circle of support, providing help and hope for stepmoms who are “there” from stepmoms who’ve been there. Cheryl and her husband, Jonathan, make their home in Michigan and are frequently invaded by their children looking for food and hugs!

Links:

Stepmom Sanity: https://www.stepmomsanity.com/the-mission

FamilyLife Blended: https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/blended-families/

Check out Cheryl’s book, Waiting to Be Wanted!

Explore these print and digital resources to bring your family together throughout the Lent and Easter season! 📖📱 https://www.odbm.org/en/campaigns/nydi/nydi-welcome-families/lent-season

Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” —Psalm 139:13-14

Did you know that 1 out of every 3 households in the United States includes someone living with a disability? Those who find themselves as part of the caregiving communities—whether directly or indirectly—know that every story, challenge, and experience is different. But do you know what will always be true? God will always show up and meet us wherever we are along this journey.

Join hosts Mary Jo and Daniel as they sit down with Rev. Dr. Jason Le Shana and explore how we create opportunities for true inclusion and belonging between those with and without disabilities inside our homes, communities, and churches.

Guest Bio:

Reverend Jason Le Shana, PhD, is Program Director of the Baylor Collaborative on Faith and Disability. Before coming to Baylor, Rev. Dr. Le Shana was a campus pastor for 13 years at Azusa Pacific University where he led the chapel programming and pastoral counseling efforts. As an ordained pastor, he has served in churches both large and small as a pastoral team member, including as worship pastor, preaching team member, and youth ministry staff. His passion for the church and higher education has allowed him to also serve as an adjunct professor in biblical studies, a denominational consultant, and as a volunteer in a variety of local church ministries.

In addition to his years serving college students and congregants with intellectual and physical disabilities, Rev. Dr. Le Shana’s passion and calling to faith and disability work stem from his personal life experiences, including living with a physical disability and as the parent of a child with autism.

Links:

Disability Ministry Network: https://disabilityministrynetwork.org/

Joni & Friends: https://joniandfriends.org/

Explore these print and digital resources to bring your family together throughout the Lent and Easter season! 📖📱 https://www.odbm.org/en/campaigns/nydi/nydi-welcome-families/lent-season

Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/

Can you count the number of notifications that pinged you through your phone today? 📱

Some days it seems hard to remember there was once a time when we couldn’t carry a computer in our pockets. And as we continue to raise our kids in a fast-paced, digital age that gets more confusing by the minute, it can be hard to know what decisions to make when it comes to their screen time. Sit down with Mary Jo and Daniel as they are joined by Doug Crawford to talk about some easy-to-adopt habits adults can use to model healthy digital discernment so that even the littlest eyes can see technology as a “we” activity, not a “me” activity.

Guest Bio:

Doug Crawford has had the pleasure of filling many roles at Protect Young Eyes and currently serves as the Family Digital Wellness Expert. After being a pastor for more than 15 years, Doug now comes alongside families, churches, and communities to help them create safer digital spaces for everyone.

Links:
Check out Doug’s work with Protect Young Eyes! https://www.protectyoungeyes.com/

Keep learning how to be spiritually wise in today’s tech age with these additional podcasts! 🎧

• Andy Crouch’s episode of Where Ya From?: https://whereyafrom.org/episode/episode-14-being-techwise-and-culture-making-with-andy-crouch/
• Amy Crouch’s episode of God Hears Her: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/the-best-of-god-hears-her-podcast-how-to-live-a-tech-wise-life/
• How Technology Tells the Story of the Bible | Week 1: https://discovertheword.org/series/how-technology-tells-the-story-of-the-bible-week-1/
• How Technology Tells the Story of the Bible | Week 2:
• https://discovertheword.org/series/how-technology-tells-the-story-of-the-bible-week-2

Explore these print and digital resources to bring your family together throughout the Lent and Easter season! 📖📱 https://www.odbm.org/en/campaigns/nydi/nydi-welcome-families/lent-season

Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/