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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Do you find yourself joining the social media trend of creating your own “thankful list” this time of year? It is a wonderful reminder that we should be grateful for the good things in life. Several weeks ago, before Julie had to step out for a bit, Julie and Darlene came up with their own list which turned out to be just plain funny. After their laughter died down they turned the mics on to share the fun with you. So take a listen, and after you do, share your own funny things to be thankful for on social media. Tag it with #gritandgracelife so we can join the fun. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Because we promised we would, let us introduce you to.... the tata towel! Quote of the episode: "Girls just want to have fun!” Cyndi Lauper Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
There are some subjects we just want to avoid, especially the ones we sincerely hope to never face. Yet if that day comes, we may find we weren’t prepared. Since one of our own, Julie Graham, just found herself in this position of having lost her husband of 11 years and steps away this week, we thought it would be a good time to look at how to prepare for an unexpected loss. Darlene is joined by attorney, Leesha Crouch, to discuss in simple, relatable terms the things that every woman should do legally to safeguard her family if heartbreak should hit. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” Allen Saunders Leesha Crouch, an attorney and mother of five in a blended family, specializes in Family Law at the Legacy Law Firm, where she focuses on Mediation and a Cooperative and Collaborative approach to dispute resolution. She also has experience in Wills and Trusts, Business Formation, and Probate. She is trained in Collaborative Law and is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, which affords her the opportunity to approach family law in a unique and specialized manner. A Few Helpful Tools An attorney's Information Check List Estate Planning Essentials Be sure to follow The Grit and Grace Project on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
From the workplace, to the home front—the friends in our lives, the men in our lives, the children in our lives, the life in our lives how do we balance them all? Whether we are single, married or single again we all have days it seems impossible to meet all of life's demands. So today, we are exploring that elusive life balance. We are offering a few tips, insights and maybe even a way to carve out a little bit of time just for ourselves as we learn how to balance This Grit and Grace Life. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "Some days you eat salads and go to the gym. Some days you eat cupcakes and don't put on pants. It's called balance.” Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
Women accomplish so much, as we juggle our various roles, place in life and responsibilities. But there are some things we all do that we just need to quit and quit them right now. Join the conversation as Darlene and Julie readily admit to 7 of those pesky fall backs that they can be guilty of and suspect that you may be too. Just another conversation for all women who are embarking on This Grit and Grace Life. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "If you don't like something change it, if you can't change it, change your attitude.” Maya Angelou Be sure to follow us on social media! And share your favorite article to help us celebrate our Birthday! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
Being a woman is complicated. Our struggles in building healthy relationships, lacking self-worth, holding hurt from our family of origin, and finding our identity are common to most. We find ourselves even more confused because these struggles change as we navigate through our 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond. But here at This Grit and Grace Life we have no problem admitting it! In this week's episode we have also discovered a comforting truth, we can find help. We're bringing back our friend and family therapy expert Dr. Zoe Shaw to give practical advice to women in each of these challenging phases of life, offering encouragement for living a grit and grace life. Dr. Zoe is a licensed Psychotherapist, Life and Relationship coach for Superwomen. She is the wife of a Hollywood actor, mother of 5, writer, and radio talk show host.. She also joined us in Episode 4 "Is it Time for Counseling? A Therapist Helps You Decide" You can follow Dr. Zoe by visiting her site, or finding her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In the app? To see full show notes, click here. Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "What would I be doing today if I didn't care about someone else's opinion?” Dr. Zoe Shaw Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest #gritandgracelife
Two words we're pretty sure you can relate to: Mama.Drama. Can we just be honest? (a nod to last week's episode here)...every woman has a little drama with her mama, (or her stepmom or her mother-in-law). Whether you're always on each others nerves, best friends or land somewhere in between, there will be conflict with these special women in our lives! Darlene and Julie get real about how this incredibly unique relationship has shaped them into the grit and grace women they've become. Revealing some of their own mama drama, they offer insights they've gained and tips they have acquired. We're pretty sure you'll have some "me too" moments in this one, friends. Grab some coffee, sit back, you might just hash out a little of your own mama drama and even gather a few tips to save for later! In the app? To see full show notes, click on the Episode Webpage link below. Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "The best way to control mama drama is to write your own play” Darlene Brock Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
