This Grit & Grace Life Podcast

This Grit and Grace Life hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie (Graham) Bender cross generational lines and draw from life experience to discuss all things life—from the boardroom to the bedroom, car-lines to college, being single, married, or single again. Combining the two traits found in all women, grit and grace, they laugh, share insights and explore the road taken to find strength every day.

Exciting Changes Are Coming to This Grit and Grace Life! – 251

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreExciting changes are in store for This Grit and Grace Life podcast! If you’ve been with us for a while, you know we launched a new endeavor called Smart Living with Grit and Grace last year and will be releasing an eponymous book series this month (keep your eye on your inbox over the next few days!). Now, we’re rebranding the podcast with a new look and feel—and a new name! In this episode, Darlene and Julie share what’s in store for the new Smart Living with Grit and Grace podcast: fresh content, shorter episodes, increased frequency and more! You’ll learn how they landed on the new […]

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26 "Little Women" Quotes to Live By - 250

26 “Little Women” Quotes to Live By – 250

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWe’re celebrating our 250th podcast episode of This Grit and Grace Life with 26 wise quotes from a literary classic: Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Whether you’ve read the novel or not, there’s much to be gleaned from the conversations among its four protagonists, the young March sisters. If you need some encouragement in your relationships and goals or need to be reminded of the qualities of a confident woman, take a few minutes to tune into this episode. Darlene and Julie also share their favorite lessons learned from the This Grit and Grace Life podcast archive. Quote of the episode: “If you need wisdom, ask our

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Cutting Through the Discomfort Around Special Needs with Russ and Gail Ewell – 249

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreHow do you respond when you see a child with special needs? Most of us fall into one of two camps: We either choose to engage or we look the other way. But choosing to engage is always the right answer. Russ and Gail Ewell will tell you the same thing. After dealing with judgment and unsolicited advice from others on how to raise their two special needs children, the couple decided the best way to inform others was to educate and integrate. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Russ and Gail explain the importance of addressing misconceptions and cutting through the discomfort around

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Ready to Conquer Life’s Challenges? Here’s How – 248

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWhen it comes to battling life’s challenges, the odds are rarely in our favor. We might feel as though we’re putting forth a ton of effort into making our circumstances better, only to find we didn’t make much headway after all. It feels like a far cry from the life God designed for us to live, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss new ways to approach these challenges—and they’re all rooted in the mission of Grit and Grace Life: To transform women’s lives by sharing our hard-earned wisdom, equip them with the

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

How to Control Your Feelings So They Don’t Control You with Dr. Zoe – 247

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWe’re likely to bounce between feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, excitement, exhaustion or any number of other emotions every day. No matter which ones you experience, they are all normal and they deserve to be listened to. Where we often go wrong, according to licensed psychotherapist Dr. Zoe, is in our reaction to those feelings—either lashing out at someone or making an impulsive decision we later regret. Even when we choose not to react by suppressing our emotions, we are entering into dangerous territory. Learning how to control your feelings and they way you respond to them is such a critical part of life that Darlene and

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Back to School Lessons Kids Won’t Find in Books – 246

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreAre your kids heading back to school? They’ll undoubtedly learn a few math equations or how to read between the lines of a historical novel, but some of the most important back to school lessons your kids will take away from this school year are the ones that will carry them through life. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss how, as a parent, you play a critical role in facilitating how well your kids receive these life lessons. They share how to instill guidance in your kids around things like: how their conduct (positive or negative) impacts others

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Answers to the OB-GYN Questions You’re Scared to Ask with Dr. Holly Miller – 245

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreAre you putting off scheduling your next OB-GYN appointment? We get it—it can be uncomfortable, awkward, and even embarrassing to chat with the doc about issues or questions related to down there.  That’s why we’re bringing back this episode of This Grit and Grace Life with guest Dr. Holly Miller, a board certified OB-GYN, to answer all the hard OB-GYN questions you need to know about feminine health but are probably too embarrassed to ask about.  This episode is filled with questions that women tend to run from, including: When do we see a gynecologist? Why do we see gynecologists? Do we have to see a gynecologist?

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Don’t Let the World Dictate Your Self-Worth—It’s Up to You – 244

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreHow do you measure your self-worth? Is it determined by a respectable title at work or the approving nods ands compliments you receive on an outfit? Is it measured by how similar your home looks to your favorite influencer’s or your own personal follower count on Instagram? This week, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender get together to offer a single resounding answer to all those questions: No. Your self-worth isn’t determined by any of these things. And yet, the culture we live in upholds this pervasive idea that our worth is dependent on what we do or how put-together our lives appear, when in reality—in God’s reality—it’s who

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Dating? Don’t Settle for Less with Rebecca St. James – 243

