Episode 185: Blended Families - the rebirth after death of a spouse or divorce with Bo Stern and Cliff Brady

Going through the loss of a marriage after the death of a spouse or divorce is very difficult. And then trying to blend a family and create something new adds a whole other layer. The average blended family takes at least 7 years to blend, so today - if you hear anything, we hope you hear grace for the journey as we talk with a couple who truly gets this assignment. We have Cliff Brady and Bo Stern today. You might have heard Bo share last month about suffering well. Bo is the author of Beautiful Battlefields, When Holidays Hurt, and Ruthless. She has been a pastor for a few decades and speaks nationally. Cliff is a business consultant with a variety of expertises. Together, they have 10 children and 6 grandchildren! And yes, their last name is Brady. Bo and Cliff share candidly about their caution to remarriage, how they transitioned toward dating, and the conversations they had with each of their 10 children. They share their observations on how they see divorcees treated differently in the church than widows. They believe people shouldn’t need to earn the compassion of others - single parenting is hard! As you tune in, you'll gain some beautiful insights into how to keep your marriage first in the midst of lots of children, and the core values Bo and Cliff believe are helping them have a healthy blended family (despite the many hurts they all experienced along the way). Whether you are grieving the loss of a spouse (through death or divorce), considering remarriage, or currently blending a family, this episode is for you. And honestly, if you are leading blended families or wanting to better understand the needs of your friends, this episode is for you too!   To connect with Bo Stern-Brady, visit:   ONLINE -  bostern.com   SOCIAL -  Instagram - instagram.com/bosternbrady Facebook - facebook.com/bstern   BOOKS -  Beautiful Battlefields  Ruthless When Holidays Hurt   OTHER -  Writer for the SoulSpace app    ========================   We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community.  Go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up to receive our free leadership tips and updates delivered to you in our monthly newsletter.  And… If you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.     Until next time, be the leader you would follow!   Grateful for you, Jeff & Terra   To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:   INSTAGRAM @TerraMattson @Living_Wholehearted @MyCourageousGirls   FACEBOOK @WeAreLivingWholehearted @MyCourageousGirls   WEBSITES LivingWholehearted.com TerraMattson.com  MyCourageousGirls.com   RESOURCES Shrinking the Integrity Gap        https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/       https://a.co/d/dRiP4Ii Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course        https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace       https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace Dear Mattsons        https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters        http://cpguides.org   Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org