Do you mindlessly "like" quotes on Facebook or Instagram? We realized that we do. We post them a lot too! What if we actually took a moment to ponder the intention behind the quote? Finding ways could we grow, or shoot, just relax. What if we actually applied them to our lives? In this episode Darlene and Julie talk about several quotes they really love, some are serious, thoughtful, others are just plain funny. We are taking a little bit of time to discover how each quote can teach us a lesson worth learning, not one made just for double-tapping. Here are a few we discussed: “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” Coco Chanel “Follow your heart, but take your brain with you.” Unknown “Both of us can’t look good at the same time. It’s either me or the house” Unknown “If I’m being honest” or “To be perfectly honest” or “honestly…” “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.” Erma Bombeck “Storms make trees take deeper roots” Dolly Parton “If you feel the wind blowing through your hair, it’s time to shave your legs.” Unknown "YOLO" "Anything is possible if you have enough nerve." J.K. Rowlings In the app? To see full show notes, click on the Episode Webpage link below. Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "To be honest, I’m winging it. Life, motherhood, my eyeliner. Everything.” Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
Teens have their own speak, using slang and lingo that can sometimes be difficult for adults to interpret. This week we are going to teach you a little bit about one of those languages, teen texting. Recently, I (Julie here) had my own encounter at a friend's house who has 3 teen daughters. As I was talking with the 17-year-old about her Snapchat communications, she shared that she hates to leave people "unread". She believes this means she saw their message but didn't reply with one. I tried to explain what the meaning of "unread" in general terms implies, that she never saw it...but she kept replying that "unread" means she saw it and didn't send a message back. After we each repeated our points multiple times, she finally shrugged her shoulders and said "I don't know, that's just what we call it". Teenagers, with the most impressive conviction, speak in a different language even when they don't really know what they are talking about. Recently, Darlene discovered a service called Bark that analyzes what teens are actually saying through their various channels: social media, texting, email, etc. There she uncovered some shocking short codes teens are using to say things you need to know about. Whether you're the parent of a teen or not, you likely have teens in your life; you're an Aunt, a teacher, a mentor or neighbor. In this episode we unpack what teens are saying and how adults can keep up to date and even practical insight on how to protect the teens in your life in this ever-changing social society. Plus, for fun, Julie quizzes Darlene on common internet slang and that's sure to make you LOL. Here are the sneaky codes we discuss in the episode for handy reference: • 53X = sneaky way to type “sex” • KMS = kill myself • LH6 = let’s have sex • KYS = kill yourself • MOS = mom over shoulder • POS = parent over shoulder • CD9 = code 9, parents around • GNOC = get naked on camera • 99 = parents are gone • WTTP = want to trade photos? • LMIRL = let’s meet in real life • 1174 = meet at a party spot • IWSN = I want sex now • CU46 = see you for sex • FWB = friends with benefits • ADR = what’s your address • MPFB = my personal f*** buddy • PAL = parents are listening • TWD = texting while driving • GYPO = get your pants off In the app? To see full show notes, click on the Episode Webpage link below. Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "Sometimes my children think I’m getting on their back, what they don’t understand is that I’m the only one who has their back.” Unknown Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
How many style trends can you think of that just keep coming back, no matter how much they make us cringe? We've got to be able laugh at ourselves for continuing to buy into the idea that overalls, jellies and the mullet are chic...Darlene and Julie poke fun at some of the fashion faux pas of the last few decades and we hope you'll be laughing along with us. In the app? To see full show notes, click on the Episode Webpage link below. In this episode we debated the half bun and the gray hair trend too... what do you think? Let us know on Facebook! Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "Fashion changes, but style endures.” Coco Chanel Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
Does seeking counseling indicate weakness? What are the types of issues that warrant taking a seat on the couch of a trusted professional? We are here to discuss the reality that even a strong, independent and self-sufficient woman may face challenges that become so much more manageable when we step out to find that extra help. To find out when that is and what to do about it we brought in our friend, Dr. Zoe Shaw, a licensed Psychotherapist, Life and Relationship coach for Superwomen. She is the wife of a Hollywood actor, mother of 5, writer, radio talk show host and health nut to share the common issues she sees women facing and the types of issues that couples often seek therapy for. She breaks down the difference between a life coach, a counselor, a therapist and a psychiatrist and then talks through some practical things you can do today to better your relationship with your man. You can follow Dr. Zoe by visiting her site, or finding her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In the app? To see full show notes, click on the Episode Webpage link below. Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love Quote of the episode: "You're both right.” Dr. Zoe Shaw Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest
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