Here is the link to Mike’s post that I am refernecing in this video. https://www.skool.com/blendedfamilymomentum/james-1-faith-that-actually-shows-up-at-home?p=72f50899 I hope it helps you ♥️

Blended families don’t struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because they don’t apply what they know. That’s exactly where James 1 steps in. “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers…” (James 1:22 NASB) Let’s be honest, most blended families are full to the brim with hearers. You’ve heard Be patient Be kind Put your spouse first Don’t provoke the kids Forgive You’ve heard it… But when the tension hits, the disrespect shows up Application goes out the window. James doesn’t tolerate that. 1. Trials Are Not the Problem “Consider it all joy… when you encounter various trials” (James 1:2) Blended families are built on trials Loyalty conflicts Step-parent resistance Different parenting styles Emotional baggage Here’s the truth Those problems aren’t breaking your family. They’re revealing your maturity. Pressure doesn’t create character 2. Wisdom Is Available “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God…” (James 1:5) Everyone says they want wisdom. But real wisdom often tells you Stay quiet when you want to win Lead your home when it’s uncomfortable Take responsibility Be consistent when emotions say “quit” That’s the kind of wisdom people ask for… then ignore. 3. Your Mouth Is Either Building or Burning Your Family “Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger” (James 1:19) Blended families live or die right here. You don’t destroy a family overnight You do it sentence by sentence. One sarcastic jab One harsh correction One emotional reaction Multiply that over time… Now you’ve got distance, resentment, and division. Control your mouth, or it will control your home. 4. Feelings Don’t Lead “In humility receive the word implanted…” (James 1:21) Blended families are emotional environments. But if feelings are leading Parenting becomes inconsistent Marriage becomes unstable Kids feel unsafe Truth has to be the anchor. Not moods. Not reactions. Not “how I feel today.” 5. Faith That Doesn’t Show Up at Home Is Worthless

“For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NASB) They drift when standards quietly get replaced with excuses. God did not call you into a relationship, a marriage, or a family system where anything goes. He called you into sanctification. That word doesn’t mean religious behavior or trying harder. It means set apart. Set apart from doing what feels good justifying sin letting culture define what’s “normal” Especially when it comes to how we use our bodies, our words, and our authority in the home. Paul makes it uncomfortable on purpose “So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” (v.8) In other words This isn’t about personality differences. It isn’t about how you were raised. It isn’t about what your ex did. To reject God’s call to sanctification is to reject God Himself. In blended families, clarity brings peace. And clarity starts when Scripture isn’t treated as a suggestion. Sanctification isn’t perfection. It’s submission. And God is very clear about what He has called us into.

Not because people are busy, but because most people don’t want accountability. People shy away from the work. And in a blended family, that mistake can be expensive. The wrong friends will: • Undermine your spouse • Normalize disrespect • Encourage escape • Call dysfunction “self-care” or "boundaries" The right friends do the opposite. The right friends protect your marriage. The right friends speak truth. The right friends value covenant over comfort. Scripture is blunt about this: “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20 (NASB) Your kids are watching who has access to your marriage and family. Your spouse feels the push even when you don’t notice it. And your marriage will drift, or strengthen, based on who you bring in. Choose friends who: • Honor your marriage • Respect your spouse • Tell you the truth • Are building something, not running from something Loneliness is hard. But the wrong friends are worse. Guard your circle. Your family depends on it.

They grow strong because two adults decide, over and over, to stay anchored. Progress in a blended home is usually quiet. It looks like choosing unity. It looks like consistency. It looks like leadership. If you’re doing the right things and wondering why it still feels slow, good. That means you’re building something real, not something fragile. Healthy blended families aren’t built on feelings. They’re built on commitment, clarity, and the daily decision to protect the marriage first. Stay steady. What you’re building matters.