Tess Lopez | The Grit and Grace Project

This Is Why You Need an Aloe Vera Plant

Just last week, I was boiling some water on the stove in preparation for dinner. At least, I thought I was boiling water. I accidentally turned the wrong knob, so the burner next to my pot was heating up rapidly, and the handle to the pot was hovering over said burner. I mistakenly reached for the handle and…you guessed it. A fiery sensation ran up my fingers, and I jumped away from the stove, holding my sad, injured hand. Now, what’s a woman to do? It definitely wasn’t serious enough to rush to a hospital, but it would likely become painful if it wasn’t treated soon enough. I quickly sifted through any knowledge I had of home remedies. Then, bright as the […]

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8 Children’s Books That Will Make You Laugh and Cry

By Tess Lopez / Motherhood

During my one-year reign as an elementary school library assistant, I learned a lot about children. And books. And, of course, children’s books. I was always charmed when they tittered up to check their books out, bouncing with excitement as they mustered up all their strength to heave the books onto the counter with gusto. As I entered their information into the computer, they gleefully tapped their hands on the covers of the books and earnestly explained why they were excited about these particular choices. “My sister read this one, and it was sooo cute!” “This dog looks just like my dog at home. He’s brown with black spots, too.” “Ms. Bolen read this one on the morning news, and it was

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How to Raise Strong, Confident Daughters With Darlene Brock

By Tess Lopez / Motherhood

In episode 63, These Strategies Will Help You Raise Great Kids, of our podcast, This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock, co-founder and president of The Grit and Grace Project, shares some of her own parenting experiences and snippets of wisdom from her new book, Raising Great Girls. Having raised two caring and successful daughters of her own, Darlene penned her book in the hopes of encouraging other moms to push past the difficulties that often come with cultivating young ladies (or young men!). In Raising Great Girls, Darlene outlines various job descriptions, like Creative Counselor and Coach, that a parent must assume in order to mold a balanced daughter. She breaks down three of these job titles within the podcast and

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Conquering Cutter Will Reveal the Things that Matter

Conquering Clutter Will Reveal the Things That Matter

By Tess Lopez / Life & Culture, Audio Articles

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) I spent the better half of 2020 preparing to move, and it taught me a lot about what I don’t need. The reason for moving, however, was all positive. I’d recently gotten engaged and planned to move to Virginia with my fiancé after our wedding. So, in between days of full-time work and after-hours wedding planning and Skype calls with my other half, I was figuring out how to cram 25 years-worth of stuff into bins and boxes for a somewhat less stressful life transition. The Process of Moving Shows You How Much Clutter You Own Anyone who has ever moved knows that it doesn’t seem like your belongings will take long to

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How to Feel Your Emotions in a Healthy Way With Dr. Zoe Shaw

By Tess Lopez / Life & Culture

We’re likely to bounce between feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, excitement, exhaustion or any number of other emotions every day. Some are fickle, while others might not be so temporary. No matter which ones you experience, they are all normal and they deserve to be listened to. Where we often go wrong 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. Dr. Zoe Shaw is a licensed psychotherapist and regular contributor to Grit and Grace Life through articles and her advice column, Ask Dr. Zoe. She has also been a guest on several episodes of This

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When You Feel Lost, God Will Find You

By Tess Lopez / Faith, Audio Articles

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) It’s true what they say: God knows how to call his children back to him. He’s the one who created us, after all. With a week off of school for spring break (and no research papers, video projects or other tedious graduate work due), I finally had a chance to decompress. The previous six months had delivered an unending supply of due dates, elaborate holiday planning and writing opportunities that were too good to pass up. So, to make time for it all, I cut out anything and everything that I felt got in the way of me getting ahead. One of those was my morning Bible study. Big mistake. Stepping Back to

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The Little Reasons Why Veterans Day Is a Big Deal

By Tess Lopez / Life & Culture

Up until last year, I didn’t really understand the meaning of Veterans Day. Of course, I’d always recognized that it was to honor the service and sacrifices of all those in the armed forces. But being young, I’d lumped the meaning of Veterans Day with Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and any other holiday that bore the “price of freedom” tag. I associated it with a paid day off of work and a family cookout, which isn’t wrong (although I’ll admit it’s a little ironic to celebrate members of the military in a way that many of them cannot partake in themselves). But now I get why November 11 was set aside. Joining the Ranks A little over two years ago, I

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Skillet’s Jen Ledger Shares How to Have Faith Over Fear

By Tess Lopez / Faith

Skillet’s Jen Ledger is nothing short of a powerhouse when she performs: with soaring vocals and a gift for drumming like the rockstar she is, she gives the band a heartbeat to rely on. But if you asked her how she got to be so confident while performing, she’d tell you that it was—and sometimes still is—a daily struggle. Read on for the details of Jen’s story and journey of faith as excerpted from her appearance on This Grit and Grace Life podcast, episode 44: Skillet’s Jen Ledger Shares Her Faith, Her Fear and Her Strength. I had actually come to America to do a Bible music school called The School of Worship. It’s only like 14 people per class in the

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Dandelions in December: Unique Jewelry for Your Journey

