This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Can You Embrace Your Femininity In a World That’s Against It? – 171

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast, Life & Culture

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreIt’s not uncommon in our world today to hear mixed messages on the subject of gender. Suddenly, the distinctions between men and women are blurred, and our expressions of femininity and masculinity are dismissed as being outdated, social constructs. But Grit and Grace Life believes differently. Darlene Brock and Julie Bender sit down for an expressive discussion about these gender wars, and instead urge women to celebrate the traits that make them uniquely female. We can thrive in the natural characteristics that make us who and what we are and embrace them. There’s nothing wrong with being female—in fact, it’s a superpower! Quote of the episode: “I […]

Can You Embrace Your Femininity In a World That’s Against It? – 171 Read More »

How Do I Deal with Grief During the Holidays? with Nancy Hicks – 170

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast, Relationships

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreMaybe this is your first year—or one of several—trying to balance the joy of the holidays with grief over a loss. The conflicted feelings can make it difficult to celebrate or even consider being around others. Speaker and author Nancy Hicks joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to discuss how we can come to terms with our grief when the holidays are approaching. Nancy speaks from her grief journey after dealing with the loss of her son this year. She encourages us to give ourselves grace as we experience the vast set of emotions that accompany loss, and shares some ways we can cope with grief during

How Do I Deal with Grief During the Holidays? with Nancy Hicks – 170 Read More »

Who Is God Really? with Christian Bevere – 169

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreFor thousands of years, people have tried to answer the question, “Who is God?” It’s a monumental question, and one that even people of faith still grapple with. We learn a lot about God by reading the Bible and through prayer, but how can we begin to really know Him? Darlene Brock and Julie Bender chat with Christian Bevere to discuss what it means to be a son or daughter of God and how to grasp who God is, according to who He says He is. Christian details the ways that God shows up in our lives and acts as our defender. If you’ve ever desired to

Who Is God Really? with Christian Bevere – 169 Read More »

How do We Handle the Messiness of Motherhood? with Laila Schell – 168

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreMotherhood is messy—literally and figuratively! While moms work hard to raise healthy, happy and responsible kids, they’re also dealing with the pressure to be perfect. The age of social media is unforgiving in this arena, and moms often struggle with feeling like they fall short. In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender interview Laila Schell, a writer, wife and mom of four who’s experienced her fair share of motherhood ups and downs. Laila expresses the importance of giving yourself grace when you feel like you don’t measure up, and understanding that you don’t have to be perfect to be a great mom. We encourage you

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Can I Find Happiness without Neglecting the Needs of Others? – 167

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreSociety tells us that we should pursue what makes us happy and cut ties with those who don’t agree with that or who get in our way. But does finding our happiness have to be selfish-or-self-destruct? What even defines happiness, anyway? Darlene Brock and Julie Bender offer their insights on this important topic and talk about what happiness looks like in three areas of our lives: relationships, motherhood and work. Rather than focusing purely on how to find happiness—or, to adopt Darlene’s preferred term, “contentment”—they discuss how to work towards this idea in a way that balances our responsibilities and takes into consideration the impact our pursuit

Can I Find Happiness without Neglecting the Needs of Others? – 167 Read More »

How to Take Back Your Time with Christy Wright – 166

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More “How do I find a work-life balance?” seems to be an eternal question, one we just keep circling back to as the to-do list grows longer. Whether it’s our jobs, homes, family or friends, there’s always something or someone who needs us. Life feels demanding and 24 hours in a day to get everything done just doesn’t cut it anymore. Author and speaker Christy Wright joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to offer her take on this question—and it has nothing to do with balance at all. Taking cues from her new book, “Take Back Your Time,” Christy discusses five ways that we can create time

How to Take Back Your Time with Christy Wright – 166 Read More »

How do I Connect with Friends when I Feel Alone? with Katie Cress – 165

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More Friendships are incredibly valuable to our lives and our well-being, but they take work. Just like marriage, different seasons of life will require our attention and complicate these relationships. We might find that the dynamic has changed, or the frequency of communication has dwindled. In this episode, Grit and Grace Life writer and counselor Katie Cress joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to share the steps she took to connect with friends after a cross-country move left her feeling lonely and withdrawn. In order to maintain healthy friendships—or restore frayed ones—we need to put in the time and effort to connect. If this sounds like where

How do I Connect with Friends when I Feel Alone? with Katie Cress – 165 Read More »

How to Find Peace and Purpose in an Out of Control World with Dr Zoe – 164

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More Darlene Brock and Julie Bender call on licensed psychotherapist and life coach Dr. Zoe Shaw to find out how we can begin to find peace and purpose in a world we can’t control. It’s no secret that the world feels a bit crazy right now. With everything going on in politics and the news, it’s easy to feel anxious and overwhelmed in your personal life. Rather than shrinking back, Dr. Zoe urges us to guard our minds and step into our strength and our convictions. She explains how we can better listen to others, refocus our energy out of the negative and combat the things that

How to Find Peace and Purpose in an Out of Control World with Dr Zoe – 164 Read More »

