| The Grit and Grace Project

Have You Seen This New Trend? Proposing to Your Man

Even in these modern times, proposals by women are very uncommon. The tradition of waiting for your man to buy an engagement ring and surprise you is still extremely popular. There are so many resources for men on choosing a ring and popping the question. Some men have even turned to professional help to plan flashy engagements. Today, wedding planners will also offer their services as a marriage proposal planner. Think about all of those viral videos on Facebook! If women proposed more often, then there would be no need for proposal planners. It may seem like traditional engagement is the only option, but it’s not! 2019 may be the year of girls asking for his hand in marriage. Proposing to your […]

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How to Make Your Man Feel Like a Great Father

By Ashby Duval / Relationships

Good or bad, how people speak to you or act around you often does have an influence on how we think about ourselves. The greater the importance of that person to you, the greater the influence. In the delicate dance of parenting, our words and actions with one another have a greater power than we think to build up or tear down. A sideways glance or condescending tone can be detrimental to our confidence as a person and especially as a parent. Often I don’t think it’s our intention to tear one another down, but because men and women can be so inherently different in their parenting styles (and life in general!), we tend to attack those differences rather then learn from them and

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You Didn’t Marry a Grown Up Husband

By Kitti Murray / Faith

You probably didn’t marry a grown-up husband. Neither did I. Somewhere along our marriage timeline, though, he became one. A while back at church we served in the nursery. We don’t particularly love this gig (don’t tell anyone), but we do it once a month for a lot of compelling reasons. Bill surprised me by choosing the “large group teacher” option when we signed up. This is something he has never done. I guess he thought he knew all about teaching, all about groups, and all about large. He was a pastor for over 25 years, after all. But teaching a large group of children ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade? All in one room together? I had a vague sense of foreboding

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Marriage Matters: Here’s How to Invest in Yours – 062

By This Grit & Grace Life Podcast / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreAttitudes toward marriage have changed. Fewer couples are choosing to marry and, instead, are living together and starting families without the additional commitment that marriage brings. Often, their reasoning is that marriage doesn’t last, but we do not believe it has to be this way! We know from experience that relationships take the investment of time and attention and can always be improved. Recent stats on millennials reveal that those who are getting married are staying married. So, something is working. In this episode, co-hosts Darlene Brock (married more decades than she wants to admit—but only so you won’t calculate her age) and Julie Graham

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Can I Move On If I Still Love My Ex?

By Dr. Zoe Shaw / Ask Dr. Zoe

‘Turmoil in Texas’ Asked: My husband and I were married for 12 years. He cheated and we have been separated for the last four years and are now getting a divorce. I was very angry at him the first two years after we separated. Then, when my anger subsided and I forgave him I wasn’t sure where to go from there. Our lives are intertwined raising our kids and his family is my family. The last two years I have gone back and forth emotionally. I have finally accepted I still love him. I don’t think spending our lives together will work out but I can’t get completely over him. How can I move forward? Dr. Zoe Answered: Turmoil in Texas, Divorce

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Ask Dr. Zoe – In Love with a Narcissist

By Dr. Zoe Shaw / Ask Dr. Zoe

‘In Love With a Narcissist’ Asked: How long do I stay in a marriage with a narcissist who continually emotionally and verbally abuses me? Can he be treated/healed through counseling? I love this man with all my heart and have since middle school. (I’m in my mid-forties.) I left and divorced him once and then after 18 months apart, we reconnected and went to counseling weekly for 8 months. We remarried and it hasn’t even been a year since our wedding and I’ve moved out again. I do not want another divorce but can he be healed from narcissistic traits? I cannot stay in an abusive marriage, no matter how much I love him. In Love With a Narcissist Dr. Zoe Answered:

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What Happened When I Decided to Romance My Man

By Susan Tucker / Relationships

Here’s a confession: I love romance. I could watch Mr. Darcy walk across the misty field at dawn a million times, and I will swoon each and every time. As Elizabeth waits breathlessly for him to draw near, I find myself holding my breath too. And when he stutters, “I love, love, love you…” I swear my heart skips a beat. While my husband may not regularly sweep me off my feet in Darcy-esque fashion, he does still woo me and win me in a myriad of ways each day. Whether it’s an unexpected text message, a lingering hug, or an above-and-beyond effort to help around the house, I feel regularly romanced by my companion of 22 years. However, romance is a

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When Will I Be Ready to Date After My Husband’s Death?

By Julie (Graham) Bender / Relationships

When my husband passed away suddenly, I knew fairly quickly I would want to date again. For some, that might seem odd. You see, I love marriage. So much so that I even began an online community for wives (and wannabe wives) where I would encourage them to pray daily for their husbands, and it became much bigger than I ever intended. It still encourages me today, even now that I am a widow… My daily live stream called #PrayingForYourHusbandDaily was a place where I would chat a little about some area of marriage where I might be struggling or just thinking about, and then I would lead a few minutes to pray for our husbands and ourselves as wives. I led

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Dating a Recovering Addict

By Dr. Zoe Shaw / Ask Dr. Zoe

‘Dating a Recovering Addict’ Asked: I have a friend who is getting serious with someone who’s a former addict. He has been through rehab more than once, but this last time seems to have been successful. He’s healthy and dedicated to his long-term recovery. I want to be supportive of my friend, and I know that people can change with hard work and commitment, however, are there some things that my friend can do to protect herself in this new relationship? Are there questions she should be asking him? Are there warning signs she should be aware of? I want to believe and hope for the best, but I also want to realistic. Dr. Zoe Answered: You are a wonderful friend to

