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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Pornography is one of the most prevalent forms of addiction—something that can sneak into your home, under your nose, unnoticed. And those who are most susceptible to the dangers? Your kids.
Think about it—if there’s a TV or internet in your home, porn is there too. And as your child uses either of these (think research for a school projects), it’s inevitable they will stumble across pornographic content as some point. With children’s and teens’ natural curiosity at work, how do we protect them?
In this podcast episode, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share advice for approaching the subject of pornography with your child in a way that reflects their maturity and current stage of life. It helps to have a plan in place for navigating these admittedly awkward and uncomfortable discussions, so they offer helpful conversation starters and segues, book recommendations, and more to give you the edge in protecting your children from porn.
Quote of the episode:“Turn my eyes from worthless things and give me life through your word.” —Psalm 119:37
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Want to pray more but not sure where to start? Prayer is a wonderful, powerful privilege that gives us instant connection to the God of the universe. But, if we’re honest, it can also feel a bit daunting.
Historical images of prayer, both literal and figurative, give off the impression that our communication with God should be deeply rooted in religious formality. You know the kind: kneeling with our heads bowed and hands delicately clasped together. Not only is that kind of prayer often difficult to achieve with modern time constraints, but it doesn’t fully capture the kind of ‘open-24-hours’ communication that God desires with us.
In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss what prayer is: “life in constant communion and conversation with God.” They debunk common stereotypes around prayer and share easy-to-follow prayer structures for the times when you’re unsure of where to start or what to say. There’s power in any kind of prayer, anywhere—and God delights in hearing from us every single time.
Quote of the episode:“God cares about what we care about and wants us to talk to him about it.” —Darlene Brock
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The one thing most people fear more than death? Public speaking.¹
There’s something about standing in front of another person (or multiple people) and sharing our thoughts, ideas, and feedback that makes us want to shrink until we evaporate. But sometimes, neglecting to speak up for yourself can have harmful repercussions.
Here to help you see past your fear this week is Darlene Brock and Julie Bender, who get to work excavating the possible reasons why speaking up is so terrifying. Maybe you’ve often been ignored, or never taken seriously, or you feel you’ll come across as foolish (hello, imposter syndrome!). No matter the reason, one thing is for certain: there will be a void left by what you’re not saying.
Darlene and Julie discuss the myriad benefits of speaking up for yourself: setting critical boundaries; encouraging others; making life-changing connections; and more. When we choose to say what’s on our hearts and minds, even when it’s hard or we doubt ourselves, we’re affording those around us not only with new information to chew on, but a reminder of our presence and impact.
¹https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/what-we-fear-more-than-death
Quote of the episode:“Someone not hearing you might say more about them as a listener than you as a speaker.” —Julie Bender
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How is your future looking right now? If what you’re envisioning feels bleak, let us offer some encouragement.
Hope often flies right out the door as soon as life starts to unravel differently than we planned. Your kids drop out of college. Your spouse is distant. You haven’t been promoted at work in years. When reality doesn’t match the vision, what can we look forward to?
In this episode of Smart Living in Small Bites, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender unpack ways to find hope in the mundane. It may require work on your end, like cutting back in certain areas to prioritize what’s needed to reach your goals. More often than not, holding on to hope simply calls for believing God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
And if you’re wondering when God will come through, take comfort in knowing it’ll be in his timing—which means it has yet to happen and you already have something to hope for.
While you practice staying hopeful, meditate on this nugget of wisdom Darlene shares: “Hope doesn’t exist without deprivation, need and lack.” What we’re lacking now gives us a reason to look forward to our future with optimism and become better versions of ourselves along the way.
Quote of the episode:“When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.” —Theodore Roosevelt
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You’ve dreamt of wearing a billowy white dress and floating down the aisle to your prince charming since you were 5. Fast forward several years, and the man you love is doing everything but committing to making that dream a reality. Maybe you’ve been dating for years and are losing hope that a proposal will ever come, or you are engaged, but his promise of marriage feels empty and conversations around setting a date have stalled out. What do you do?
In this episode of Smart Living with Grit and Grace, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender talk about the current cultural view of marriage and the difficulties you may face in broaching your situation with an eye for the truth. If there hasn’t been any movement forward with your boyfriend/fiance, Darlene and Julie provide a series of questions to ask yourself that will help you honestly assess the quality of your relationship and determine whether or not he’s comfortable in staying uncommitted. You’ll then learn how to confidently approach him with your concerns and make a decision on how you want to move forward, based on his response.
