Co-parenting is hard. Co-parenting with a toxic ex? That can feel like warfare. In this episode of the Stepmom Sanity Podcast, host Cheryl Shumake and co-host Ashara Hood dive deep into the emotional, mental, and spiritual challenges of navigating a high-conflict co-parenting relationship.They share their personal experiences—moments of triumph,heartbreak, and everything in between. They unpack what it looks like to set boundaries, manage expectations, and lean into your faith when the other parent is intent on stirring chaos.
Whether you’re feeling defeated, angry, or just plain tired, this episode will remind you that you’re not alone—and that peace is still possible.
Connect with Stepmom Sanity
Join the She Shed
Download the Co-Parenting with a Toxic Ex resource
Find out more about the First Treasured Retreat
On this episode of the Stepmom Sanity Podcast, I sit down with my daughter, Kayla, to share an honest conversation about her experience transitioning into a blended family. We talk about the highs, the lows, and everything in between — from navigating new relationships to finding stability in the midst of change. Whether you’re a stepmom, a biological parent, or a child in a blended family, this heartfelt episode offers a unique perspective filled with grace, truth, and hope.
Connect with Cheryl here:
In this raw and uplifting episode ofStepmomSanity, we sit down with Shayla Huber, author of10 Things I Hate About My Husband: How God Healed My Heart,Restored My Marriage, and Set Me Free. Shayla shares her honest journey through marital struggles, the breaking point that brought her to her knees, and how God transformed her heart, reignited her marriage, and led her to true freedom.
Together, we unpack the lessons she learned—wisdom that every woman, especially those navigating the complexities of blended family life, can apply to strengthen their marriage and renew their mindset. Whether you’re feeling stuck, misunderstood, or just longing for hope, this conversation offers real talk, practical truths, and the reminder that God is always in the business of restoration.
CONNECT WITH SHAYLA:
InstagramFacebookTikTokPURCHASE:10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT MY HUSBAND: HOW GOD HEALED MY HEART, RESTORED MY MARRIAGE , AND SET ME FREE
FIND OUT MORE ABOUTSTEPMOM SANITYOR THESHE SHED
Navigating past relationships, co-parenting dynamics, and emotional baggage can make cultivating a healthy sex life feel complicated—but it doesn’t have to be.
Christian Sexpert, Angela Griffith, will help us uncover how couples can embrace God’s design for intimacy, heal from past wounds, and celebrate connection in their marriage.
Whether you're feeling disconnected or looking to strengthen the bond with your spouse, this episode offers biblical wisdom and practical advice to help couples rediscover the joy of good sex.
#GoodSexGodsWay #BlendedFamilyIntimacy #StepmomSanity #AngelaGriffithChristianSexpert #ChristCenteredConnection
LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Angela Griffith
Stepmom Sanity
As women in blended families we often deal with tension, comparison, or unmet expectations threatening to pull our families apart. Navigating these relationships can feel overwhelming, especially when waiting on God to fulfill His promises in your family.
What can we learn about faith, grace, and navigating difficult relationships from Sarah and Hagar? How do their stories challenge and encourage us as stepmoms who are often walking through seasons of waiting and trusting God’s plan? Discover how God’s promises shape us in seasons of waiting, tension, and uncertainty. Join Cheryl and guest, Shannon Popkin as they explore faith lessons from Sarah and Hagar—two women with intertwined stories of trust, grace, and God’s unchanging faithfulness.
Connect with Shannon:
Website - https://www.shannonpopkin.com
Shaped by God's Promises: Lessons from Sarah on Fear and Faith
Description: Sarah was filled with doubts, worries, and fears about her future. God had promised her a son, yet she remained childless. Faced with the chaos of life, Sarah reached for manipulation and control. Instead of resting in and trusting God’s promises, she took matters into her own hands—like many of us are tempted to do. In our high-stress, high-anxiety culture, there’s much to relate to in Sarah’s tumultuous world. Join Shannon Popkin in this 6-week Bible study on Sarah’s life—and her faith. By digging into Scripture 5 days a week, you’ll see how God was with Sarah and faithfully for her, even when she couldn’t see it. Discover how her life—and yours too—was ultimately shaped not by her hardships or heartaches but by the reliable promises of God.
Pick up your Bible study today!
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SHE SHED!
Being a stepmom is a beautiful calling, but let’s be real—it’s easy to feel like you’re losing yourself in the process. Between blending families, managing expectations, and navigating relationships, it can feel like your identity takes a back seat. But here's the truth: you are so much more than the roles you play.
Today, we’re tackling this head-on with a conversation about not losing yourself as a stepmom with Heidi Farrell, founder of Not Just a Stepmom.
Connect with Heidi here:
Website: notjustastepmom.com
FB: @notjustastepmom – Heidi Farrell
IG: @notjustastepmom
Find out about The She Shed - https://www.stepmomsanity.com/sheshed.
"Navigating co-parenting is already complex, but when a differently abled child is involved, the challenges and blessings grow tenfold. In this heart-to-heart episode, we unpack the unique journey of stepmoms co-parenting special needs children. Discover practical wisdom and faith-driven strategies to build trust, foster unity, and nurture your role with confidence and compassion. Whether you’re stepping in with love or learning to share the load, this episode will uplift and equip you for the path ahead. Join us as we embrace the beauty in the unique and the strength found in togetherness."
Connect with Dr. Richelle Whittaker
www.providentialcounseling.com
Find out more about Stepmom Sanity's membership movement: The She Shed
Join us for the re-release of Parts 1 and 2 of this Q&A with the Smart Stepmom herself, Laura Petherbridge!
