The Grit and Grace Project

Whether you’re new to This Grit and Grace Life podcast or a long-time listener, we’re inviting you to take a look back at the last nearly 10 years of the show and all that co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender have experienced since its debut.

Darlene and Julie have been in each other’s lives through many seasons—great ones, hard ones, and simple ones—and they will tell you they are blessed to have the relationship they have. But there’s a lot you may not know about this duo. So this week, they’re taking time to help you get to know them better. And, as usual, they’ll probably share a few things they shouldn’t admit on a podcast.

Tune in as the friends reflect on their past and talk about the experiences that have shaped the women they are today.

Quote of the episode:

“Wisdom is born of hard times.” —Darlene Brock

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Hi, friends! Things are going to be a little quiet around here for the next few weeks…

We’re going on a brief hiatus as we strategize and plan all new content for the fall, with a fun twist (hint, hint: You’ll be seeing a lot more of us!). Make sure your podcast notifications are turned on, and sign up for our newsletter here to stay in the know on our return.

In the meantime, kick back and catch up on any episodes you missed, and rest assured that there’s more grit and grace goodness in the works. We’ll be back before you know it!

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Are you sharing your story?

Countless studies have shown that there’s substantial value in sharing our stories and listening to others tell theirs. Among the biggest benefits? The release of oxytocin, a hormone and neurotransmitter that fosters trust and bonding. Vulnerably discussing our joys and woes, our challenges and triumphs, our embarrassments and achievements, has the power to elicit empathy in recognizing how our stories overlap. We glean wisdom, or at the very least, the comfort of knowing we aren’t alone in facing certain experiences.

This week, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender unpack why your story matters. What use are our experiences and hard-earned life lessons if they never make it outside the walls of our hearts? Consider how your own life has been impacted by your mother’s stories, perhaps, or a close friend’s. They also dive deep into the lives of two biblical women, whose actions challenged the culture of their time and whose stories stand as an example of the power of learning from others who came before us and walk alongside us now.

“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

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If your knowledge of how Independence Day came to be is a little fuzzy, settle in for a brief history lesson!

In this podcast episode, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender recount America’s origin story, starting with Great Britain’s imposition of taxes and military presence in the colonies. You’ll discover how the Declaration of Independence came to be and why it’s significant (see the related resources section below for more), as well as our duty as women of faith (and Americans) to not only recognize our nation’s flaws and failures but to correct them.

For the little ones or fun-loving folks in your family, Darlene and Julie share 10 fresh ways to celebrate the holiday. We’re not talking about BBQs—have you ever tried watermelon bowling or hosting a 1776 party? Sign us up!

“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free” (John 8:36).

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“How Can We Teach our Kids the True Meaning of Freedom? with Brooke Raybould – 199”

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Feeling discontent with life? Overwhelmed? Exhausted? Less-than? There are typically three culprits to blame: clutter, comparison, and conflict. Their impact, individually or collectively, can bog you down. Luckily, you’re in control.

In this podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender unpack the burden that the three Cs—clutter, comparison, and conflict—can drain our contentment with each area of our lives: our jobs, families, home, appearance, spirituality, and more. If we don’t keep them in check, we’ll never be satisfied.

Tune in to learn practical strategies for managing the three Cs and reclaim your peace.

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

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“Forgiveness to Reconciliation: Part 2 – 284”

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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 those chapters—you know, the kind you’d rather forget about entirely—this conversation is for you.

“I have told you these things so that in me, you may have perfect peace. In the world, you will have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous; be confident; be undaunted. Be filled with joy. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

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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 to raising kids to complementary, and why it’s important to give dads grace when that approach veers a little risky. They have their reasons, and your kids may be all the better for it!

Whether you’re celebrating your own dad this Father’s Day or the father to your children, this episode is a reminder of the comfortable, safe space a loving father creates and holds for a lifetime. Let every great father know how important they truly are.

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13).

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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 have wronged someone else, you must set aside your pride and commit to rebuilding trust, whatever that might look like for your situation. It’s certainly not easy, but when done with sincere intentions (and often with the aid of outside counseling), the process of reconciliation can become a powerful example of peacemaking.

“You’re going to find true peacemaking to be way more effective and way more fruitful if you’re willing to put in the work.”—Julie Bender

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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 normally associated with it. You’ll learn how your relationship with God plays a critical role in truly forgiving someone and a sample prayer that you can use when you’re not sure where to start. We’ve also included a graphic of the prayer below—scroll down to screenshot and save it for easy reference.

Join us next week for part two of the series, where Darlene and Julie unpack the process of reconciliation.

“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5: 23-24).

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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 recent wars. There is a depth and gravity to the topic that’s worthy of honor and remembrance, including the first recorded Memorial Day celebration in which former slaves from Charleston, South Carolina, gathered to honor the Union soldiers lost during the war in 1865.

If you’ve felt removed from the reason for Memorial Day, we urge you to take a listen to this short but meaningful podcast episode.

“We should honor and remember the sacrifice of those who have [answered the call to go off and fight a war], and even immensely more those who have given their lives on the battlefield.”—Julie Bender

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