The Julie Bender Show

You are loved, lovable and loving. This is the third affirmation I am focusing on this year, and I invite you to consider how the truth that you are loved and love well is a centering foundation from which to live (and love). I share how I know you are loved by God, and why knowing this affects how you can and should love yourself and how that affects the way you love others. I hope you find this...

Real-life and research combine to give practical insight into women's issues. I met Kate while in college but as our lives moved on, I watched her become active in global research on women's issues, even speaking at the White House, Pentagon, and in other influential spaces. I also observed her personal life; including a decade of marriage, subsequent divorce, a time of singleness and healing, and...

Where would you be without friends you can talk to about anything? I have a friend that I have called in a variety of crisis situations and she always gives me balanced, calm, rational feedback, without just telling me I'm right (or wrong!) or judge me for my struggles...and that's why I call her the MVP. So in this episode (with Valentine's Day in the rear-view) I asked her questions I had while...

It’s okay that you don’t have all the answers. Life is a process. Older women are meant to teach younger women (Titus 2:3-5). There’s vitality and energy when I spend time with women who are younger than me and I glean wisdom from those who have lived longer. This is why I enjoyed my conversation with Billie Jauss so much. She candidly shared life lessons from her 30+ year journey of faith, marria...

You are seen, so you should see yourself honestly and then let others see you, too. This is the second affirmation I am focusing on this year, and I invite you to consider how the truth that you are seen affects every area of your life. I share how I know you are seen by God, and why knowing this affects how you can and should see yourself and how you can proudly show your true self to others you...

Every parent has wished children came with a manual. But they don’t. And raising healthy children is a challenge! In my eight-year journey to date, I’ve had questions I floated to friends,  obsessed over in my mind, seriously doubted my abilities, and now, I’m seeking professional help. I took your questions about helping your child through a separation/divorce, parenting them without a fathe...

Everyone is born with the first, and the latter is something you can develop. As a 30-something woman, I seem to have been on a journey of self-discovery, healing and growth. And I don't want to stop! I invited Dr. Zoe Shaw to return to the show to tell us what emotional intelligence is, how it differs from our emotional maturity, and how to develop as needed (and hopefully, desired)! She drops so...

She went from a caught in a cult to finding her courage. I was drawn to Liz because of her spunk and humor. Then she went and chopped her hair into a bold mohawk and I had to know why. I couldn't have known how much her story would remind me of the power of pursuing truth when you know something is "off", embracing your life journey (even the hard parts) trusting that nothing is wasted by God. My...

Start speaking these truths into your heart and mind, now! This year I plan to renew my thinking by adopting affirmations for every area of my life. Affirmations are statements of belief that can impact your behavior and change your life. I chose affirmations that will help me grow as a woman, believer, wife, mom, friend and neighbor. Click the full show notes to get the downloadable image with al...

Enjoy this sweet episode with your little(s) and meet mine! I bring my son Lincoln to share our favorite things about Christmas, including the real reason we celebrate. May you have the merriest Christmas and I'll be praying for a blessed New Year for you and yours! Catch Lincoln with his dad on this previous episode of the Julie Bender Show . You can also hear him on Coffee & Crystals, with my si...

If you’re tired you need rest. But is it more? Everyone gets tired. But if you're feeling depleted, worn out and/or overwhelmed, you might need to take some of these steps to find the rest you crave. I share what usually makes me feel worn out, and what I do when I know I need to recharge! Get full show notes with all the mentioned links here . Episode Sponsor: BetterHelp This episode is sponsored...

Girl talk turns baby talk on this unfiltered episode! I may be pregnant with my second child, but since it's been eight years since I carried my son, it feels a lot like a first! To help me prepare (and laugh about) all the pregnancy stages and answer my hilariously honest questions, I invited my friend Jordan Paul back to set me straight. We talk pregnancy advice (good and bad!), cravings, breast...

