Healthy Stepparenting #11: Walk With God Daily

As a stepparent, it's hard to know what may happen tomorrow. Our stepchildren may decide to go live with their other parent or if they're living in another home, they may choose to come live with us. We could begin to encounter resistance and anger that we haven't seen before once they reach adolescence. Or their other parent may decide to re-marry, opening up new territory to manage.

Life is full of uncertainty. But the one thing we can count on is that God will walk with us daily if we choose to let Him. The Bible speaks of God's faithfulness and never-ending love for us continually. Psalm 46:1-3 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

We are called to seek after Him and He will be our refuge and strength.

When our youngest son, Nathan(pictured above), was a year old, he was involved in a car accident that could have been fatal. We were told in the Emergency Room that young children are often killed in accidents similar to what Nathan went through. However, we are convinced that God's presence protected him.

Although it was a traumatic event, we saw God's hand at work. We had friends in the Emergency Room who helped with our other children while we tended to Nathan. We were surrounded by family in the days ahead as we repeatedly changed dressings, gave medication, and took turns trying to keep a one-year-old still (not an easy feat).

We saw a broken leg mend and tire burns and lacerations heal without any recollection of the accident for Nathan. However, Nathan has scars on one leg that still remind us of how God walked with us that day and spared his life.

There will likely be difficulties in your stepfamily that could lead you to despair and frustration. But as you choose to walk with Him during those times, He will take you to the other side to experience freedom and tranquility.