Stay ConnectedTwo women. Two generations. Each with a mic and lots to talk about.
Hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender dive into honest, funny, and practical conversations about bridging faith with today’s cultural realities. They ask the hard questions and unpack what it looks like to bring smart living to a modern world—without losing your mind (or your sense of humor).
Expect laughter, gentle truth-telling, and the kind of advice you’d actually text a friend about
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Having faith does not mean we have an easy life. The bible is not a vaccination against real-life struggles. No matter how strong our faith might be, we are not immune to life’s hurts and heartaches. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, hosts Darlene and Julie speak to the women who may be discouraged in their singleness, dealing with a prodigal child or are facing some other struggle that is causing them to be frustrated with their faith. They speak the hard truths that many of us women desperately need to hear. The two discuss how we often believe our faith should make our life easier, but in reality many times it actually makes our lives a lot harder. No matter how hard we may try, it’s impossible to dress up this life in a pretty facade. As strong women, we need to talk about the challenges we face and heartaches we experience, because it’s a part of the world we live in. And, at the end of the day, we need to know it’s okay for us to be frustrated with our faith. Stumbling doesn't mean we’ve lost it, it just means we are finding our footing. So, for all the single ladies, all the frustrated mothers, and all the women who are facing real-life struggles and feeling disheartened in their faith, this episode is for you. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here! Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Why You Need to Support Other Women and 5 Ways to Start She sat across from me on the floor, on a multi-colored pillow. We were in a room full of Read more Overcoming Shame in the Grit and Grace Life If you were a victim of child abuse or neglect like me, you very likely have experienced or do Read more 5 Tips for Teaching Your Kids How to Pray What does it take to make sure your children realize God cares about every little thing in their lives? Read more Five Reasons to Thank Your Prodigal As our friends get older, which unavoidably means we’re getting older too, we find we’re welcoming many of them Read more Your Bad Kid Doesn’t Make You a Bad Mom You have just received your first phone call, the one every mother dreads and hopes to never receive. The Read more Dear Friend, He Doesn’t See Your Worth But I Do As adults,
The holiday season is full of wonder, hope, and love. But, it can also be a season full of stress, pain and emotional agony. The holidays bring so much “togetherness”. Yes, this “togetherness” can be an amazing opportunity to spend quality time with our loved ones and create meaningful memories, but it can also cause conflict and become way too stressful to actually enjoy. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life podcast, hosts Darlene and Julie have a much-needed chat about this topic. They discuss how to avoid relationship conflict during the holiday season. This can apply to any important relationship in your life, whether it’s your husband, boyfriend, fiance, or even a friend or family member. Whatever the relationship may be, the holiday season has a tendency to bring out the worst in us and our loved ones, greatly affecting our relationships. So, how do we avoid relationship conflict during the holiday season? Thankfully Darlene and Julie have the answers! They give you practical ways to keep your relationship healthy, navigate all the holiday parties, deal with difficult relatives, and simply enjoy the holidays in the midst of chaos. At the end of the season, you want to look back and say, “We did all the things and we still like each other.” Viewing in an app? Full show notes here! Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love 2 Ways to Break Free From Self-Sabotage In a podcast episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Julie and Darlene talk about ruts that women fall into. (You can listen to that episode here.) You know, those tricky little potholes we run over from time Read more Make the Decision to Be a Woman of Strength “You can make today great or not—the choice is yours!” With a quick wink and point at the camera, our beloved elementary school P.E. teacher slides out of the shot. The camera then pans over to the fifth-grade anchors to Read more 4 Things You Need to Know About Pre-Wedding Jitters Getting married is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make because it really is life-changing. As well as you might know the person to whom you’re pledging your love and loyalty—for better or worse—you simply cannot know Read more 3 Keys to Successful Leadership in the Midst of Chaos Have you ever found yourself in a situation where the answer just wasn’t clear? Maybe it was a decision to take a new job in a different city. Maybe it was a really confusing or
Hard choices are part of life. Regardless of being strong women, when we are faced with a big decision, many of us just want to take the easiest way out. We try our best to avoid facing the difficulties that come with making the harder choice. Why should we, couldn’t we just take the easy way out?
