Podcast

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:

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWe often hear that marriage is work—once the honeymoon phase is over, of course. And it’s true; marriage does require some adjustments and compromises. But what about the things that happened before marriage? The situations that may have taken place years ago, but the repercussions of which are still creeping into your union? Co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender are joined by Grit and Grace Life writer Rachel Hagstrom to talk about how to unpack the baggage in your marriage. Both Rachel and her husband experienced separate traumatic events that slowly began chipping away at the foundation of their union. In this episode, she speaks to the

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWhen you think of mother-daughter relationships, the many film renditions of “Freaky Friday” might come to mind. That relationship dynamic is not at all uncommon, but maybe it’s one you’re looking to pivot from, or avoid entirely as you raise your daughter. On this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender welcome back Marlys Johnson Lawry, a writer for Grit and Grace Life and mom of an adult daughter. Marlys recalls the relationship she had with her mom, which was strong and dependable, but lacked some of the tender moments that Marlys desired while growing up. To change the narrative with her

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreHappiness in America is dwindling, according to a 2022 Gallup survey. There are several factors that play into this trend, but perhaps the most important question is whether we’re stuck being unhappy. Do we have to just endure? In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender address the state of unhappiness that’s rippling through the world right now and answer the age-old question of whether or not it’s appropriate to pursue happiness as a Christian. Together, they lay out practical steps for finding happiness and boosting your overall mood, which covers everything from being aware of the content you consume and where you’re spending your time

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWhat does it mean to follow Jesus or to say, “I am a Christian?” With the recent Asbury Revival igniting new conversations around faith, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender decided to share the highs and lows of their individual faith journeys and getting to know Jesus. Darlene grew up in a strict church environment with a lot of rules, while Julie’s Methodist church emphasized the importance of relationships and feeling connected with others in the house of God. Both took paths that brought them closer to Jesus but encountered moments of pride and self-righteousness in their faith that they later learned couldn’t prevent real-life heartache. They chat

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More“Are you approaching people the way God would want you to?” It’s an important question posed by Darlene Brock and Julie Bender in this podcast episode. This week, they continue the conversation from the previous episode, where Grit and Grace Life writer Allison McCormick, a biracial woman married to a Black man, shared her perspective on race relations in the world today. In an honest conversation from women of faith, Darlene and Julie discuss what we can do to fight racism, including taking on some tougher assignments: setting aside your defenses and learning to listen to others. They also share our biblical responsibility to address bias, what

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreThere is an undeniable tension that exists when dealing with race in our world today. So when it comes to having those hard conversations and arriving at a place of better understanding each other, many people don’t know where—or how—to start. Longtime Grit and Grace Life team writer Allison McCormick joins Darlene and Julie this week to share her advice. As a biracial woman married to a Black man, Allison details the confusion and complexity of discovering her true biracial identity and the situations her husband has had to endure. She shares what we and other Christian women can do to fight hate and discrimination, and what