Episodes

Are your teenagers driving you crazy? Are there days when you wonder who replaced your sweet, small child with a taller, sarcastic stranger? Handling the attitudes and emotions—and, sometimes, the whereabouts—of teens can be a daunting task, and one that a lot of first-time parents of teens aren’t prepared for. While seeing your child blossom into a young adult can be insightful and rewarding, it can also be painful to witness the more difficult changes and crises that can often accompany this s...

Are your teenagers driving you crazy? Are there days when you wonder who replaced your sweet, small child with a taller, sarcastic stranger? Handling the attitudes and emotions—and, sometimes, the whereabouts—of teens can be a daunting task, and one that a lot of first-time parents of teens aren’t prepared for. While seeing your child blossom into a young adult can be insightful and rewarding, it can also be painful to witness the more difficult changes and crises that can often accompany this ...

We live in a culture that puts a lot of emphasis on romantic relationships. If we’re not dating or married, people assume that something must be wrong or we haven’t found the right person yet. But the truth is, being single (or not) is just simply where one may be in life. It does not define you. And for those who like to arrange dates for their single friends: just because they’re single doesn’t mean they’re available! Darlene Brock and Julie Bender sit down to unpack both the challenges and st...

We live in a culture that puts a lot of emphasis on romantic relationships. If we’re not dating or married, people assume that something must be wrong or we haven’t found the right person yet. But the truth is, being single (or not) is just simply where one may be in life. It does not define you. And for those who like to arrange dates for their single friends: just because they’re single doesn’t mean they’re available! Darlene Brock and Julie Bender sit down to unpack both the challenges and s...

At Grit and Grace Life, we receive a ton of questions from women who are at a crossroads: They’re in a relationship with a man who didn’t propose, or seems to be dragging his feet when it comes to getting engaged or married. Because another holiday season and Valentine’s Day has passed and there are some women who didn’t get the proposal they were hoping for, we’ve decided to bring back a classic podcast episode. Dr. Zoe Shaw joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to share her insight and provide ...

At Grit and Grace Life, we receive a ton of questions from women who are at a crossroads: They’re in a relationship with a man who didn’t propose, or seems to be dragging his feet when it comes to getting engaged or married. Because another holiday season and Valentine’s Day has passed and there are some women who didn’t get the proposal they were hoping for, we’ve decided to bring back a classic podcast episode. Dr. Zoe Shaw joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to share her insight and provide...

Every woman wants to find the right man, but finding your forever-after prince isn’t always so clear cut. We wonder whether he’s out there, how long it’ll take to find him, and if we’ll even recognize him when the moment arrives. We can even get so frustrated with the wait that we might be tempted to settle for a good man, but not the right man. But is it worth waiting for the right one? According to Christian singer and songwriter Rebecca St. James, it definitely is. She joins Darlene Brock and...

Every woman wants to find the right man, but finding your forever-after prince isn’t always so clear cut. We wonder whether he’s out there, how long it’ll take to find him, and if we’ll even recognize him when the moment arrives. We can even get so frustrated with the wait that we might be tempted to settle for a good man, but not the right man. But is it worth waiting for the right one? According to Christian singer and songwriter Rebecca St. James, it definitely is. She joins Darlene Brock an...

For those who are single or dating, marriage might be seen as the answer, or the end-all be-all for wholeness and happiness. While marriage can certainly offer those things, it is so much more: it’s the beginning of a lifelong relationship that requires commitment and a whole lot of work. Darlene Brock and Julie Bender get together to discuss the art of building a happy and healthy marriage through important principles like communication, open-mindedness, overcoming conflict and more. This episo...

For those who are single or dating, marriage might be seen as the answer, or the end-all be-all for wholeness and happiness. While marriage can certainly offer those things, it is so much more: it’s the beginning of a lifelong relationship that requires commitment and a whole lot of work. Darlene Brock and Julie Bender get together to discuss the art of building a happy and healthy marriage through important principles like communication, open-mindedness, overcoming conflict and more. This epis...

Today’s culture is experiencing a shift that often runs counter to biblical beliefs. As parents and women of faith, this can create challenges we weren’t anticipating. When added to normal parenting duties, this shift can leave us feeling fearful or anxious toward the future our kids will grow up in. Dr. Jim Denison joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender on This Grit and Grace Life podcast to discuss how parents of faith can raise their kids confidently in an age where the culture deems biblical v...

Today’s culture is experiencing a shift that often runs counter to biblical beliefs. As parents and women of faith, this can create challenges we weren’t anticipating. When added to normal parenting duties, this shift can leave us feeling fearful or anxious toward the future our kids will grow up in. Dr. Jim Denison joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender on This Grit and Grace Life podcast to discuss how parents of faith can raise their kids confidently in an age where the culture deems biblical ...

