| The Grit and Grace Project

Life Is Fragile: What My Mom’s Illness Has Taught Me

In middle school, we had well-meaning, completely-out-of-touch teachers (according to us) who thought that it was important to include “life lessons” as part of the curriculum. These lessons included how to write a check (long before Venmo or PayPal), how to open a bank account, how to respond when our bodies started to develop and what on earth a maxi pad was—just to name a few. I Learned a Big Lesson in Middle School: Life Is Fragile One of these lessons we were unwillingly tasked with was carrying around an egg all day. We were informed that this smooth, white egg was representative of our baby child. “Raising a kid is tough,” one male teacher noted. “This will show you how very […]

Life Is Fragile: What My Mom’s Illness Has Taught Me Read More »

5 Ways I Learned to Love My Middle-Aged Body

By Meaghan Dawson / Life & Culture

The other day, as I was participating in my daily scroll on social media, a Facebook memory popped up on my feed. It was a heartwarming throwback of me and my youngest when she was just a baby. I looked tired, yes, but also had that new-mom glow as I held my daughter in her “Baby’s First Christmas” outfit. She was three months old and this was, sadly, quite a few years ago. I remember that picture well. We were at my in-laws’ house after church, and it was the first time I had gotten “dressed up” since giving birth. And I remember being wildly insecure about my new, mom-of-three body. I felt frumpy, overweight, and gross. I didn’t want to go,

5 Ways I Learned to Love My Middle-Aged Body Read More »

When and How to Start Your Child’s Skin Care Routine

By Cherie Shaw / Health & Beauty, Motherhood

I still have the picture. My third grade class photo, the one in which I wore my Snoopy necklace and cowl neck sweater, the one that plainly displays my first run-in with a chin pimple gone wild. I love that photo and hate it all at once, even now over 40 years later. I don’t know if skincare was even a thing when I was nine years old. By the time the term “skin care” popped across my radar, I was a 15- or 16-year-old who dabbled with drug store astringents and masks praying something would help me get a peaches and cream complexion. When nothing seemed to help, I dreamed of the day I would have enough of my own money

When and How to Start Your Child’s Skin Care Routine Read More »

This Is What Running in My 40s Has Taught Me

By Melissa Solle / Life & Culture

Once upon a time I was a fast runner (think, like, 25 years ago when I was 18 and solid muscle). My personal best for a 5k was a little under 19 minutes! I could leg-press as much as half the guys in my class and didn’t back down from a race or competition. I was tough, strong, and extremely competitive. Fast forward almost 20 years, add a career-ending injury to my ankle, three babies, a husband, and a life of contentment, and I was bored. I hadn’t really exercised in two decades, unless you count a brief stint chasing my middle child who was an escape artist as a toddler. I Made a Goal Despite the Challenges Before I turned 40,

This Is What Running in My 40s Has Taught Me Read More »

10 Truths I Found to Lose 75 Pounds

By Eve DeBardeleben Roebuck / Faith

I’ve discovered a pandemic phenomenon: The Covid-19 10 is a 10-pound weight gain that creeps on in quarantine. In my defense, let me say that the fear of not being able to get my beloved treats at some point during quarantine had me pack-ratting Dove Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Promises and Moose Munch as if they might become as scarce as toilet paper. The question then became, what do I do with the stockpile? Just eat it? These extra pounds prompted me to consider how I lost 75 pounds 20 years ago without dieting and kept them off since then. I want to remember the steps. It’s what we do when we try to lose weight. On paper, it makes sense. Eating

10 Truths I Found to Lose 75 Pounds Read More »

4 Reasons Why Your Breast Cancer Diagnosis Should Not Rule Your Life

By Today's Collaborative Writer / Life & Culture

Anxiety, fear, anger, and depression – these are some of the many emotions you may experience after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Everyone copes differently with this diagnosis, and there’s no right or wrong way of coming to terms with it. But a significant aspect of handling this experience is to make sure that it does not end up handling you. Recognize these four reasons why your diagnosis does not own you. You’re asking the right questions Especially in the beginning, this path that you’re on is a scary one. Those first doctor’s visits after your diagnosis can be overwhelming, especially since you’re still processing the news. Now your doctor is telling you about your options, your prognosis, and the decisions you

