We tackle many difficult subjects here at Grit and Grace Life, and often, they’re ones that have impacted us directly. In this episode, co-host Darlene Brock shares one of her own—losing her father to suicide. As with any tragedy, Darlene found herself navigating unexpected emotions, working to reconcile the choice of suicide with the father she lo…

Later this month, the film “Unsung Hero” premieres in theaters across the nation. The movie chronicles one Australian mom’s radical decision to move her family across the world in faith that they can find reprieve from their struggles. We don’t want to spoil it for you, but this mother’s decision pays off. If you’ve ever jammed out to FOR KING & CO…

Easter isn’t all about Peeps and Cadbury eggs, although co-host Julie Bender wouldn’t mind one or two! But is Easter the ultimate call to action? In this heartfelt podcast episode, Julie and Darlene Brock discuss the significance of Easter, which they recognize as the pinnacle of their faith. But what does it mean to truly observe the holiday? Here…

Life feeling mundane? It doesn’t have to! In fact, it’s easier to see the adventure and joys in the everyday than you might think. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender emphasize the importance of making the most of life. They talk through ways to shift your mindset when it comes to your purpose, your relations…

If you’re living with anxiety, you know it can be debilitating. A sudden panic or anxiety attack can quickly ruin your day, and over time, it can keep you from pursuing your dreams. Caroline Beidler knows what that’s like. The author, speaker and recovery advocate recalls bouts of anxiety as a child, which were exacerbated by her parents’ divorce a…

Love is in the air! Maybe you’re in a loving relationship and feel giddy at the mere mention of love, or maybe you’re on the hunt for that special someone. No matter your relationship status, one thing is certain: Don’t settle for less! In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss how our expectations for love compare to our curr…

Want a good laugh? Well, you’re in for a treat! In this lighthearted episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender bring back an older episode where they discuss the importance of finding humor in life—and they do it by sharing several listener-submitted memes and funny phrases on topics like relationships and motherhood that …

“Is my teen out of control, or is this normal behavior? At one point do I need to begin enforcing changes?” These questions often consume moms of teens and preteens, and on this throwback episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender ask psychotherapist and relationship coach Dr. Zoe Shaw for advice. Dr. Zoe discusses how to approach privacy and your tee…

Want to make a change in 2024? No matter what it may be, you need a path to get there. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender break down the differences between a reset, a redo, and a restart—and how to outline a plan for each—so you can chart the appropriate course for the change you want to implement. Making a…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—or is it? We believe it is, but we know that stress and hardships can sometimes surface and crowd out those merry feelings. Rather than feeling swayed by the weight of those challenges, we want to help you find the good. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share an assortment of quotes that remin…

This week, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss what faith, hope, and love should look like when played out in our lives. You’ll learn how they each decided to pursue faith; how we should pour out love and gratitude back to God through the work we do and how we carry ourselves; how faith fulfills our ability to hope, which sustains us during hard…

Did you know that this podcast and its adjoining website, Grit and Grace Life, are run entirely by donations? That’s right—we’re not your typical media outlet! The Grit and Grace Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by generous individuals who believe in our mission to inform and encourage women in their life journey. We believe women can prepar…

We’ve all heard the adage “Beauty is more than skin deep,” but do you believe it? It doesn’t take more than five minutes scrolling Instagram or wandering the magazine newsstands to realize that the media—and, by extension, our culture—is saturated with images depicting luscious hair, dewy skin and trim figures. We live in a society that clamors for…

It’s officially the holiday season, and we already know what’s lingering in the back of your mind—shopping for gifts. Gift-giving can be such a joyful exchange when your loved one has been casually dropping hints all year long, but what about the folks who keep mum? This is where Darlene Brock and Julie Bender come in to save the (holi-) day. In th…

Every couple that says “I do” desires—and anticipates—a marriage bursting at the seams with love, respect and friendship. But that only happens when each partner is willing to put in the work to get there. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender unpack 9 guidelines that every couple can use to build a strong marr…

It seems as though 2020 was the impetus for division and global tensions: racial, political, health-related and more. We were faced with an unprecedented virus, and a reckoning with racial injustices that paved the way for more open-minded discussions and understanding. And yet, the uncomfortable weight of not knowing the right thing to say—or sayi…

Wish you could go back in time and do something differently? We all do! Unfortunately, until time machines are manufactured, we can’t do anything about the past but reflect—and that’s often where we learn the most about who we are and where we want to go from here. This week, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender reunite after several months apart to catc…

Want 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 the…

Being a single mom is challenging, and many times, moms enter this season of life unexpectedly. This was the case for Grit and Grace Life writer Kim Breuninger, who struggled with feeling responsible for her first husband’s happiness as a young married couple with three children. Disagreements weren’t uncommon as Kim tried to find a balance between…

Would you say you’re confident? Or would it be more accurate to say that you experience flickers of self-doubt now and again? If you said the latter, you’re not alone. This week, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss the plague of self-doubt and shame we face as women, and how we get caught in the trap of comparison. They break down the most commo…

Just like that, summer is wrapping up and the next school year is around the corner. As a mom, maybe you’re breathing a sigh of relief, knowing you’ll gain a few hours back in the day where you won’t be pestered (we get it!). Or maybe you’re a bit apprehensive—you don’t know what’s in the curriculum this year, whether your child will get along with…