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreYou may have seen the movie “Unsung Hero” and learned a little about the childhood and career of Christian singer and songwriter Rebecca St. James. But we thought we would revisit an earlier episode of This Grit and Grace Life podcast when Rebecca joined the show to chat about another important part of her life: dating and finding “the one.” Landing your forever-after prince isn’t always so clear-cut. We wonder whether he’s out there, how long it’ll take to find him, and if we’ll even recognize him when the moment arrives. We can even get so frustrated with the wait that we might be tempted to settle

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

What to Do When Marriage Is Hard with Julie Bender – 242

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWhen we get married, we have dreams, hopes and goals for what our lifelong union with our new partner will look like. But that idealistic view doesn’t always match reality. Instead, we may find ourselves wondering why our man is so different compared to how he used to be at the beginning of the relationship or to the doting husbands we see on social media. Maybe we find ourselves in constant conflict with him, never finding common ground. Both of these issues can slowly and painfully drive your marriage into the ground. Comparison and conflict are major, yet common, issues in marriage. Our very own co-host, Julie

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

What Memorial Day Can Teach Us About Bravery – 241

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWith Memorial Day upon us, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender are honoring service members’ sacrifices by encouraging us all to step into every area of life the same way those military men and women did—with bravery. But what does that look like to be brave at work? In our relationships? In motherhood? In this episode, Darlene and Julie identify instances that might give us pause and why it’s critical to push through them. Our character and integrity are often at stake in these situations, so we must be willing to get comfortable with being uncomfortable—whether others think we’re uncool or overprotective or too Christian—to protect them.

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

17 Summer Vacation Destinations the Whole Family Will Love – 240

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreAre you itching for a vacation? Maybe the chilliness of winter has dragged on a hair too long and cabin fever has set in. If you’re nodding along saying, “YES,” then you’ll want to tune into episode 240 of This Grit and Grace Life podcast. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share 17 summer vacation destinations around the United States that you may have never considered visiting before but will be glad to have experienced. They list recommendations for kids and adults alike that span every corner of the nation (Washington, Kentucky, Florida, Massachusetts, California, Texas, Ohio) and every interest: music, cars, space, U.S. history

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

When Suicide Touches Your Life – 239

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWe tackle many difficult subjects here at Grit and Grace Life, and often, they’re ones that have impacted us directly. In this episode, co-host Darlene Brock shares one of her own—losing her father to suicide. As with any tragedy, Darlene found herself navigating unexpected emotions, working to reconcile the choice of suicide with the father she loved, asking questions that could be answered and accepting those that could not. In sharing her story now, she hopes to impart an important lesson to those dealing with this unbearable pain: God can bring healing. It won’t be overnight, and it won’t be easy. But there is hope to be found.

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Meet the Extraordinary Mom Behind the New Movie “Unsung Hero” – 238

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreLater this month, the film “Unsung Hero” premieres in theaters across the nation. The movie chronicles one Australian mom’s radical decision to move her family across the world in faith that they can find reprieve from their struggles. We don’t want to spoil it for you, but this mother’s decision pays off. If you’ve ever jammed out to FOR KING & COUNTRY or Rebecca St. James, you can thank Helen Smallbone—the determined mum from Down Under. Her unorthodox decision to pack up her family’s belongings and shuttle herself, her husband and their six kids (with a seventh on the way!) was met with as much doubt as

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Is Easter the Ultimate Call to Action? – 237

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreEaster isn’t all about Peeps and Cadbury eggs, although co-host Julie Bender wouldn’t mind one or two! But is Easter the ultimate call to action? In this heartfelt podcast episode, Julie and Darlene Brock discuss the significance of Easter, which they recognize as the pinnacle of their faith. But what does it mean to truly observe the holiday? Here, they unpack the meaning of Jesus Christ’s brutal death on the cross more than 2,000 years ago and why His suffering, while difficult to think on, is crucial to understanding the scope of His love for us and how we’re supposed to live today. You’ll see how Jesus’

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Making the Most of Life – 236

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreLife feeling mundane? It doesn’t have to! In fact, it’s easier to see the adventure and joys in the everyday than you might think. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender emphasize the importance of making the most of life. They talk through ways to shift your mindset when it comes to your purpose, your relationships, your motherhood and your work so you can more clearly see the value each facet brings. When viewed through this new perspective, the things you may think are annoying and trivial might actually be part of a larger blessing. And when each day seems

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Living with Anxiety? Bring It Into the Light and Find Hope with Caroline Beidler – 235

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreIf you’re living with anxiety, you know it can be debilitating. A sudden panic or anxiety attack can quickly ruin your day, and over time, it can keep you from pursuing your dreams. Caroline Beidler knows what that’s like. The author, speaker and recovery advocate recalls bouts of anxiety as a child, which were exacerbated by her parents’ divorce and sexual trauma. She began self-medicating with alcohol and drugs, and though she eventually became sober, she found herself still dealing with anxiety decades later and wondering what was wrong. In this episode, she sits down with Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to discuss how she learned to

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