In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, hosts Darlene and Julie chat with Shannon Barbosa, a friend and writer for The Grit and Grace Project. Through sharing HerStory, Shannon shines light on the miracles that come from making the hardest choice.
HerStory is a brand-new category on The Grit and Grace Project online magazine and is a place where strong women tell their story. It’s a place where they reveal the challenges they have faced, the hurts they have walked through, and the healing they have found. It’s a safe space where women can speak with vulnerability, honesty, and transparency about their struggles. There is nothing more encouraging than hearing, “She dealt with this, she got through this, it was hard, it was challenging, but look where she is now.” Darlene and Julie bring Shannon’s HerStory to life by inviting her on the podcast.
Shannon opens up about becoming pregnant as a 15-year-old girl and having to choose whether or not to keep the baby. By listening to this episode, Shannon will show you how the best things in life arise from the difficulties you’ve faced and why making the hardest decisions are essential in living out the plan God has for you. This story will inspire, challenge, and encourage you. Listen now and share it with a woman who needs to glean strength for her journey.
Shannon Barbosa is a 40-year-old Christian woman, wife, mother, freelance writer, motivational speaker, and founder of From the Ruins, a ministry that longs to help hurting and grieving people find hope in their brokenness. You can read more from Shannon here!
Viewing in an app? Full show notes here!
Articles We Mentioned or Know You’ll Love This Is Why Choosing Life Was HardOn June 20th, the most heartbreaking thing happened in my state. Rhode Island state senator, Gina Raimondo, passed an Read more
Why You Need to Talk to Your Teen Girl About Sex and How to Do ItAre you that mom who would rather stick an icepick through your eye than talk to your teen daughter Read more
Unplanned Pregnancy—the Tale of Two GirlsI was a teen in the early years of Roe v. Wade when a significant cultural change began. I Read more
6 Ways to Love the Addict in Your LifeMy first Narcotics Anonymous meeting also happened to be my last. I was “encouraged” to attend NA with my Read more
If Your Daughter Is Boy-Crazy, You Need to Read ThisMy daughters entered life as different creatures when it came to the opposite sex. One whom the attention of Read more
This Is What I Learned About Life After My Rape and PregnancyIn 2009, I was ending a relationship that had me completely mesmerized! I was involved with this man for Read more
You Need to Know This Before Having a BabyOver the last year and a half, the number of family members and friends who have been expecting is Read more
Welcome to Holland. A Message Every Mom NeedsSome people walk into
To the Mom Who Has Postpartum DepressionWhen I was young, I had this grand picture of what my life would be as an adult. This Read more
Quote of the episode: “Love protects at all costs. Love conquers fear. Love always chooses life. Love wins. Every single time.” Shannon BarbosaCheck out these episodes we mentioned: How to Make Decisions (Even the Hard Ones) – 076 and Ask Dr. Zoe – How Do I Break Free From Codependency?.
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Your co-hosts bust out their booties (we mean boots, because yay, fall temps!) for an honest chat about their grit and grace lives. Is adulting overrated? What are the benefits of multi-tasking, or should we buy into the new trend of mono-tasking (yes,...
Do you ever find yourself second-guessing your worth, questioning your decisions, or doubting your purpose? Do you generally struggle with confidence? You’re not alone; we’ve all felt that way! But here’s the good news, we don’t have to live there! We genuinely believe every one of us has the grit, grace, and strength we need to overcome that doubt within us. This week, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Graham have an honest conversation about what confidence means to them, where they have it, and when they lack it. Most importantly, they offer real, practical ways to grow out of our second-guessing so we can all master this #gritandgracelife. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here! Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love How to Live out of Your Strengths, Not Weaknesses Knowing who you are is something most of us strive for all the time. While watching the 2016 Summer Olympics, Read more Are You Missing Your Purpose While Searching for It? Purpose. That seems to be a buzz word these days. Everyone is either searching for Read more Bible Verses From the Grit and Grace Team on Self-Worth From where do you derive your self-worth? Is it in the busyness of your job, where you clock up Read more 5 Steps When You Want to Turn Your Hobby Into a Business One thing I love about the culture we live in is that it’s never been easier to make extra Read more 10 Ways to Boost Your Confidence The word “confidence” dates back to the early 15th century. A direct descendent of the Latin word confidentia meaning Read more A Modern Day Esther: Finding My Voice Through a Hero in the Bible It was kind of like a modern-day beauty pageant, minus the talent section. It required no essay entrance exam Read more To the Mom Who’s Lacking Self-Confidence: Do This To the woman who lacks confidence, it can appear as though everyone around her is acing life wi...
