We were lucky to catch up with Scott and Vanessa Martindale recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Scott and Vanessa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
We founded Blended Kingdom Families in an effort to help other blended families who are going through difficult seasons. We had found ourselves in a season of litigation with my (Vanessa) ex-spouse and we were desperately searching for biblically-based resources to help our newly-blended family. We needed support and resources to help us get through it, but unfortunately, we couldn’t find any. When we reached out to the local church and did not find what we were looking for, we had the idea to start a ministry that would focus solely on equipping churches and blended families with biblically-based resources. We felt the Lord was calling us to help others navigate the challenges that come with blending a family. We believed our ministry would make a difference because there were few resources for blended families. We did a lot of research, and while we found a couple of blended family ministries, nothing was quite like what we envisioned. We wanted to create something that would help break the generational cycle of divorce and unite marriages and blended families together. We wanted our ministry to provide support and resources for blended families, and to speak to the children and teenagers of those families as well. What gave us the most excitement was hearing the testimonies of how struggling and troubled marriages were being healed and saved, and families were being strengthened. We were encouraged that the ministry could help families break the generational cycle of divorce and build stronger marriages and families in the community.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My husband, Scott, has been a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) for 17 years, and I am currently working on my Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Together we have a heart for helping people who experience life’s challenges to be able to walk out their faith and live life abundantly, especially in blended families. Our ministry offers an audio and video podcast every week, along with a weekly audio-only podcast that solely focuses on the intersection of mental health, faith, and blended families. We have written a book called Blended and Redeemed, along with a study guide and pastoral guide. We want these resources to equip churches and encourage groups of blended families to gather together in community. We also provide blogs and articles on specific topics related to blended marriages and blended families. Additionally, we speak and teach at a variety of events geared for marriages and blended families, and we host a conference every year for people who are divorced, remarried, or who are single parents. The goal of the conference is to equip, support, and inform attendees in their marriage and blended family life. What sets us apart from other ministries and non-profits is our willingness to tackle difficult topics, share the Gospel, and radically love people right where they are at. We also like to interact with and engage our community. We seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus to all of those we come in contact with. We believe and focus on healing in all its forms (emotional, spiritual, mental, etc.). As we become healthier individuals, we can create healthier marriages and become healthier parents. That creates healthier families and communities. We have the opportunity to interact with people all over the world to spread the good news of Jesus and the hope He offers. We want to be known for loving God, loving people, serving families, and walking alongside people who need support and encouragement. We also want people to know that we are a blended family, and we understand the joys and difficulties that come with that. Our website, BlendedKingdomFamilies.com, provides more information about our services, resources, and efforts to help individuals, churches, and the community around us.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When we first began to work and serve in the stepfamily ministry arena, we were very small. Our staff consisted of my husband Scott and me. We experienced moments that made us question whether this was what God had called us to do, even though we had prayed diligently and sensed God’s leadership. Because we were so small, we were often overlooked in this ministry area, and we were not given the same opportunities as other organizations. However, after the first 6 months of running the ministry by ourselves, we were able to hire our first two employees. Since then, we have been able to hire four more. The ministry has grown and flourished, and we have been able to reach more people than we could have ever imagined. Our ministry is just over three years old, but we have sensed God’s favor. Once we released our book, we were invited to participate more often within this sphere of ministry. We have been able to partner with more ministries, which has allowed us to serve more families and participate at more conferences and events.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
One factor that has built our reputation is our commitment to be authentic in who we are and what we are trying to do. Another factor has been our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. We do not want to do things out of our own flesh, agenda, or desires; rather, we strive to align ourselves under God’s leadership and to follow where He leads. People have responded positively to our intentions to love God and to love the individuals we encounter, not trying to do or be anything other than what God has called us to do and be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://blendedkingdomfamilies.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blendedkingdomfamilies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blendedkingdomfamilies/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blendedkingdomfamilies/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlendedKingdom
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BlendedKingdomFamilies
Image Credits
Meshali Mitchell – photographer