By Tess Lopez / Purpose

Scrolling through Sheila Dresbach’s Etsy page, Dandelions in December, is a bit like stepping outside and really opening your eyes for the first time. The Asheboro, North Carolina-based artist specializes in inspirational jewelry, pressed-flower jewelry, and keepsakes. She curates a colorful assortment of flowers, like delicate Queen Anne’s Lace, brilliant pink peonies, and even small stalks of wheat. After gently pressing them to preserve their color and shape, she’ll artfully secure them between the glass panels of a frame or pendant as a soft reminder of the beauty that can be found in nature and in life. A Small Business with a Purpose “I named my business Dandelions in December because I was going through a rough time with my husband’s job

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This Is Why I Believe in a Traditional Proposal

By Tess Lopez / Audio Articles, Relationships

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) We live in an age now where women are breaking conventional stereotypes and finding their voice. They are quickly ascending the corporate ladder and earning prestigious positions in Congress. Others are bravely walking away from abusive relationships and learning not to criticize their body shape just to conform to the expectations presented by the media. A smaller number of women have even broken the bonds of tradition and lowered onto one knee to pop the question to their beloved boyfriend. I celebrate the monumental achievements that women have earned. I applaud them for their unceasing lack of courage and strength along the way. But no matter how many hurdles we conquer into the

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Let Your Creativity Flow and See What Happens

By Tess Lopez / Life & Culture

It’s no secret that most women absolutely adore Pinterest. It is the culmination of every inspiration board or creative idea that has ever run through our thoughts. We turn to this handy little app for everything from recipes and craft-project ideas, to tutorials for quick (yet cute!) hairstyles and ways to decorate a home. This has a lot to say about us: we love creativity! We yearn to stray away from stagnation; we want to explore the possibilities of maximizing the potential greatness of a project, design, or even a meal. And when we take on these tasks, we almost become free range. Sadly, these crafty episodes don’t happen as often as we would like. There just doesn’t seem to be the

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How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes in 5 Easy Steps

By Tess Lopez / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

It’s inevitable: the bristles crowning our makeup brushes, once sleek and shiny like the mane of a show horse, are now dull and clumpy. The residue of our cosmetic labor—sparkly shadow, heavy foundation, and powdery blush—has caked into stiff clumps. We shouldn’t wait until our brushes get to this sorry stage to clean them. Ideally, makeup brushes and sponges should be cleaned at least once a week. Without frequent cleaning, bacteria may accumulate on the brushes, and can often lead to breakouts. So by all means, avoid a potential zit-uation (sorry, couldn’t let that opportunity slip), and bathe those brushes! It’s always a wise idea to use lukewarm water and gentle cleanser when cleaning your brushes to maintain the integrity of the

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The Write Way Out of Writer’s Block

By Tess Lopez / Life & Culture

Oddly enough, this article bloomed from a very frustrating stint of writer’s block. As a graduate student, aspiring journalist, and regular writer for The Grit and Grace Project, the onset of writer’s block is quite possibly my worst nightmare. I want to write for a living and am paying thousands of dollars for an education that is designed to teach me how to write better. Yet, I’ve been struggling to hit the keys on my laptop for about a week now. So, in my effort to make lemonade after being served a very rotten vat of lemons, I decided to work with my block by writing about it. There are a few small tips and tricks I’ve implemented over the years that

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Can You Really Enjoy the Little Things in Life?

By Tess Lopez / Audio Articles, Purpose

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) If I was paid a dollar for every time I heard, read, or even interpreted the phrase “enjoy the little things in life,” I would be a billionaire. I would be retired to a quaint beach house along the coast of California, sipping coffee on my back patio and overlooking the sunset as the deep gold rays of sun slid off the sprawling cliffs to the wayside and twinkled over the waters of the Pacific. That’s quite a lifestyle. It’s also the result of the money I would earn hearing the mundane, exhausted repetition of that phrase. It wasn’t until last year that I realized the phrase was truly a gem to abide

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Why Succulents Make a Great Member of the Family

By Tess Lopez / Life & Culture

The first car ride home with Bruce was nothing short of magical. I cradled him tenderly in my arms as we traveled, gazing affectionately at the wee baby who practically glowed with promise. With the tip of my finger, I oh-so-gently grazed his furry green arm. Let me explain. Bruce is a succulent plant that I bought from our local Home Depot. He’s a Bear’s Paw succulent (or a Cotyledon tomentosa, for all you dedicated botanists). Each leaf is roughly the size of a nickel, rounded on the sides with about five or six tiny points jutting out from the top—an uncanny resemblance to the massive paw and threatening claws of a bear, hence the name. It wasn’t just the bear’s

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5 Summer Accessories That Will Make You Feel Beautiful

By Tess Lopez / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

Like a seasonal dish at your favorite restaurant, summer is back and better than ever. With an itinerary of spontaneous beach excursions and warm nights topped off with an icy glass of fruity bliss comes time to usher new life into your summer wardrobe. These pieces are designed to ease your transition into the simmering months ahead, whether it be by deflecting the sun’s intensity or simply making you the star of your own summer runway. Let each statement piece below reflect you—bold, beautiful, and totally ready to rock the summer. Floppy Hat Floppy hats are a game-changer during the summer months. They’re wide enough that they virtually block the sun from any angle, while still being effortlessly chic. Bonus: they pair

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