Blended families are more common than ever. But joining two family units can be complicated. When blended families fail, it's usually not because the spouses don't love each other. It is because the two families aren't blending well. Here are some things to be aware of.

1. If a previous marriage ended in divorce, take time to figure out why it failed. Most people enter a second marriage clueless about what went wrong the first time. Unresolved issues usually flair up in the new marriage.

2. Realize that blending two families together while kids are going through puberty can be more emotional.

3. As much as possible, try to maintain cordial communications with ex-spouses. Children should not be messengers for parents.

4. Don't have an "us versus them" mentality. It's not his kids or her kids. It's our children.

5. Remember, love conquers all. It always looks for the best in the spouse, biological children, stepchildren, and biological parents, even when things are not going smoothly. Take 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 and apply them to your blended family.