Julie Voiceover Category

Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it many challenges & heartbreaks we didn’t see coming. But strong women look for the light in the darkness, so here’s what we’ve learned & gained from this unprecedented time. #gritandgracelife

growing plants taught me 4 lessons for a satisfying life

Growing Plants Taught Me 4 Lessons for a Satisfying Life

During the height of Covid quarantine, I, like many people, developed some new obsessions. Partly as a way to pass the time and partly as a way to distract myself from the horrors of a pandemic, I took up some very strange hobbies. I dabbled in sourdough. But, as one can only have so many carbs, I let that starter go after a while. I remodeled a few rooms and was happy doing it until my killjoy husband put a kibosh on the spending. And I even went through an unfortunate period of time where I wanted to learn an instrument despite being, for lack of a better word, completely talentless. Luckily for all of us, that was short. The one hobby, […]

Growing Plants Taught Me 4 Lessons for a Satisfying Life Read More »

drinking excessively 8 healthier coping strategies for women

Drinking Excessively? Here Are 8 Healthier Coping Strategies for Women

This article was written collaboratively by Caroline Beidler and Lindsey Encinias. Did you know that one alcoholic beverage per day (five ounces—yes, that’s right, not even the size of a measuring cup) is considered “moderate drinking” for women? We didn’t either. Is cocktail hour coming a little early—like noon? Does “Momma social club” always offer drink options? Regular morning cocktails with brunch? Nightly wine (in that oversized glass) and Netflix? Is that drinking excessively? Maybe you can relate. Are Women Drinking Excessively These Days? Recent statistics show women are reaching for the bottle more than ever.1 According to researchers, women have increased their heavy drinking days by 41% in the last year.2 But the increase hasn’t just been since the pandemic. Since the early 2000s,

Drinking Excessively? Here Are 8 Healthier Coping Strategies for Women Read More »

Ask Dr. Zoe - How Do I Set Boundaries with My Invasive Mother-in-Law? feature image

Ask Dr. Zoe – How Do I Leave Last Year Behind and Start Fresh?

‘Leaving the Past Behind’ Asked: Last year was emotionally draining, and I’m afraid I will carry all the stress, anxiety and tension into this year. Is there anything I can do to leave the past behind me and start fresh? Dr. Zoe Answered: Whenever someone says to me that they are worried, fearful or unsure about what they will choose to do in the future, I always stop them mid-sentence. I don’t even want to hear the rest—so stop! You are the only person in this world who controls you. You can hope and worry and wonder about everyone else’s behavior in this world except your own. You get to choose your own thoughts, behaviors, actions and ultimately your life. When you

Ask Dr. Zoe – How Do I Leave Last Year Behind and Start Fresh? Read More »

How to Practice Peace When the World Feels Chaotic

How to Practice Peace When the World Feels Chaotic

“Deal in reality yet keep the faith,” was the mantra of my pastor in downtown San Francisco during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone suffered through it differently, some more than others. For me, the world seemingly descended into madness. The temptation was fight, flight, or freeze. As a flight attendant deemed “essential worker” amid the throes of 2020, I was forced between faith and fear every time I pinned on my wings. It was a choice between shutting my eyes or keeping them wide open. Finding Footing Amid Chaos As a flight attendant, being on the pandemic “front lines” taught me ways to practice peace. While Jesus was spirit-led in His pursuit of peace, He was also very intentional. In

How to Practice Peace When the World Feels Chaotic Read More »

50+ Activities for Kids That Are Free or Really Cheap

50+ Activities for Kids That Are Free or Really Cheap

Does anyone else feel like they are spinning in circles in place this summer? Mamas, you feel me? This season is bringing out the grit and grace in me more than ever. As a mom of a 5-year-old boy, we have done coloring, LEGOs, and screen time. We’ve read books, run in literal circles, and I’ve found myself needing more ideas. So, I set out on a mission to search the inter-web, rack my brain, and ask friends for some assistance. To save you all this research, below are 50-plus ideas to keep the kiddos entertained (they might also learn a thing or two!). Good for most any age (very little assembly required!): 1. Make photo books online and look out for

50+ Activities for Kids That Are Free or Really Cheap Read More »

2020 Is Full of Chaos What Is God Doing

In These Challenging Times, What if God Has a Purpose?

