Smart Living with Grit and Grace

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreIt’s the most wonderful time of the year—or is it? We believe it is, but we know that stress and hardships can sometimes surface and crowd out those merry feelings. Rather than feeling swayed by the weight of those challenges, we want to help you find the good. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share an assortment of quotes that remind us of our ability to make the most of every day, cultivate that happy moments mindset and lead the life we want by shifting our perspective. What are you spending time thinking about? Are you focusing on the good deeds you witness, the blessings […]

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreThis week, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss what faith, hope, and love should look like when played out in our lives. You’ll learn how they each decided to pursue faith; how we should pour out love and gratitude back to God through the work we do and how we carry ourselves; how faith fulfills our ability to hope, which sustains us during hard times and reminds us of what’s good in a world that feels scary and messy; why we’re called to love others (even those who don’t love us back) and how to show it. Any one of these tenets—or perhaps all three—may feel complicated

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreDid you know that this podcast and its adjoining website, Grit and Grace Life, are run entirely by donations? That’s right—we’re not your typical media outlet! The Grit and Grace Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by generous individuals who believe in our mission to inform and encourage women in their life journey. We believe women can prepare for every facet of life—from motherhood, work and health to purpose, relationships, and faith—by learning from those who have walked those paths before them. The articles on our site are a treasure trove of wisdom from our global collective of writers who want to give other women a leg

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More It’s officially the holiday season, and we already know what’s lingering in the back of your mind—shopping for gifts. Gift-giving can be such a joyful exchange when your loved one has been casually dropping hints all year long, but what about the folks who keep mum? This is where Darlene Brock and Julie Bender come in to save the (holi-) day. In this episode, the Grit and Grace Life co-hosts present a robust Christmas gift guide with more than 25 fresh ideas for every person on your list. Submitted by the team of writers at Grit and Grace Life, the items in this gift guide are

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreIt seems as though 2020 was the impetus for division and global tensions: racial, political, health-related and more. We were faced with an unprecedented virus, and a reckoning with racial injustices that paved the way for more open-minded discussions and understanding. And yet, the uncomfortable weight of not knowing the right thing to say—or saying the wrong thing—hasn’t quite lifted. Political correctness reigns supreme and cancel culture is still a very real threat. So what do we do when we’re afraid to speak up? Darlene Brock and Julie Bender unpack this worry and how to overcome the paralysis as women of faith. They also offer practical mindset

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWant to become a strong woman? It may come as a surprise that embarking on this path has more to do with leaning into your vulnerabilities and weaknesses—not the areas you excel in. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss 8 ways that you can begin your journey to becoming a strong woman, even as life’s challenges continue. Among these, you’ll learn the importance of talking less; why lowering the bar for yourself and others can actually be a good thing; and why choosing to become a strong woman is a decision that must be made daily. Quote of the episode: “Ultimately, strength comes from

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreHardly anything is impossible. Take it from Mignon François—a speaker, entrepreneur and owner of The Cupcake Collection, a specialty cupcake business that ships nationwide—who, only a few years ago, found herself with only $5 in hand to feed her family as a single mom. On this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender chat with Mignon on how to get to where you want to be in life, and the ability to be resourceful even when it seems all the odds are against you. Mignon shares her unexpected journey from living paycheck to paycheck to investing seed money that would eventually turn

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWe’re witnessing radical changes in our culture. Topics ranging from gender identity and sexual boundaries to living “your truth” are making both headlines and appearances in our daily life. And many times, these issues run counter to what we believe as women of faith. So how do we adapt to a shifting culture and still pursue what we know to be true? In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss the ways that traditional values and the understanding of what’s right or wrong have changed over the years, touching on topics like casual sex and family dynamics. They also share

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreAre you dating someone or looking to date? Regardless of where you might be in those two categories, it’s never too late to evaluate whether your potential life partner is a keeper. In this podcast episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender outline what characteristics you need to look out for—both the red flags and the green flags—so you can quickly identify whether your man is a keeper, or someone who should see the door. Quote of the episode: “If we want to be a keeper, we need to have the same attributes we’re looking for in them.” —Darlene Brock Resources Mentions: