This Grit and Grace Life

Wondering where you fit in your adult child's life?In a culture where estranged parent-child relationships are not only becoming more common and boundaries increasingly emphasized, it's more important than ever that we nurture our relationships with our adult children. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss the importance of maintaining a loving, lifelong connection with your grown children and share 7 tips for fostering a healthy relationship built on love and trust—even when you don't always agree with their choices.

Grab your credit card and get ready to tackle your Christmas shopping list!In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender highlight holiday gift ideas from 8 companies—all woman- and family-owned businesses personally recommended by Grit and Grace Life writers and team members. From specialty soaps and handmade beaded jewelry to funny coloring books and allergy-safe dog products, you'll find thoughtful items for everyone on your list.Tune in for several can't-miss recommendations and check out the links below to shop the products mentioned in this episode. Don't miss our exclusive Grit and Grace Life promo codes!***Check out the products mentioned in this episode below:1. Suttle TeaLavender Mint Dark Chocolate Herbal TeaButter Pecan Black TeaUse code GRITGRACE15 for 15% off your order.2. Hadar & AdaraHowlite NecklaceLife's a Beach Shorties EarringsUse code FANCLUB15 for 15% off your order.3. Comical Coloring SeriesFunny FroggyDazzling DragonfliesFree shipping with Amazon Prime.4. Simply Sage Dog TreatsHerbal Healing Pet Skin SalveCalming Lavender Dog Paw BalmUse code GRACE15 for 15% off your order.5. Posh PraisesCross Paper ClipsPastel Scripture PensNeutral Scripture Pens"Trust Jesus" SocksCross SocksUse code GRITANDGRACE for 10% off your order.6. Tribe Life HomesteadNon-toxic, Handmade SoapUse code GRIT&GRACE for 10% off your order.7. Titus 2 Woman"But, God" Gold Bar Necklace"Praying Mama" Hat"Praying Grandmother" HatUse code GRITANDGRACE20 for 20% off your order.8. Woodsy HomelifeCashmere Vanilla & Warm Amber Wooden-Wick Soy CandleUse code GRACE20 for 20% off your order. 

AI has quickly worked its way into our lives, and for many of us, embracing this new normal can feel a little unnerving. It also raises valid questions around the foothold AI will have in our childrens' future.In this episode of Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss the ways they've seen AI woven into their day-to-day and offer a sobering truth: There's no escaping AI, but we can learn to manage the role it plays in our lives.Tune into this episode to learn practical ways to draw boundaries around your children's use of AI technology, as well as how to encourage critical thinking in an age where more information is at our fingertips than ever before. 

You know you've done it—piled every last grocery bag on your arms with the goal of getting it all into the house in one trip. It's inconvenient and cuts off our circulation, but hey, it shaves off another minute running back out to the car, right?In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender poke fun at the silly, unrealistic things women do and say. You'll relate to many of them—and likely have your own to add to the list. Tune in for a lighthearted conversation that will make you laugh and highlight just how wonderfully quirky women can be.

How are you changing the world? Does the love of Jesus come through in everything you do? Or do you find it difficult to walk boldly in your faith amid a world that's turning away from God?If you resonate with the latter, you're not alone. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life podcast, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss the challenge of living out our faith when our culture is quick to dismiss anything to do with God. The prevailing message of our world is to "follow your truth"—a subjective command that can cause well-meaning women of faith to stray from God's guidance.Tune into this episode to learn how to love others without compromising on your convictions and become the salt and light we were created to be. 

What does it mean to be a woman? In recent years, the definition and depth of womanhood have become muddied as cultural expectations around gender have shifted. But in this episode of This Grit and Grace Life podcast, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender take a closer look at what it means to be a woman, according to the Bible.The duo discuss the nature of womanhood, the complementary roles of men and women, and the inherent qualities we should celebrate. They also explore the strengths that comes with being a woman, challenging the idea that femininity means fragility. 

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Find out what it means to me!" Aretha Franklin may have been singing about how others should treat you, but what about respecting yourself?In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life podcast, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss the importance of building self-respect by recognizing your values and living in a way that reflects them. They also share some challenges that can damage our view of ourselves—like making mistakes or dealing with criticism from others—and how returning to those values can remind us how to show up in the world with confidence.Tune into this episode to discover the values that matter to you and how they can shape your self-respect.

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Find out what it means to me!" Aretha Franklin may have been singing about how others should treat you, but what about respecting yourself?In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life podcast, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss the importance of building self-respect by recognizing your values and living in a way that reflects them. They also share some challenges that can damage our view of ourselves—like making mistakes or dealing with criticism from others—and how returning to those values can remind us how to show up in the world with confidence.Tune into this episode to discover the values that matter to you and how they can shape your self-respect.

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.

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.