It seems that every conversation I find myself in has this sentiment as part of the discussion: “It’s been another crazy year, hasn’t it?” We seem to be looking at one another with disbelief, uncertainty, and discomfort. What do we do when we meet? What should (or shouldn’t) we say? Are we wearing masks, shaking hands, bumping elbows? Do we skate around the issues of injustice, destruction, hopelessness, and mankind divided, seemingly forced to take sides? Even saying “mankind” is currently taking a side. Are we mumbling through conversations because there is fear on every front—fear of misunderstanding or even harm? I step back from these encounters and think, “What is God doing?” In my lifetime, there have never been challenging times

In These Challenging Times, What if God Has a Purpose? Read More »

teaching during covid is no joke but we can finish strong

Teaching During Covid Is No Joke, but We Can Finish Strong

Picture it: a school in 2021. Welcome signs and student artwork are replaced by Covid-19 warning posters. Full faces are replaced by masks revealing only the eyeballs and up. Physical bodies are replaced by foreheads or ceiling fans on a screen. Class sets of copies are replaced by scanning > saving as a pdf > downloading to your computer > then adding it to Google Classroom. All the while, we teachers are getting our in-person students started on their bell-ringer and signing onto the Google Meet with virtual students. We do all this with the same smile we started the year with, although now it’s a little forced. We click, talk, answer questions, pass out papers, and write on the board simultaneously!

Teaching During Covid Is No Joke, but We Can Finish Strong Read More »

Corona Diaries part 1

Darlene & Julie Uncut – Corona Diaries: Part 1

It’s been a few weeks after the onset of the pandemic, and Darlene and Julie want to know how you’re handling the corona chaos! In the first of this three-part Corona Diaries, the two discuss how their daily habits like showering and putting on makeup have changed, and how they pass the time while sheltering at home. How have you come to terms with this new normal?

Darlene & Julie Uncut – Corona Diaries: Part 1 Read More »

Episode 139 preview

This Grit and Grace Life Podcast Preview – Episode 139 Post-Pandemic

The pandemic changed our lives in countless ways. Maybe you started building your new normal, or in some ways, you returned back to the way things were before COVID-19. Either way, we also learned a lot, whether that was the importance of spending time with family or how to be wiser with spending amid an economic downturn. Rather than ruminating on the darker parts, Darlene and Julie decided to look at how living through the pandemic has served them. In this episode, they chat about the positive takeaways, and how we can still pick out the good parts from challenging experiences.

This Grit and Grace Life Podcast Preview – Episode 139 Post-Pandemic Read More »

Episode 142 community

This Grit and Grace Life Podcast Preview – Episode 142 Getting Back to Community

The onset of the pandemic flipped the world upside down and changed our lives in so many ways, including our relationships. We were told that we needed to socially distance and stay home, and were relegated to seeing our family and friends through a screen. We’re thankful for the ability to maintain contact with our loved ones, but months of isolation take a toll on our innate desire for real social interaction. Although we’re still playing it safe, Darlene and Julie want to share how you can still build community with other strong women.

This Grit and Grace Life Podcast Preview – Episode 142 Getting Back to Community Read More »

Corona Diaries part 2

Darlene & Julie Uncut – Corona Diaries: Part 2

It’s been a few weeks since the onset of the pandemic, and Darlene and Julie want to know how you’re handling the corona chaos. In the second of this three-part Corona Diaries, the two chat about what they’re snacking on, pandemic memes, and how they’re passing the time—you’ll even catch a glimpse of Darlene speed-riding her bicycle!

