THE

UNITED MESS

Faith. Family. Love. Kids. Chaos.

Real stories from a real blended family, 11+ years of love, grace, and honest conversations about what it actually takes to blend.

Get the eBook $12.99 Listen to the Podcast

Welcome

A Note From John & Sakeena

We're glad you're here. Before you dive in, we wanted to put a face to the name and tell you, in our own words, why we built this and what we hope it means for your family.

Our Story

We didn't blend perfectly. We blended honestly.

We're John and Sakeena Echols, a blended family of 8, married since November 2014. Between us, we have 6 children who are now grown adults, and we've navigated every messy, beautiful, complicated chapter of blending a family together.

The United Mess is where we share those stories. Without filters, without pretending it was easy, and with all the faith and love that carried us through.

If you're in a blended family, thinking about one, or just trying to figure out how families like ours actually work. You're in the right place.

Read Our Story
John and Sakeena Echols

The Family

Meet the Kids

Six kids. Six personalities. One beautifully messy family. These are the people who inspired every chapter of this book and every honest conversation on the podcast.

TaeZhane
TaeZhane
Age 32

Our oldest — the most laid back one in the room, and somehow still the one keeping us on our toes.

Johnchavious
Johnchavious
Age 30

A lover at heart who will walk to the ends of the earth — literally, his feet will take him anywhere.

Jalil
Jalil
Age 28

Mr. Intellectual — drop any topic on him, he's ready. Anime lover, deep thinker, and socially conscious to his core.

Diamond
Diamond
Age 26

All natural, all the way — doing it her way, squatting every day, and thriving on her own terms.

Brenda
Brenda
Age 24

She may not have it all figured out yet, but she is figuring it out — and that is everything.

Aliyah
Aliyah
Age 21

Mature beyond her years, stressed like a pro, and blessed beyond measure — she carries it all with grace.

Can you guess whose kids are whose? 😏 Doesn't matter. They're all ours.

We Chose This book cover

Book One of The United Mess Series

We Chose This

A guide to blending families with love, grace, and honesty. Written from the inside of a blended family that's still standing, still laughing, and still choosing each other every day.

This isn't a how-to manual. It's our real story, the lessons we learned the hard way, and the truth about what blending a family actually looks like when you do it with intention.

$12.99
Buy on Gumroad — $12.99

What's Inside

  1. Falling in Love With a Package Deal
  2. The Conversation Before You Commit
  3. Fear is Normal
  4. We Chose This: Now What?
  5. Keeping Your Marriage the Priority
  6. Faith, Mess & Grace
  7. The Individual Relationships
  8. Co-Parenting & Respect
  9. A Letter to Blended Families

Free Download

Before You Blend: 25 Conversations Every Couple Should Have

Thinking about blending a family? This free guide walks you through 25 honest, essential conversations covering everything from co-parenting and discipline to finances, faith, and the kids. Includes reflection questions, discussion prompts, and a worksheet to help you both get on the same page before you say "I do."

Get the Free Guide

Coming Soon

The Podcast

The United Mess

John and Sakeena, unfiltered. Real conversations about blended family life: co-parenting, discipline, grown kids, faith, and everything in between. No scripts. No sugar coating.

Blended Family Co-Parenting Faith Marriage Adult Kids Real Talk
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THE UNITED MESS

Get in Touch

Let's Connect

Whether you're a blended family looking for community, a podcast listener, or a brand interested in partnering with us. We'd love to hear from you.

✉ theunitedmess@gmail.com
🌐 theunitedmess.com