Smart Living with Grit and Grace
Wish you had a playbook for life? Look no further! Each week, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share 15 minutes of life lived, lessons learned, and wisdom gained to help you master this Grit and Grace Life. A podcast for strong women and those who want to be!
Episodes
June 17, 2025 • 25 mins
Bad days and hard seasons are to be expected, and yet we can never fully prepare for the way they might shake us to the core and disrupt our lives. So how are we supposed to respond when life seems to dish out one hit after another?
In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender unpack five practical ways to work through the sting of a rough season, especially when it tests your faith.
If you're in the middle of one of t...
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June 10, 2025 • 18 mins
Cheesy puns, recliner naps, and mischievous risks... these are just some of the hallmarks of a great dad—maybe even yours!
As Father's Day approaches, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender remind you of what makes a great father. Why we need to take time to celebrate the unique qualities that set dads apart. They share how their husbands handle fatherhood, explore the innate differences between men and women that make a father's approach...
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June 3, 2025 • 19 mins
The process of forgiveness and reconciliation is a two-way street, and both parties are equally responsible for putting in the work to restore the relationship. Yes, even if you were the one wronged!
In part two in this miniseries on forgiveness to reconciliation, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss the four steps of making amends and emphasize the importance of approaching each one with humility. Whether you've been wronged or...
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May 27, 2025 • 19 mins
Forgiveness is a radical act—it's not about holding someone's offense over their head like a debt, and it's also not about forgetting what they've done. So what is forgiveness in and of itself?
In part one of two in this miniseries on forgiveness to reconciliation, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender debunk several misconceptions around what real forgiveness entails, revealing a much simpler approach that removes the pressure and pain ...
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May 20, 2025 • 12 mins
We tend to gloss over the intention behind Memorial Day each year as we prep for a long weekend full of good food, games, and time at the beach. But to be clear: We wouldn't be able to enjoy any of those things without others' sacrifices.
To keep this truth top of mind as we approach the holiday weekend, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender walk through the history of the national holiday and share the startling numbers of those lost in...
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May 13, 2025 • 28 mins
"Wives, submit to your husbands..." Ladies, how do you feel about this command? If you're like us, it may throw you off, or even make you feel a little defiant.
We approach life differently than men, but we're still equal—which is probably why we tend to bristle when we read or hear this verse in Ephesians 5. The problem is this that "submitting to your husband" is often misinterpreted as "obey your husband without question," both...
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May 6, 2025 • 17 mins
Doubt your impact as a mother (or a mother figure)? Don't—and we'll tell you why.
In this special Mother's Day week episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender dissect the complicated role of being a mom. With days that are challenging, rewarding, or a heavy mixture of both, motherhood may incite guilt or prompt you to question whether you're doing anything right. The good news? If you're doing your best, you're absolutely doing it ri...
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April 29, 2025 • 31 mins
If you've ever been turned down by a crush, passed up for a promotion, or dismissed by a parent, you've felt the sting of rejection. And if left unchecked, that pain can surface and cause harm to our other relationships.
In this episode of Smart Living with Grit and Grace, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender are joined by Dr. Gary Lawrence, the founder and director of New Life Dynamics Christian Counseling Ministries, to talk about the...
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April 22, 2025 • 20 mins
Do you ever wonder why we named our podcast Smart Living with Grit and Grace? Or what "grit and grace" actually means when used in tandem? Maybe you're just curious to know how smart living can change your life.
Darlene and Julie are taking it back to the basics in this episode, chatting through the origin story of our nonprofit, Grit and Grace Life, and the mission God placed on Darlene's heart to create a space where women could...
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April 15, 2025 • 17 mins
We'll take a guess and say that your calendar, like ours, is booked with Sunday services, Easter brunches, and egg hunting this weekend. And all for good reason: It gives us many opportunities to rejoice with loved ones in the eternal hope Jesus secured for us through the resurrection.
