“Here’s the story of a lovely lady, who was bringing up three very lovely girls…”
Most of you could probably finish that theme song from memory. The Brady Bunch was the quintessential television family of the early 1970’s, largely because of its wholesome, albeit simplistic, portrayal of blended families.
In the world of television sitcoms, problems are cleanly resolved by the end of each 30-minute episode. But let’s face it, rebuilding a family is rarely as simple as Mike and Carol Brady made it appear. More often than not, it looks closer to what Gil and Brenda Stuart encountered.
Their marriage to one another was the second for each. Just days after their honeymoon, they went for a walk. Somewhere along the way, he assumed they were going one way, and she assumed they were going another. They got separated and wound up lost in their own neighborhood. By the time they found each other at home again, deep wounds from their first marriages had been reopened.
That’s how it goes, isn’t it?
Couples step into a new relationship and before they know it, they’re repeating patterns from their first marriages. It’s a common reason sixty percent of remarriages end in divorce within the first two years.
That makes it an important topic for us to discuss on our radio program. Without question, second and third marriages are not generally a part of God’s design. But marriages end for many reasons.
Obviously, divorce is far too common. But a person’s first spouse may have passed away, or their marriage could have ended due to infidelity or abandonment. Even if a relationship doesn’t end on biblical grounds, couples still need the grace and strength of fellow believers who help them find their way back to the Lord.
The need for healing cannot be overstated. Forty percent of homes in North America consist of some sort of blended family configuration. That means there are thousands of children who depend on this new family arrangement to offer a measure of stability in their lives.
Like the end of The Brady Bunch theme song says, “This group must somehow form a family.” Regardless of how a prior marriage ended, the ground is level at the foot of the Cross, and we want to help new families gain solid footing and create a positive future.
So I encourage you to join us on your local radio station for our two-day program “Encouragement for Remarried Couples.” Or tune in anytime online or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.
Gil and Brenda Stuart will be with us to explain how they changed course. They’ve now been married for 13 years and, between them, they have seven children. They’ll talk openly and honestly about the messy realities of remarriage and help couples learn how to avoid common pitfalls.
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