4 Reasons Why Your Breast Cancer Diagnosis Should Not Rule Your Life Read More »

How We Get Postpartum Wrong in America

By Ashby Duval / Life & Culture

Postpartum care in the United States has become like the obligatory vegetable platter set out at parties: we know it should be there to balance out dips and desserts but no one’s really digging into it. Postpartum is much the same way. It doesn’t get the attention it deserves and the random carrot stick we put on our plate to appease our consciences is the equivalent to our 6 week visit that does very little except to give us the OK on having sex again. Just like we need more vegetables on our plates, we need more postpartum care than what is offered to us. Certified pregnancy and postpartum athleticism coach Jordan Baesler says, “Pregnancy is temporary but postpartum is forever.” There

How We Get Postpartum Wrong in America Read More »

An Intimate Look at Your Sex Life With Dr. Miller OB-GYN – 135

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More It’s time to get “down and dirty,” or, in other words, have an honest discussion about sex! We’ve brought Dr. Holly Miller (board-certified OB-GYN) back to the show for a real conversation about sexual and reproductive health. Darlene and Julie ask questions you might secretly be wondering and are perhaps even afraid to ask your GYN. So, ladies, we’re “going there,” with questions like: -How do you know if you’re ready to have sex with your partner? -How do you talk about his (or your) STI? -Should intercourse have pain? What do you do if it does? -How do different contraceptives work? -Do you have low

An Intimate Look at Your Sex Life With Dr. Miller OB-GYN – 135 Read More »

These 2 Nurses Told Us What Makes Them Feel Appreciated

By Ashley Johnson / Life & Culture

It’s National Nurses Week, and I can’t think of a better time than now to honor these special people and celebrate their selfless work. In an effort to show our sincerest appreciation, I interviewed two nurses to better understand their role in society, their unique struggles, and how we can make them feel valued. This is what they said… What made you decide to become a nurse? Katelynn is a nurse in the ER, she’s 27 years old, and has been a nurse for 5 years. One of the first times I met her she told me an incredible story about a summer she spent in Haiti providing medical care for villages who go years without having access to any. She’s smart,

These 2 Nurses Told Us What Makes Them Feel Appreciated Read More »

Questions You’re Too Embarrassed to Ask Your OB-GYN Answered by Dr. Holly Miller – 119

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, we chat with Dr. Holly Miller on women’s health issues you need to know about but are probably too embarrassed to ask. Dr. Miller is a board certified OB-GYN, wife of 20+ years, mother of four, and dedicated to ensuring you know everything you need to about your feminine health. This episode is filled with questions that women tend to run from… When do we see a gynecologist? Why do we see gynecologist? Do we have to see gynecologist? And the biggest question, why are we terrified of seeing a gynecologist? It’s our goal with this episode to

Questions You’re Too Embarrassed to Ask Your OB-GYN Answered by Dr. Holly Miller – 119 Read More »

Want to Be a Trim Healthy Mama? Try This Simple Plan

By Phylicia Fraser / Motherhood

Serene Allison and Pearl Barrett are two sisters from Down Under who happen to have 19 children between them. They’ve also managed to find a way to stay healthy and trim and feed their families meals that they actually enjoy. However, it wasn’t an easy journey to get there. They’re the first to say that maintaining a healthy, balanced diet can seem impossible. In this BuzzFeed article, Serene said, “We as women can put on a happy face, but so many of us have a deep desperate longing for a way to be trim and healthy without all the usual awfulness that goes hand in hand with that.” We’ve all felt the disappointment of trying out a new diet that doesn’t go well. You

Want to Be a Trim Healthy Mama? Try This Simple Plan Read More »

