Smart Living with Grit and Grace

Life is good. Actually, life is really good! However, for many us, we are more negative in the way we view things and struggle to see how great this life really is. We think we can’t help it–focusing on the negative is just the way we are. And when people around us try to help us see more of the positives, we think they just don’t understand the difficulties we are facing, right? The reality is, n...

That’s a wrap! 2019 is almost over, so let’s talk about… When the year starts coming to a close, it brings up so many emotional feelings. For many of you, it has you over-processing and reminiscing about everything that has happened in the past year–the good, the bad, and the ugly. And, you want to learn and glean as much as possible before you move on. But on the other hand, there are so many of...

  We are living in a culture where everything is way too fast paced, where we somehow always over-schedule ourselves, and where we are constantly comparing ourselves to everyone else’s highlight reels in our social media feeds. It’s a hard culture to navigate! And when you add marriage into the mix, it can become extremely difficult to maintain one that is both happy and healthy. Sometimes it...

  Having faith does not mean we have an easy life. The bible is not a vaccination against real-life struggles. No matter how strong our faith might be, we are not immune to life’s hurts and heartaches. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, hosts Darlene and Julie speak to the women who may be discouraged in their singleness, dealing with a prodigal child or are facing some other strugg...

The holiday season is full of wonder, hope, and love. But, it can also be a season full of stress, pain and emotional agony. The holidays bring so much “togetherness”. Yes, this “togetherness” can be an amazing opportunity to spend quality time with our loved ones and create meaningful memories, but it can also cause conflict and become way too stressful to actually enjoy.  In this episode of This...

  Hard choices are part of life. Regardless of being strong women, when we are faced with a big decision, many of us just want to take the easiest way out. We try our best to avoid facing the difficulties that come with making the harder choice. Why should we, couldn’t we just take the easy way out? In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life , hosts Darlene and Julie chat with Shannon Barbos...

Your 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 throu...

  Do you ever find yourself second-guessing your worth, questioning your decisions, or doubting your purpose? Do you generally struggle with confidence? You’re not alone; we’ve all felt that way! But here’s the good news, we don’t have to live there! We genuinely believe every one of us has the grit, grace, and strength we need to overcome that doubt within us. On this episode, co-hosts Darle...

Because the  Ask Dr. Zoe column has given us so many great answers to life’s questions, we decided to bring Dr. Zoe back to the podcast to discuss some of those a little deeper. We have received a lot of questions from women dealing with three specific issues, so we tackled each of those on this episode. How do we handle anxiety or worry and what is “normal?” How do you get your...

Isn’t it true that there are some phrases we find ourselves repeating? We do it without realizing we say them over and over again. Whether we have spoken to ourselves or even to others, there are certain things we say that may do way more harm than good! There may be more than seven, but on this episode, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Graham admit these particular ones they say far too often. Si...

  We believe grit and grace are vital traits of a woman’s nature—but some ask if we believe they can exist without faith. Or does our faith create the grit and grace within us? Are we strong women because of our faith, or is that strength already there? We say yes and no, or perhaps another way to say it is that we believe it can be both/and. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham ta...

Wonder what happens when your co-hosts leave the outline behind? This week you’re going to find out. From fall festivities to female facial hair, friendship to frustrations in motherhood, they keep it real. This unscripted convo between these two friends, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender (formerly Julie Graham), sounds a lot like ones they have in the living room over a cup of coffee. Taking a littl...

  Healthy relationships require healthy boundaries. But do you struggle to know what they are? Whether we’re talking with a friend, significant other, family member, or stranger, boundaries matter! And sadly, healthy ones are not taught; most often, we learn that we need them when the relationships we find ourselves in begin to hurt us. Having pondered this, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie G...

Moms, are you stressed? Do you find yourself worrying about almost everything? The right food, the growth chart percentile, the best school, grades, their behavior, screen time, and that discipline subject—terrifying. What is even more stressful is worrying about what other moms think about our decisions. It’s exhausting. It’s time to go back to the basics and remember what matters! Cross-generati...

Every woman’s story is unique. So is the road she’s traveled while discovering her inner strength, her grit, and her grace. We don’t always tell these stories, perhaps the hurt is still present or we fear what others may think. But sharing is what often encourages others and offers hope to them when they, too, find themselves in hard places. That is why, this week, our bubbly, quick-witted c...

  This Grit and Grace Life is 100 strong this week! To celebrate, we are chatting about the most important topic: what makes you a strong woman! You are a one-of-a-kind woman with a personality, talents, and life experiences that no one else has. On this episode, cross-generational co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Graham share 10 truths that will remind you how to be a tenacious-yet-gentle wo...

Darlene and Julie are ramping back up. With summer behind us, it’s time to go full steam ahead with new episodes. But to get ready, they spent a little time chatting about their favorite ones that might help all of us get back into our regular routines—balancing family, friendships, work, hobbies, your health, and even self-care. If you’re feeling a little off, we know this is a great way to give...

  Think you have nothing in common with the guitar slaying, multi-platinum, international touring artist Korey Cooper from the band Skillet? She joins Darlene and Julie for a candid conversation where you may be surprised that in reality, you do! She’s wife to band’s front-man John, a mother to two teenagers, and working in a man’s world as a performer, songwriter, and producer. The women dis...

We all want to be respected by others, but we must first respect ourselves for that to happen. So, what does this look like? Women don’t always consider what our actions communicate; what we do, say, and how we carry ourselves will tell the world whether or not we believe we are worthy of respect. In this episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham discuss how we can earn respect in all areas of our e...

Do you want to be a friend who doesn’t run when life gets messy? The person who stays, offering her time, support, and love—sometimes without saying a word. This life is full of ups and downs. We all have our share of challenges, and when disappointment, disaster, or disruption happens, what we need most is a grace-filled friend. Off mic, Darlene and Julie have had these conversations when people...

Can depression be a gift? Is there something to be gained from those dark and hard places in life? If you or someone you love live with this battle, you’ve probably also felt the shame that seems to accompany the intense pain and feelings of hopelessness. The current estimates state that 15% of adults will experience this growing challenge—depression—at some point in their lives. With this in mind...

Are you dating or do you have a friend who is? If you haven’t been in the dating world for the last decade, the cultural shift that has hit will leave your head spinning. For those who are currently single, we realize you’re going to face challenges your married friends may not understand. In this episode, co-hosts Darlene Brock (happily married for several decades) and Julie Graham (widowed after...

Many men can be a father, but a dad, that’s so much more. He holds a special place in a child’s life—a different one than mom, and that’s a good thing. When daddy does things his way, our kids are better for it. But, what is it that makes a good dad? What qualities does he offer our children that we may not? How can we encourage his relationship with our kids? With Father’s Day approaching, Darlen...

Summer has arrived, and with it the shift from school busy has been replaced by summer busy. Hopefully, you’re going to get some time to relax, even a vacation in the schedule too! With this in mind, we’re going to change our podcast publishing rhythm and release a new episode every other week to give us a break. Also to give you time to catch up on any shows you may have missed while living your...

A catchphrase often used among the Christian community “a Proverbs 31 woman” is thrown about with underlying expectations. It can bring with it inspiration, but also pride, fear, and even insecurity. This passage is referenced when discussing “how we should live” as women of faith and even the way it begins, the “wife of noble character” can be intimidating. Can...