Follow Laura on Facebook and Instagram @smartstepmom
Connect with her and subscribe to her email list at www.smartstepmom.com
Q and A with the OG herself, Laura Petherbridge, co-author of best-selling book, The Smart Stepmom, and founder of the ministry by the same name.
Connect with Laura at www.thesmartstepmom.com
Join Cheryl and Dr. James and Gina Dellaripa as they chat about their innovative communication tool used in courts, and families of all types, to help those families decrease family stress, increase family harmony, and live like a family.
Connect with our Guests
Email: admin@thefamilycore.com
Socials:
Register for Blended and Blessed
Join the Stepmom Sanity Community
Author and speaker Kia Stephens shares about her book, Overcoming Father Wounds: Exchanging Your Pain for God's Perfect Love, speaking to wounded women everywhere about the power of God's love to transform them and redeem their brokenness. Listen as she declares that our father wounds do not have the last word in your life; God does, and gives practical tips for helping the daughter's in our care recover from the same.
Connect with Kia:
Purchase Overcoming Father Wounds at Amazon
Register for Blended and Blessed
Join the Stepmom Sanity Community
Thank you for listening to the Stepmom Sanity Podcast.
Production and Editing by SMS
Intro and Outro Music, "Reveillez Vous," by Peter White
How would you feel if you could change the narrative on your family? What if your brokenness is not only okay, but beautiful in the eyes of our Lord? Our guest, Elisa Morgan, helps us reframe our thinking so we can receive the blessing of brokenness and broken people.
Elisa Morgan (MDiv) has authored over twenty-five books including The Beauty of Broken, Hello, Beauty Full, She Did What She Could, When We Pray Like Jesus and You Are Not Alone. For twenty years, Elisa served as CEO of MOPS International and now is President Emerita. She writes for Our Daily Bread Devotional and co-hosts Discover the Word and God Hears Her for Our Daily Bread Ministries.
With her husband of forty-three years, Evan, she has two grown children and two grandchildren who live near her in Denver, Colorado. Her constant companion is Mia, an elderly Jack Russell who shadows her every move.
Ways to Connect with Elisa:
Website: elisamorgan.com
Facebook: @ElisaMorganAuthor
Instagram @ElisaMorganAuthor
Twitter @elisa_morgan
God Hears Her Podcast and Discover the Word Podcasts
Grab Your Copy of Thick Skin, Tender Heart
It's been said that we train others how to treat us. But what if we don't know how to do that? What if we struggle with accommodating unacceptable behavior? Even worse, what if we think it's biblical to do so? Our guest today unpacks the importance of establishing and maintaining good boundaries in your blended family.
Download Thick Skin Tender Heart: Biblical Ways to Build Healthy Boundaries
Purchase One Plus One Equals Ten: A First Lady's Survival Guide for Stepmoms
Connect with Dr. Janice Love: Website, Twitter, YouTube
The First Lady Coach - Facebook, Instagram
It has been said that ministry to blended families is a high-need low-demand endeavor. However, if we're going to have healthy, functioning blended families we need the cheering and support of our church communities. For every pastor, ministry leader, and Joe next door, wanting to be part of the team that meets the demand, this conversation may just be the nudge you need.
Register for the Next Preparing to Blend Leadership Training
In Blended and Redeemed, Scott and Vanessa have provided a roadmap through the challenges unique to living in a step family. Their vulnerable and empathetic voice invites readers to honest reflection. Their unwavering adherence to the Word of God invites readers to challenge their hard emotions with hard truth. Using their own story as a backdrop, Scott and Vanessa demonstrate how practical steps and Biblical principles work hand in hand to help couples create workable solutions for what may seem to be unwinnable circumstances. Join Cheryl, Scott and Vanessa, as they talk about the victory of being blended and redeemed.
Download our free resource: Stepmom Prayers – A Month of Prayers for The Blend
Purchase the Blended and Redeemed Book
Visit the Blended Kingdom Families website
Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Support the ministry of Blended Kingdom Families
A well-adjusted, inclusive bonus grandparent can make a huge a difference in helping a blended family bond... and a divisive grandparent can cause great harm. Join Cheryl, author, Jennifer Elwood, and Cheryl's mother, Gwen Brown, as they chat about grandparenting in a blended family.
Find our more about Jennifer and here ministry here.
Follow Jennifer on Facebook and Instagram.
Purchase Count Up to Christmas here.
Read Stepmom Sanity's new blog: Grandparenting Step by Step Do's and Don't
Join Cheryl and Ron Deal as they chat about overcoming territory wars in blended families. If you are struggling in an us vs. them dynamic in your home, you will want to listen in.
Link to Purchase Books Mentioned in Podcast Episode:
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
Waiting to Be Wanted: A Stepmom's Guide to Loving Before Being Loved
Smart Stepfamily Guide to Financial Planning
Building Love Together in Blended Families: The 5 Love Languages and Becoming Stepfamily Smart
In the words of Family Life Blended: "If you want to be a catalyst and effect change in your church and community come join a growing movement of leaders ministering to stepfamilies."
Check out the Summit on Stepfamily Ministry for additional information or to register!
As Christ-following, Bonus Moms, we are called to love and serve children who may act out of hurt, without absorbing the pain of their hurtful actions. Putting Christ at the center of our stepmothering is imperative for accomplishing God's purpose in and through us for our families. Join Cheryl and Summer Butler as they chat about rising to the call of Christ-Centered Stepmothering.
LINKS TO RESOURCES
Financial issues have the ability to dash your dreams for couple unity and family bonding. Listen in as Cheryl provides beyond the basic money moves every blended family should make.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:
Join Cheryl in this Special Edition Father's Day conversation with her husband, Jonathan.