Darlene and Julie Chat Balancing Adulting, Barbells and Booties – 109

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreYour co-hosts bust out their booties (we mean boots, because yay, fall temps!) for an honest chat about their grit and grace lives. Is adulting overrated? What are the benefits of multi-tasking, or should we buy into the new trend of mono-tasking (yes, that’s a thing)? Darlene takes a little time to get an update on how Julie finished her recent training and what she learned from her journey through her first fitness competition. You may be surprised at what this strong woman gleaned about herself as she took on this challenge, even one as ridiculous as strutting her stuff on the stage in glittery shoes. Grab

Darlene and Julie Chat Balancing Adulting, Barbells and Booties – 109 Read More »

A Mammogram Taught Me How Strong and Beautiful Women Are

By Geinene Carson / Life & Culture

Everyone warned me that when I turned 40 the dreaded mammogram would be there to welcome me. It is like a rite of passage into the middle-age years for every woman. I had my official introduction to the infamous squeezing machine just a few weeks ago. Though not as bad as my imagination had made it, it was still pretty close. While amazed that someone so brilliant actually invented this potentially life-saving procedure, I still see a lot of room for improvement in its user-friendliness. It’s clunky and awkward, not fitting to a woman’s contour in the least. But, I suppose it gets the needed job done and that’s the most important thing. I couldn’t help but chuckle when the mammography technician

A Mammogram Taught Me How Strong and Beautiful Women Are Read More »

change happens when god is in your recovery journey

Change Happens When God Is in Your Addiction Recovery

By Rachel Hagstrom / Faith

My breathing is shallow before I step into the stale, dimly lit room. I take a seat, nodding a hello to the docile man to my left and smiling at the woman who sits across from me facing their own addiction recovery. Her candid vulnerability and blatant remarks resonate, often causing me to think about her words long after our time together ends. I am just six months into my recovery journey and the youngest person in attendance. I’m not sure if we’d peg each other as friends outside of this room, but in this place, it’s as though these people understand me better than some of my bosom friends—their authenticity and vulnerability is refreshing and without airs or pretenses. But first,

Change Happens When God Is in Your Addiction Recovery Read More »

3 Simple Secrets to a Great Night’s Sleep

By Molly Dockweiler / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

I’m a teacher, which means my mind is on my students, the problems they share with me, the grading I need to do, and the next day’s lesson more than I would like to admit (but if you’re a teacher too, you get it). That being said, I have a lot of trouble falling asleep at night because my mind is always racing. Over the last few months, I’ve come across some things that have really helped me fall asleep quickly when I lay down at the end of the day… Scent There are a couple of different things I use to make my room smell like I’m ready to go to sleep, but the shared factor is always lavender. Diffuse Essential

3 Simple Secrets to a Great Night’s Sleep Read More »

When “in Sickness and in Health” Really Matters

By Ashby Duval / Faith

Remember those beautiful vows we make before God, our spouse, and our family on our wedding day? “I take you to be my husband/wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow.” A few months ago, I got a new perspective on the vows “in sickness and in health.” I meant those words with all my heart and truth be told; I always thought I would be a great wife in that situation. I really love to serve others, and although I hoped with

When “in Sickness and in Health” Really Matters Read More »

We Asked the Experts How to Crush Your New Year’s Resolutions

By Meaghan Dawson / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

The champagne is all popped. The New Year has been rung. Now what? This is a strange time of year, isn’t it? We’ve all spent the past month (and maybe longer depending on when you started your holiday revelry) indulging, celebrating, laughing and enjoying life to the full. And this is how it should be. Ringing in the end of the year with friends and family is a joyous time, meant to be savored. Most of us don’t calorie count at a party and this isn’t a time of year when we crank out new goals to be attained and to work toward. But the New Year? That’s when we get busy. We make plans. We start regimes. We join accountability groups.

We Asked the Experts How to Crush Your New Year’s Resolutions Read More »