This has been one of the most-searched subject on the Grit and Grace Life website for years, so we have plenty of wise advice in this episode—and resources below—to help you make a decision on your future when your partner is dragging his feet.
Quote of the episode:“Is he as interested in what matters to you as you are in what matters to him?” —Darlene Brock
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Don’t know what to do for spring break? That means it’s time to decide how you really want to spend that time off: planning and prepping for a week-long getaway someplace far away, or catching your breath with a few relaxing days at home with your family?
If 2025 has been a busy year for you (or if saving money is top of mind), you’ll likely opt for the latter. But there’s no reason a staycation can’t be as inspired as a destination trip. In fact, there are ways to make it more wholesome than you might expect.
In this podcast episode of Smart Living with Grit and Grace, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender explain how a distraction-free staycation can strengthen your bond with your kids and keep them inspired. We’ll let you in on a little secret: You have to let them be bored. But don’t worry—Darlene and Julie list off more than a dozen memorable activities that will keep your kids entertained all day and maybe even spark a new hobby along the way.
Spend a little downtime at home or hit up some local attractions with these recommendations, and you’ll make this spring break one your kids will never forget.
Quote of the episode:“Seek to make memories, to strengthen your relationships, to put the distractions out and just focus on connecting with your kids.” —Julie Bender
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When we think of Valentine’s Day, our thoughts often gravitate toward images of men purchasing giant teddy bears and bouquets of roses for the woman they love. As nice as that is, it’s a bit commercialized, and love deserves so much more intention—and recipients!
Darlene Brock and Julie Bender want to challenge you to think outside the box this year. Who else can you show love to aside from your significant other? Your friends? Jesus? Maybe even yourself? In this podcast episode, Darlene and Julie share small yet touching ways you can let those special individuals in your life know just how much they mean to you—without paying top dollar for a Hallmark card.
Quote of the episode:“And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” —Colossians 3:14
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Has it been a while since you heard from God? Does it feel like ages since you’ve seen his goodness or felt the Holy Spirit stirring?
Distance from God is one of the most frustrating things we can experience as women of faith. We wonder where he’s gone and why he would ignore the children he loves. The uncomfortable truth? The onus may be on us—and if it’s not us, it’s God trying to help us grow in our faith. Yes, even in the ‘silence’!
In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender reveal the ways we may be holding back the lines of communication with God and how we can draw close to him in spite of feeling distant. You’ll also learn how God may be trying to stretch you in your faith so you can grow in wisdom.
Your relationship with God will ebb and flow, just like any other relationship. And like those relationships, you keep them strong by repeatedly showing up. God will show up too—in his timing.
Quote of the episode:“There are seasons that are really hard. There are battles he’s asking you to fight with his strength and then there are battles he’ll fight for you.” —Darlene Brock
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Shoot straight with us for a minute: Did you set any goals at the start of this year?
If you answered ‘no,’ we’re right there with you. After all, weren’t we all just trying to get settled back in after the holidays?
Now that we are settled in, it’s the perfect time to revisit any changes you may have wanted to make this year. In this episode of Smart Living with Grit and Grace, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share five priorities that would benefit from having structure backed by a goal: home, health, habits & happiness, heart and holiness.
Darlene and Julie unpack myriad ways to simplify your life and inject small changes that will reinvigorate your home, health, and relationships. Many of these tips are small and simple enough to put into practice today, so you can change your life without skipping a beat.
Quote of the episode:“Goals are ultimately the things that are going to give us some clarity on our priorities.” —Julie Bender
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Do you wish you had someone who could guide you through life? An experienced person who willingly shares their wisdom and insight to help you navigate every crossroads you approach?
If so, we’re happy to say we know just what you’re looking for: a mentor. The Mr. Miyagi to your Karate Kid!
In this Smart Living with Grit and Grace podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share the value in mentorship, how to actually find a mentor, and which areas of mentorship you might want to consider. Whether you’re looking for someone to divulge their tips, tricks, and secrets to confidence in motherhood, having a rock-solid marriage, or working your dream job, a mentor is the best place to start. They’ll ideally be experienced in a subject-specific area and have your best interests in mind.
Just keep in mind that mentorship comes with equal doses of advice and constructive criticism. Make sure you’re ready for feedback of any kind—while it may be a hard pill to swallow in the moment, it’ll help you grow in the direction you want to be!
Quote of the episode:“Walk with the wise and become wise. Associate with fools and get in trouble .” —Proverbs 13:20
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