Disappointment hurts! Especially when what disappointed you was something you’d been working towards or anticipating for a long time. So how can we come to terms with being let down? Country artist Baylor Wilson joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender on This Grit and Grace Life podcast to share her own run-in with disappointment. After a door closed in her life, Baylor sat in the pain of rejection and grief before realizing her worth and the possibilities that awaited her after being redirected. ...

Disappointment hurts! Especially when what disappointed you was something you’d been working towards or anticipating for a long time. So how can we come to terms with being let down? Country artist Baylor Wilson joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender on This Grit and Grace Life podcast to share her own run-in with disappointment. After a door closed in her life, Baylor sat in the pain of rejection and grief before realizing her worth and the possibilities that awaited her after being redirected. A...

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to prioritize our health or lose weight. But diets and exercise can not only be frustrating—they can be ineffective if they’re not right for our body. Registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor Sharyn Saftler joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender on this week’s podcast episode to break down what true, healthy weight loss looks like. She discusses what the end goal might be for the individual; how to overcome shame from past faile...

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to prioritize our health or lose weight. But diets and exercise can not only be frustrating—they can be ineffective if they’re not right for our body. Registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor Sharyn Saftler joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender on this week’s podcast episode to break down what true, healthy weight loss looks like. She discusses what the end goal might be for the individual; how to overcome shame from past fail...

We finally made it to 2022! It seems like a feat, especially after the events of the last two years. So you might be a little apprehensive about what’s in store for the next 12 months. In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender chat about what they’ve learned since the start of 2021, as well as 5 ways that we can intentionally shape our thoughts and actions to pave the path for a more peaceful, satisfying year. We hope you walk away from this episode with a feeling of control and an...

We finally made it to 2022! It seems like a feat, especially after the events of the last two years. So you might be a little apprehensive about what’s in store for the next 12 months. In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender chat about what they’ve learned since the start of 2021, as well as 5 ways that we can intentionally shape our thoughts and actions to pave the path for a more peaceful, satisfying year. We hope you walk away from this episode with a feeling of control and ...

Did you know that more than 100 million copies of the Bible are sold every year? In fact, it’s the best selling book of all time, and most people are familiar with the popular Bible stories (does David and Goliath ring a bell?) even if they haven’t read it. But how does the Bible actually fit into our everyday lives? Pastor Steve Wiggins joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender on This Grit and Grace Life podcast to unpack the importance of reading the Bible. They’ll discuss how to find a like-mind...

Did you know that more than 100 million copies of the Bible are sold every year? In fact, it’s the best selling book of all time, and most people are familiar with the popular Bible stories (does David and Goliath ring a bell?) even if they haven’t read it. But how does the Bible actually fit into our everyday lives? Pastor Steve Wiggins joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender on This Grit and Grace Life podcast to unpack the importance of reading the Bible. They’ll discuss how to find a like-mind...

Women have accomplished some pretty incredible things throughout history. It was women that patented windshield wipers, disposable diapers, non-reflective glass and a host of other products that benefit us to this day. And that’s just a glimpse into the life changing achievements we’ve made. Yet, it’s not uncommon for us to feel as though we’re not enough. We question our value when we see other women who are prettier, doing it better, or seem to be winning at life. Grit and Grace Life writer Jo...

Women have accomplished some pretty incredible things throughout history. It was women that patented windshield wipers, disposable diapers, non-reflective glass and a host of other products that benefit us to this day. And that’s just a glimpse into the life changing achievements we’ve made. Yet, it’s not uncommon for us to feel as though we’re not enough. We question our value when we see other women who are prettier, doing it better, or seem to be winning at life. Grit and Grace Life writer ...

It’s not uncommon in our world today to hear mixed messages on the subject of gender. Suddenly, the distinctions between men and women are blurred, and our expressions of femininity and masculinity are dismissed as being outdated, social constructs. But Grit and Grace Life believes differently. Darlene Brock and Julie Bender sit down for an expressive discussion about these gender wars, and instead urge women to celebrate the traits that make them uniquely female. We can thrive in the natural ch...

It’s not uncommon in our world today to hear mixed messages on the subject of gender. Suddenly, the distinctions between men and women are blurred, and our expressions of femininity and masculinity are dismissed as being outdated, social constructs. But Grit and Grace Life believes differently. Darlene Brock and Julie Bender sit down for an expressive discussion about these gender wars, and instead urge women to celebrate the traits that make them uniquely female. We can thrive in the natural c...