Darlene & Julie Uncut – Corona Diaries: Part 2 Read More »

Corona diaries part 3

Darlene & Julie Uncut – Corona Diaries: Part 3

Now that we’ve somewhat adjusted to the new normal, Darlene and Julie want to know how you’re handling the corona chaos. In the final part of this three-part Corona Diaries series, the two chat about ways that they’ve made special family memories while sheltered in place. After all, with plenty of extra time spent at home with your loved ones, there’s no better way to make the months of this difficult season count.

Darlene & Julie Uncut – Corona Diaries: Part 3 Read More »

This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Now Is the Time for a Reset – 152

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreThere’s probably no better time for a reset than now! Closing the curtain on 2020 seems like the best idea we’ve heard. But, a grit and grace woman knows that no matter how challenging her circumstances are, she finds strength by going through them, not around them. So, this year deserves a proper send-off. And since it was such a tough one, we’re probably all due for a massive shakeup. This week, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender offer suggestions on exactly how to do that. Do you feel stuck? Is there a relationship that is off? Are you in the right

Now Is the Time for a Reset – 152 Read More »

Be Kind, All Women Are in a Battle

Now Is the Time To Release 2020

Back in December 2019, I was on maternity leave taking care of my three-month-old son, and I was preparing my mind to go back to work. If you are anything like me, you probably can relate to the hours of anticipating what this new season will look like. Real thoughts I wrote down in my journal were: “How will I get out of my house in the morning with my three-year-old and baby if my husband can’t help me? How am I going to do it all? How do I know God is still calling me to be a working mom? What if I am getting all of this wrong?” The king of all of my worries were thoughts and feelings about

Now Is the Time To Release 2020 Read More »

13-Holiday-Safety-Tips-to-Help-Ensure-It’s-Merry

Why We Need the Hope of the Evergreen More Than Ever This Year

If there’s ever been a year our hearts yearn to embrace Christmas early, it is without a doubt, this one. I, like many of you, stepped into 2020 wide-eyed with wonder and anticipation of what the year might hold. Then March blew in and turned our world upside down. Businesses and schools closed. Parents became homeschool teachers. Anxiety levels surged. Marriages suffered. Long-existing racial injustices came to the light and protests ensued. Then, an intensely charged election season. For some of us, this year triggered layers of grief, loss, and depression. For those living with compromised immune systems or health issues, we’ve sheltered in longer, drastically limiting our get-togethers with others outside our immediate families. We’ve felt the sting of missing loved

Why We Need the Hope of the Evergreen More Than Ever This Year Read More »

To the Teachers Who Want to Finish 2020 Strong

To the Teachers Who Want to Finish 2020 Strong

Picture it: a school in 2020. I dodged students as I sprinted to the bathroom where I had approximately 90 seconds before I had to join my virtual students’ Google Meet and welcome my in-person students with a smile. In a haste, I pull the toilet paper and only receive one square of it. “That’s not enough,” I thought. Pulling a little harder in hopes to get a few more turns out of the roll, my hand drops with—one square. I pull again. One square. Realizing how much time I’m wasting along with the crippling rage caused by ripping off one square at a time, I bust out in tears of anger and pure exhaustion. Yep, right there in the bathroom stall

To the Teachers Who Want to Finish 2020 Strong Read More »

How to get aware from the comparison trap

Everyone Seems to Have It All but I Refused to Let Jealousy Steal My Joy

The other day I saw a meme that said, “Your ice cream is melting because you’re too busy counting someone else’s sprinkles.” It was completely random, but it has stuck with me. 2020 has been rough—super rough. We’ve lost people to a virus we can’t seem to get under control, our economy is confused, our society is super divided about everything, and we’re scared. It is so easy to fall into the trap of “if only I had _______” to make myself feel better. If only I could have it all, I’d be happy. If only I had a million dollars. If only I had subway tile instead of the cheap ugly tile that came with the house. If only I could

Everyone Seems to Have It All but I Refused to Let Jealousy Steal My Joy Read More »

Scroll to Top