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This Is How to Stay Sane in the Wedding Planning Process

By Jessica Harris / Relationships

Planning a wedding can be stressful for many women. In years gone by, I’ve worked as an event manager for a venue, coordinating several weddings and managing an entire staff, making sure the bride’s special day went off without a hitch. From there, I worked as a planner and coordinator with an all-inclusive wedding company in the D.C. area. I’ve helped countless friends as their day-of coordinator, managing rehearsals, running to Wal-Mart for safety pins, grabbing donuts the morning of, and even escorting a flower girl down the aisle. So, when I got engaged, I had no worries. I am a planner, after all. Details are in my blood. I wasn’t going to be one of those brides who stressed about the

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Relationship Truths Found in the Bachelorette

5 Bachelorette Truths That Will Make You Glad You Watch

By Darlene Brock / Life & Culture

Millions of us will tune in to watch as one man’s heart is broken and another wins the prize. The season finale of The Bachelorette is almost here. We find ourselves in emotionally charged conversations, pitting the merits of Californian outdoorsman, Garrett, against the athlete from Colorado, Blake, over our second cup of coffee. Bets placed in office pools and online forums lay odds on who will be the recipient of the final rose. When I think about it, I do get somewhat uncomfortable. Do I want to see a grown man crumble on prime time TV? Maybe not, but tune in I will. As I have watched this season, I have realized that there are real-life lessons to be learned from

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Her Story Will Make You Cry, But Help You Find Hope

By Ashby Duval / Faith

Sometimes I think about how amazing it would be if we could know just a little bit about what the future holds. But, if you had told me 10 years ago about everything that would come my way, I probably would have curled up in the fetal position and opted out. (If you missed my full story, start here.) We have such definite ideas about what we want and what we think will bring us happiness. Thankfully I’ve learned that God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, knows which prayers and desires to answer and which ones to veto, although sometimes I don’t understand the “why” behind it. I think that’s okay. I think sometimes you can go through something so horrible that

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6 Easy Ways to Spice Up Your Relationship Right Now

By Megan Miller / Relationships

I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not talking about the bedroom. I’m talking about the Groundhog Day cycle you find yourself in! I’ve noticed that my marriage feels most dull when I’m short on self-care, and I haven’t had quality time with my husband. Try some of these ideas to get you out of autopilot and into a passionate partnership. Switch Roles Maybe it’s time he cooks dinner, and you walk the dog? Whatever designated jobs you’ve assigned to one another, switch it up! You may surprise yourself with compassion and be able to relate better at the end of the day. Invest in His Passions Sometimes I flip on ESPN or Sportscenter during the day, so I can talk to

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How to Be Prepared Financially in Case of a Tragic Loss

By Clare Marlow / Work & Money

I have a sweet friend who lost her husband very unexpectedly. In the midst of the shock and grief, figuring out their personal finances caused tremendous stress because she had no idea where their financial records were kept. Her sons spent days digging through paperwork and unlocking her husband’s computer to find his will, trust, life insurance and retirement policies, and bank account records. Her husband also handled all the finances for his 83-year-old mother, making the task doubly stressful and concerning. I have girlfriends, also, who haven’t a clue as to what retirement accounts their husbands have invested in, how much life insurance they have, or even the balance in their bank accounts. I’m guilty as well! I pay some of

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Miss Independent: Can You Be Healthy, Strong and Dependent? – 047

By This Grit & Grace Life Podcast / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWhat does it mean to be an independent woman? Is this description only for the single, carefree women with no man or children in tow? Or does every woman need to master self-sufficiency in all our relationships? Whether we are a girlfriend, wife, or mother, it’s essential to be able to stand on our own as well as mastering healthy dependence. In this episode, Darlene and Julie reflect on culture’s definition of Miss Independent and The Grit and Grace Project’s take on being healthy, strong and dependent enough to be genuinely independent. We’re convinced we can balance it all with grit and grace. Viewing in

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My Really Different Kind of Family

By Ashby Duval / Best Of, Relationships

My new husband, my new baby, and my son from my first marriage just got back from visiting my dead husband’s parents on our vacation. Did you get all of that? Yeah, that’s a lot to take in so let me back up a bit. Six years and two months ago, my beautiful, gregarious, hilarious husband, Spencer, literally died in my arms. He was 34 years old, seemingly healthy and in shape, and there were absolutely no warning signs. He had an enlarged heart, and we had no idea. His entire family was visiting us in Florida from Minnesota for Mother’s Day. I was five and a half months pregnant with our first child. We were staying at the Hyatt Regency hotel with his

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3 Reasons To Give Your Man For Your Netflix Binge

By Laura Hurd / Life & Culture

I’m going to go ahead and assume that since you’re reading this, you too are guilty of a Netflix binge.   With so many great shows it has to offer, many people find themselves rescheduling plans with friends just to stay home in their PJs with their new BFF, Netflix. But what about your man?   Sometimes our will for holding out on watching just one more episode simply isn’t strong enough.  The Netflix bug bites and we find ourselves cuddled up with popcorn, drinks, and Michael Scott.   I feel your pain.  Sometimes there are just no words to explain as to why season three of you and your guy’s favorite series mysteriously turned into season four. Thankfully, there is a way out of

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