We’re Back! – 163

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWe’re back! After what co-host Julie Bender calls “the shortest summer ever,” her and Darlene Brock catch up on life and give a preview of the great things in store as they return with new episodes of This Grit and Grace Life podcast. But the summer hiatus wasn’t all road-tripping and mountain-hiking. The team at Grit and Grace Life spruced up the website and revamped the podcast to better meet you where you are. We’ve realized that the world continues to spin out of control, but we know answers can be found. The podcast takes on a new format, where Darlene and Julie pose the questions you’re

We’re Back! – 163 Read More »

Wise Words for Women in Our Grit and Grace Life – 162

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWith life traveling faster than we can keep up, many of us are facing storms that threaten to take our joy, sanity, and peace. What we all need right now are wise words for women to handle this grit and grace life. We don’t need a quippy cliché or a half-hearted platitude but real practical truths to apply as needed. To offer that, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender take to the mic to share six insights on life that benefit every woman. Since they are taking a recording break for a few months, they wanted to leave you with these hard-won words of wisdom. After listening

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Behind Her Struggle With Alcohol With Lindsey Encinias – 161

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreIs social drinking just a glass of wine at dinner (the answer is yes), or can it become something else (the answer is also yes)? Current statistics show that many women find themselves in a struggle with alcohol, experiencing a significant upswing after the stress of 2020. With this knowledge in hand, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender interview Lindsey Encinias, writer for Grit and Grace, who bravely shares her battle overcoming alcoholism. In this personal story, she recounts contributing factors- her family history, the tragic loss of her father while she was a teenager, and wrestling with her identity after leaving an exciting corporate role after becoming

Behind Her Struggle With Alcohol With Lindsey Encinias – 161 Read More »

You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck Anymore – 160

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreLife ebbs and flows. Some days are filled with excitement and hope. Then there are others where you feel just plain “meh.” When the mundane feeling lingers beyond a few days, it’s time to ask yourself if you’ve become stagnant. Since we all face these emotional roadblocks, we wanted to tackle them. The first thing Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share is a simple way to determine if you’re in an actual rut. Then, if so, how to begin the battle forward, reminding you to give yourself much-needed grace as you determine why you’re feeling this way. Next, they suggest an exercise you can use today to

You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck Anymore – 160 Read More »

Stop People Pleasing Now With Cherlyn Decker – 159

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreDo other people’s opinions affect how you feel about yourself? Often find yourself trying to please others, hoping they will see you as you want to be seen? If so, you’ll appreciate this episode. Darlene Brock and Julie Bender interview Cherlyn Decker—a speaker, writer, and coach who has helped hundreds of women turn their struggles into a source of strength. They discuss everyday battles many women face: people pleasing, mom guilt, and obsessing over what others think of them. Cheryln shares practical tools that can help you turn from these harmful habits, encouraging you to look back on past life experiences for how they “stack” on each

Stop People Pleasing Now With Cherlyn Decker – 159 Read More »

5 Ways to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Kids – 158

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More The job of “mom” can be tough! A mother nurtures, disciplines, clothes, feeds and does her very best to protect, all while balancing many more jobs both in and out of the house. With each day abundantly filled, do you find it challenging to invest enough time in building the strong relationship with your kids that you desire? Mom, you are not alone! In this episode, we give five ways every mom can build that relationship at any stage of their kids’ lives. We share things you can do to develop their character while making treasured and lasting memories. Darlene (mom of adult daughters, Nonie to

5 Ways to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Kids – 158 Read More »

Find Healing and Freedom From Sexual Abuse With Jill Monaco – 157

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreIt can be tough to heal from trauma and pain from abuse in your past. It becomes even more challenging when you’ve kept it to yourself for years, hiding it from others. Author, speaker, and coach, Jill Monaco, has lived this life story and joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to share her experience with sexual abuse at the hands of church leaders. She offers hope as she walks us through her road to healing. This honest discussion will help you know how to spot signs of abuse (some are clear, others more subtle) and what to say (and not say) to someone in this heartbreaking scenario.

Find Healing and Freedom From Sexual Abuse With Jill Monaco – 157 Read More »

As Life Changes We Ask, What Defines Me? – 156

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More Are you feeling a bit lost? No longer know who you are? The demands and circumstances of your life have taken over, and you’re unsure what defines you. Is it what you do? The titles you hold? The roles you play? The opinions of another? Women go through numerous changes and seasons, some by choice, others beyond our control, bringing with them struggles to know who we are. Co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender ask pointed questions to get to that elusive answer. What defines me? Our priorities, principles, and convictions will lead us to that answer. In this episode, we want you to remember that

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How To Make Self-Care Part of Your Life With Dr. Zoe Shaw – 155

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreSelf-care. Sound good? Or do you feel guilty even thinking about it? Perhaps it’s okay for someone else, but you don’t have time to take care of yourself? Dr. Zoe Shaw joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to explain what self-care is (and isn’t) and how it is an essential part of your grit and grace life. Society tells women, “you can do it all, and you have to,” but at what cost? Often, Christian women wonder if self-care is biblical, feeling they must always put others first, especially if they have a husband and/or children. Is this true? In her new book, A Year of Self-Care, Dr.

How To Make Self-Care Part of Your Life With Dr. Zoe Shaw – 155 Read More »