Because the Ask Dr. Zoe column has given us so many great answers to life's questions, we decided to bring Dr. Zoe back to the podcast to discuss some of those a little deeper. We have received a lot of questions from women dealing with three specific issues, so we tackled each of those on this episode. How do we handle anxiety or worry and what is "normal?" How do you get your "forever fiancé" to follow through on his commitment? Can you leave hurt or trauma from your past behind? Co-hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham, will tell you that every discussion they have with Dr. Zoe is chock-full of incredible wisdom. This one is no exception! These answers may be for you or perhaps someone you love. Listen now and share with a friend who's also living this #gritandgracelife. And if you've got a burning question for which you need an answer, the Ask Dr. Zoe column is a great place to start. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here! Don't miss these questions from the Ask Dr. Zoe column: Ask Dr. Zoe – Anxiety: What is Normal, When Do I Seek Help? Ask Dr. Zoe – How Do I Handle My Friend’s Anxiety? Ask Dr. Zoe – Is Lack of Emotion Healthy? Ask Dr. Zoe – Coping With Anxiety Biblically Ask Dr. Zoe – He Asked Me to Marry Him Now He Won’t Set a Date Ask Dr. Zoe – Can You Get Past a Betrayal in Marriage? Ask Dr. Zoe – How Do I Leave the Past Behind? Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love When a Strong Woman Is Quitting, But Not Failing You’re reading this because there is something in your life that you have an inkling you need to let Read more 3 Ways Positive Self-Talk Can Improve Your Life Relationships are a gift. They challenge us to think outside of our own perspective and expand our ideas about Read more What to Do When He Didn’t Propose (But Should Have) To the girl who didn’t get the engagement you were expecting, this is what you need to do to Read more
Isn’t it true that there are some phrases we find ourselves repeating? We do it without realizing we say them over and over again. Whether we have spoken to ourselves or even to others, there are certain things we say that may do way more harm than good! There may be more than seven, but on this episode, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Graham admit these particular ones they say far too often. Since they want to change this unhealthy pattern in their own lives, they’re sharing why and how to do just that. If you’re “sorry for,” “worried about,” or wish you “should have” done something today, press play instead. Maybe you need this little bit of self-awareness, too. We know you’ve got this, quit saying these 7 seven phrases in your grit and grace life. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here! Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love 5 Things You Need to Quit Right Now I was scrolling through Instagram the other day and came across a quote that Read more Take It Easy—On Your Man Sometimes we can be a bit hard on the men in our lives, mostly because we don’t understand how Read more To the Mom Who Feels Like She’s in the Ditch One day, as our collective brood of six children (later to become eight, between our two families) played in Read more Tired? Overwhelmed? 4 Guilt-Free Reasons to Say “No” Tired? Distracted? Disappointed in yourself? Feeling used and used up? There is a good chance you’re saying “yes” to Read more Have You Ever Said It? “I’m Not Good Enough.” “I’m not good enough.” Chances are, you have said this to yourself. You feel inadequate Read more 3 Phrases That Will Strengthen Your New Marriage Every girl dreams of that happily ever after, but unlike fairy tales, your dream-wedding day isn’t the end of Read more Bible Verses From the Grit and Grace Team on Peace In the midst of life’s circumstances and the chaos that is our kids, spouse, job,
We believe grit and grace are vital traits of a woman’s nature—but some ask if we believe they can exist without faith. Or does our faith create the grit and grace within us? Are we strong women because of our faith, or is that strength already there? We say yes and no, or perhaps another way to say it is that we believe it can be both/and. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham tackle that conversation, discussing how grit, grace, strength, and faith exist together and how these are the foundation of a strong woman’s life. Then, they share how we can bring God honor in our daily lives—in the messy, mundane, complicated, and delightful. So, if you’re wondering about how we create that unique blend of Grit and Grace, with God as the center, give this episode a listen. Here are some verses we discussed in the episode: We were created in God's image: Genesis 1:27 Life is like a race, or a fight: 2 Timothy 4:7 The armor God provides for us: Ephesians 6:10-18 God's love endures forever: Psalm 138 We didn't deserve it, but God gave Jesus for us: Romans 5: 6-8,11 Jesus too felt weak: Matthew 26:41 We now have Jesus' power: 2 Corinthians 13:4 Every single one of us has value: 1 Corinthians 12:22 Viewing in an app? Full show notes here! Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Beginning Faith: Walking This Life With Grit, Grace, and God When I was loading the car to fly my elder daughter off to college, I stopped and made her Read more Battered Faith: Holding on to Hope Even When You Struggle I was 13 years old when I was diagnosed with a muscular disease called Myasthenia Gravis. I had a Read more This Is What Jesus Says About Equality for Women Religion has often been used as an excuse for inequality between men and women. Historically, and even today within
Wonder what happens when your co-hosts leave the outline behind? This week you’re going to find out. From fall festivities to female facial hair, friendship to frustrations in motherhood, they keep it real. This unscripted convo between these two friends, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham, sounds a lot like ones they have in the living room over a cup of coffee. Taking a little break from tackling hot topics, sharing deep thoughts, and discussing challenging issues, instead, they chat about what they’re thinking—talking about their own grit and grace lives! We welcome your questions and comments because we’d like to hear what you think about the subjects we discuss or even some of your own. After all girls, we are in this thing together! Grab your coffee and press play, then pass it on to a friend who loves girl time as much as we do. Check out the Tinkle Razor here. You can also make Julie's aunt's pumpkin roll here! Viewing in an app? Full show notes here! Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love What to Do With All the “This Is Us” Feels Besides ugly cry and eat snacks… If a non This Is Us watcher were to ask why Tuesday nights on NBC have Read more Encouragement and Hope for a Single Mom Single mom-hood, the hardest job ever but the most rewarding. The best way to give some insight on being a Read more Mom Hacks That Will Make “Back to School” Easy Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or working mom, going back to school Read more When You Don’t Feel #Blessed as a Mother Have you ever had those days where you feel like everything is working out? You slept well the night Read more Why You Need to Support Other Women and 5 Ways to Start She sat across from me on the floor, on a multi-colored pillow. We were in a room full of Read more
Healthy relationships require healthy boundaries. But do you struggle to know what they are? Whether we’re talking with a friend, significant other, family member, or stranger, boundaries matter! And sadly, healthy ones are not taught; most often, we learn that we need them when the relationships we find ourselves in begin to hurt us. Having pondered this, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Graham discuss why boundaries are important. They focus on four types you need and how to begin implementing them in your life. Setting these boundaries will require grit and grace, but take heart; you can do it! This episode will serve you well in all of your relationships, so listen in. Then share it with someone you love—this is a conversation all of us need! We discuss these types of boundaries: Physical Verbal Mental Emotional Learn more in this article Darlene mentioned from Psychology Today. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here! Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Establishing Healthy Boundaries in the Grit and Grace Life Healthy personal boundaries are the key to healthy relationships. Without them, healthy relationships are impossible. Read more Great Sex—What Is It? There seems to be an unending list of articles on the subject of sex, from espousing general attitudes to Read more A Strong Woman Can Respect Other Opinions (Even If She Disagrees) The world is loud. The world is full of viewpoints including your own. Social media is beautiful until it gets opinionated. Read more Tired? Overwhelmed? 4 Guilt-Free Reasons to Say “No” Tired? Distracted? Disappointed in yourself? Feeling used and used up? There is a good chance you’re saying “yes” to Read more 5 Questions to Make the Most of Couple’s Counseling Going into a counseling session by yourself can be intimidating. The idea of opening up to someone you have Read more This Is Why You Need a Self-Care Day (And What to Do)...
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