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
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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January 28, 2025 • 19 mins
Shoot straight with us for a minute: Did you set any goals at the start of this year?
If you answered 'no,' we're right there with you. After all, weren't we all just trying to get settled back in after the holidays?
Now that we are settled in, it's the perfect time to revisit any changes you may have wanted to make this year. In this episode of Smart Living with Grit and Grace, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share five prioritie...
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January 21, 2025 • 18 mins
Do you wish you had someone who could guide you through life? An experienced person who willingly shares their wisdom and insight to help you navigate every crossroads you approach?
If so, we're happy to say we know just what you're looking for: a mentor. The Mr. Miyagi to your Karate Kid!
In this Smart Living with Grit and Grace podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share the value in mentorship, how to actually find a...
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January 14, 2025 • 21 mins
Life offers an endless rotation of surprises, so the only thing not surprising is our desire for order—often in the form of control. When we believe we can control what goes on around us, we can somewhat come to terms with the way our lives unfold. But controlling everything is impossible, and when we make that our aim, consciously or not, it can leave us on edge and erode our relationships.
In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock ...
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January 7, 2025 • 19 mins
If you've been putting it off, consider this podcast episode as a sign to clean up your clutter!
As we get swept up in the busyness of life, we inadvertently let things accumulate. We outgrow our clothes or forget the items we've once loved and the gifts we've been given. Over time, we stash these items away to make room for new stuff we need or want. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Sadly, no. These items tend to pile up, consum...
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December 31, 2024 • 19 mins
Forget setting goals and drafting New Year's resolutions. We're making 2025 about you—more specifically, your character.
Who do you want to be this year? Every season of life (new years included) allow us the opportunity to evaluate our priorities, how much we've grown and where we want to see ourselves in another 365 days. Is it in the same place you're at now? Most likely, the answer is no.
In this episode of Smart Living with ...
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December 24, 2024 • 20 mins
In this season of "tidings of great joy," what if joy doesn't come easily to you?
As women of faith, there's an unspoken expectation that we should live in a constant state of joy, that it should be the lens with which we view our lives and circumstances. Although the Bible states we aren't of the world, we are still in it, which means our perception of joy is often colored by the world's ideals—namely, success, status and money. ...
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December 17, 2024 • 18 mins
Life is better with friends. There's just something remarkably special about finding a person (or a few) out of billions in the world who can belly laugh with you over a meal or willingly be at your side in a time of grief. Friendships are mostly easy, but healthy ones still require some work!
In this Smart Living with Grit and Grace podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender dive into two important discussions on this topic:...
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