Although marriage is a picture of the gospel, it is not equal to it. The bible highly esteems marriage, but we make a critical mistake when we over-simply that staying married “no matter what” is the biblical standard. I was honored to interview Jenn Jett Barrett to hear her story of redemption after divorce. As a Christian and leader she experienced a lot of shame when her marriage failed after 1...

Baby daddy joins me to dish about our little one on the way! We're adding to our family next year! Were we trying? When are we due? How did I tell D he was going to be a daddy (again)? What did Lincoln say? All these (and many listener submitted questions) are answered in this sweet chat with my man and proud dad-to-be, D. Here are the episodes we mentioned: His Side of Our Story With Donny Bender...

Every wife needs a pep talk and/or some fresh ideas every now and then. Now that the word is out that we're having a baby , I started panicking a little about how the new addition would affect our marriage. I decided to focus on five things I could do to build into my marriage and connect with my husband, purposefully making our relationship a priority regardless of the changes we face now (that w...

Have you experienced domestic violence or know someone who has? 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men experience sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime with ‘IPV-related impact’ such as being concerned for their safety, PTSD symptoms, injury, or needing victim services. While this issue may be "known" it is still widely misunderstood. Recent headline...

No one wants to suffer, and yet, no one is immune to it. It can feel impossible to cling to hope during difficult circumstances. We ask "why?" and "how long?" and struggle to remain confident in God's faithfulness. My guest Glenna Marshall can relate (even today, in the midst of hard trials) but has found encouragement that she willingly and vulnerably shares with us. She's learned to look to God'...

I definitely wasn't properly prepped for "prep". I'm going behind the scenes of my experience training for my first (and only) bikini competition. I share what made me commit to the show, what my diet was like, how my workouts were structured, what the costs were (financially, mentally, physically and relationally)—giving you my honest pros and cons. As I recount the journey two years later, I sti...

If you're a parent, you know that mommin' ain't easy! As moms, we face many challenges—including fear of messing it up, confusion over how to do it "best", constantly changing stages in their development and the ever-present comparison trap. What's a mom to do besides succumb to overwhelming mom-guilt? Your resident "average mom" is here to offer (just) six things you can focus on that will help y...

Do you feel disqualified because of your past? My guest Toni Collier has learned from personal experience that when you allow God to redeem your brokenness and surrender your life and story to Him, hope truly is possible. Toni and I discuss how shame from past mistakes and/or abuse can be crippling, (and she has incredible stories of both)—but when God comes in, you're given an assignment to boldl...

One year of marriage has taught us much, but we have much more to learn. I invited my husband back to reflect on our first year of marriage. We share what we've learned about God, each other and ourselves admitting where we feel strong as a couple and some areas we know we should work on. We discuss our "redeemed family", challenges of co-parenting, practical ways we try to keep faith central in o...

A healthy marriage includes a great sex life. But what is a healthy intimate connection made of? I invited Dan Purcell, host of the Get Your Marriage On! podcast to help answer this question and many more. If you’re struggling in your marriage with unequal sexual desire, shame around sex, disconnection or miscommunication, inability to experience orgasm, making sex a priority (especially with youn...

97% of women say they struggle with body image related issues. But there is hope to break free; to dare to see your body as God declared it— good . My guest Jess Connolly, author of the new book Breaking Free from Body Shame , shares life-changing truths for women who struggle under the weight of fear, comparison, unhappiness and poor self-worth when considering how her body looks or performs. We...

Are you in between seasons? You may be struggling with your love life, career, motherhood, clothing size, friendships and/or unanswered prayers, feeling an angst like I am. This is common, even normal, for women as they navigate life. In this episode I share how I'm feeling (and handling those feelings) in all of these areas of my life, offering a word of encouragement and hope for women in the sa...

I'm drawn to bold, brave women. When I hear another woman's story of getting back up numerous times or moving forward despite unfathomable challenges, I am inspired to face my own challenges more boldly, too. That's why I knew you needed to meet Kate. Before we recorded this conversation, I knew only a sliver of her circumstances; but as she shared her journey of her teen pregnancy, addiction and...