So in the spirit of celebrating Easter with our friends and family, Darlene and Julie take a closer look at the life of the ultimate relationship e...
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April 8, 2025 • 16 mins
One of the few certainties in life is also one of the things we fear most: change.
Change—whether expected or not—can instill fear in us due to the mere fact that what lies beyond it is unknown; we might see it as a threat to our purpose, safety, and comfort. But instead of fearing change, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender reason that it's only frightening because we default to what can go wrong instead of what can go right. Change m...
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April 1, 2025 • 16 mins
We have no tricks up our sleeves with this April Fool's Day podcast—just wisdom to guide you along your grit and grace life. (But it might be foolish if you choose to skip this episode!)
The mark of a foolish person is one who carries on with life without learning to discern the different between fact and fiction, wisdom and folly. Even automobile magnate Henry Ford suggested as much: "The only real mistake we make is the one from...
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March 25, 2025 • 15 mins
Pornography is one of the most prevalent forms of addiction—something that can sneak into your home, under your nose, unnoticed. And those who are most susceptible to the dangers? Your kids.
Think about it—if there's a TV or internet in your home, porn is there too. And as your child uses either of these (think research for a school projects), it's inevitable they will stumble across pornographic content as some point. With childr...
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March 18, 2025 • 21 mins
Want to pray more but not sure where to start? Prayer is a wonderful, powerful privilege that gives us instant connection to the God of the universe. But, if we're honest, it can also feel a bit daunting.
Historical images of prayer, both literal and figurative, give off the impression that our communication with God should be deeply rooted in religious formality. You know the kind: kneeling with our heads bowed and hands delicate...
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March 11, 2025 • 19 mins
The one thing most people fear more than death? Public speaking.¹
There's something about standing in front of another person (or multiple people) and sharing our thoughts, ideas, and feedback that makes us want to shrink until we evaporate. But sometimes, neglecting to speak up for yourself can have harmful repercussions.
Here to help you see past your fear this week is Darlene Brock and Julie Bender, who get to work excavating ...
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March 4, 2025 • 18 mins
How is your future looking right now? If what you're envisioning feels bleak, let us offer some encouragement.
Hope often flies right out the door as soon as life starts to unravel differently than we planned. Your kids drop out of college. Your spouse is distant. You haven't been promoted at work in years. When reality doesn't match the vision, what can we look forward to?
In this episode of Smart Living in Small Bites, Darlene ...
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February 25, 2025 • 21 mins
You've dreamt of wearing a billowy white dress and floating down the aisle to your prince charming since you were 5. Fast forward several years, and the man you love is doing everything but committing to making that dream a reality. Maybe you've been dating for years and are losing hope that a proposal will ever come, or you are engaged, but his promise of marriage feels empty and conversations around setting a date have stalled ou...
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February 18, 2025 • 16 mins
Don't know what to do for spring break? That means it's time to decide how you really want to spend that time off: planning and prepping for a week-long getaway someplace far away, or catching your breath with a few relaxing days at home with your family?
If 2025 has been a busy year for you (or if saving money is top of mind), you'll likely opt for the latter. But there's no reason a staycation can't be as inspired as a destinati...
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February 11, 2025 • 15 mins
When we think of Valentine's Day, our thoughts often gravitate toward images of men purchasing giant teddy bears and bouquets of roses for the woman they love. As nice as that is, it's a bit commercialized, and love deserves so much more intention—and recipients!
Darlene Brock and Julie Bender want to challenge you to think outside the box this year. Who else can you show love to aside from your significant other? Your friends? Je...
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February 4, 2025 • 19 mins
Has it been a while since you heard from God? Does it feel like ages since you've seen his goodness or felt the Holy Spirit stirring?
Distance from God is one of the most frustrating things we can experience as women of faith. We wonder where he's gone and why he would ignore the children he loves. The uncomfortable truth? The onus may be on us—and if it's not us, it's God trying to help us grow in our faith. Yes, even in the 'sil...
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