Your circumstances don’t define you. Take it from this week’s podcast guest, Laila Schell, whose upbringing was anything but conventional. In this raw narration of her life story, Laila shares how she grew up poverty-stricken, bouncing between family homes and foster care and feeling the sting of rejection from her parents. Living on the street, La…

Happy 4th of July! While we’re celebrating our nation’s independence and the individual freedoms over backyard cookouts and late-night fireworks, we also can’t help but wonder: What does it look like to be an independent woman? In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender unpack the characteristics of an independent w…

Hardly 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…

We’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 tru…

Are 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 gre…

We 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…

We launched our sister project, Smart Living with Grit and Grace, a few months ago as a dedicated platform for women to exchange all the practical tips, advice and encouragement they’ve gleaned over the years. They cover everything from both heartwarming and not-so-pretty motherhood moments; how to overcome loneliness and adapt to change; the top t…

When 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 Mar…

Happiness 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…

What 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 Me…

How do you forgive the unforgiveable? This week’s guest, Tracy Brandt, did just that after losing her parents to murder-suicide: Her father took her mother’s life, just before taking his own. Tracy joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to share details of the dysfunctional and tumultuous upbringing that preceded the loss of her parents. They fought …

“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 relat…

There 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 …

In our nearly six month hiatus, a lot has happened in the lives of This Grit and Grace Life‘s hosts. Darlene developed and launched Grit and Grace Life‘s sister project, Smart Living with Grit and Grace, while Julie welcomed a brand new baby girl named Reverie Bender. Like any good friends would do after being apart, Darlene and Julie spend some ti…

We lied! In our last episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender signed off with a promise to return in September 2022 after Julie had her baby. Well, life happened, and This Grit and Grace Life’s return got pushed back to January. Better late than never, right? At least we’re starting off the new year with a bang! In this episode, Darlene and Julie sh…

Humanity has a natural tendency to judge others—and often, it seems, women are the worst offenders. Why do we do it? How do we stop? These are the questions that Darlene and Julie unpack in this week’s podcast episode on judgment. They discuss the different areas of life in which women are prone to judge others, the reasons we do it, and why we sho…

In this episode, we’re talking about sex! There’s a lot of talk about sex in our culture today—in fact, nearly every part of our day-to-day experience is saturated with it. But are there biblical guidelines for sex? How can Christians, or women of faith, view or take part in sex, especially as it pertains to our relationships and dating? Author and…

Nobody says motherhood is easy—sometimes it can be downright challenging. And when those moments pop-up, your first reaction may be anger, which is normal. But destructive anger and burnout in motherhood? Not normal, and not healthy. Certified professional life coach Natalie Hixson joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender this week to discuss how moms …

Psychology Today estimates that we make 35,000 decisions per day. That means from the moment we wake up to the moment we crawl back into bed, we’re constantly assessing and weighing out thousand of choices to see which ones are most beneficial. This week, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender review the steps you need to make decisions you won’t regret, a…

As this week’s podcast guest, Brooke Raybould, says, freedom is “a loaded word.” Especially with the recent rise in debate over constitutional rights in the U.S., the meaning of freedom can get muddy. So what exactly does it mean for us, and furthermore, how can we correctly relay what it means to our kids? Brooke, who is also the face behind the b…

Marriages aren’t immune from hardships and tribulations. What makes them hard to work through is that these hurdles are usually unexpected. The news that her husband had been unfaithful to her for more than two years due to an inner battle with pornography addiction was enough to make author and speaker Cindy Beall want to walk away. What stopped h…

Your world just turned upside down. What do you do? Marlys Johnson Lawry has been there. Her and her first husband, Gary, were not only partners in life but in servitude to their community. Gary’s cancer diagnosis came on the heels of unemployment and financial strain—and for Marlys, an overwhelming sense of stress and uncertainty. She joins Darlen…

No mother-daughter relationship is perfect, but some are more difficult than others. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender sit down to share the distinct challenges they each had with their moms growing up. They open up about how the dysfunctional dynamic impacted their own motherhood duties and what they chose to do differently with thei…

In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, we revisit an important conversation with Dr. Holly Miller on women’s health, including issues you need to know but are probably too embarrassed to ask about. 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 know about yo…

Most people are unaware of the statistic that 1 in 3 women globally have experienced sexual assault.¹ This week’s guest, sadly, was one of those victims at the tender age of 14. Caroline Beidler joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender this week to recount some of the early challenges she faced, including a diminished sense of self-worth, a lack of bou…

Studies have proven that we’re more productive, live longer, and laugh more when we spend time with others. It only makes sense, then, that our relationships are significant to our existence—and that the most important purpose we can have is pouring into the lives of others. On this week’s podcast, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss how to do j…

Childhood memories stick with us for a long time, especially life-altering ones. Grammy-winning artist Mandisa joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to share how she recognized her worth after a traumatic experience at 16 shattered her self-image and darkened her outlook on life. In this episode, Mandisa sheds light on issues that many Christians ar…

As a mom, it’s hard to filter out the opinions and recommendations from other people on how to raise your kids. Perfect social media mom influencers, coworkers, church friends, and even your own mother might have a formula for you to follow, and you may feel that if you’re not playing by the rules, well, then your kids won’t be alright. Guest Helen…

If you don’t already know, Julie is having a baby! (A girl!) At her recent baby shower, amid all the laughter and gifts from friends and family, there was a conversation about the fears people are feeling as a result of the daily circumstances occurring around the world—there was a general consensus that we’re heading into a scary future. That juxt…