Animals, especially our pets, are so much more than just something to cuddle. Pets enrich our lives and create growth in delightful ways. Listen in as Cheri and Amy reminisce about their fur-babies and the lessons they've learned from them. There's lots of laughter (drunk dog, anyone?) and some … [Read more...] about Episode #210: Creating a Richer Life through a Passion for Pets

Jen Bleakley, author of Pawverbs: 100 Inspirations to Delight an Animal Lover's Heart, believes that God uses animals to both teach and heal us. In this interview, Jen discusses how animals can be tangible tie-ins to the wisdom in the book of Proverbs, and she gives us a glimpse into how pets can be … [Read more...] about Episode #209: How to Tap the Joy and Wisdom of Your Furry Friends

"Over the hill." "No spring chicken." "Has been." These are some of the derogatory terms for people who are aging, but those negative stereotypes are being dismantled. 50 is the new 30, baby! In this conversation, Cheri and Amy discuss the abundant gifts that are emerging as they age. With real talk … [Read more...] about Episode #208: Bursting Out of the First-Half-of-Life Boxes

The word "menopause" is often associated with its negative symptoms-- hot flashes, sleeplessness, and weight struggles. But what if we've missed the gifts associated with menopause? Through personal experience and research, Dr. Cheryl Bridges Johns has identified 7 benefits of this oft-maligned … [Read more...] about Episode #207: How Menopause Might Take You by Surprise (in a GOOD way!)

Suffering is painful, and we'd all like to avoid it. But suffering has a redemptive quality that is often more powerful than we imagine. Cheri and Amy discuss their own times of suffering and the lessons they've learned from it. They've found that the redemption's not only personal, it's a gift to … [Read more...] about Episode #206: Using the Pain of Suffering to Grow and Help

It's a hard truth. Our greatest times of growth most often happen during seasons of suffering. How do we leverage the hard places instead of crumbling under them? Meg Apperson, author of Sky Full of Stars: Learning to Surrender to God’s Perfect Plans, tells her story of suffering through the … [Read more...] about Episode #205: How to Grow Through the Terrible Beauty of Refining

Since comparison is a trap that keeps us from fully being ourselves, we have to take intentional steps to see it as an enemy and kick it to the curb. From the heart conditions that spark comparison to practical steps to walk into a comparison-free space, our Grit 'n' Grace friends, Cheri and Amy, … [Read more...] about Episode #204: Celebrating Freedom by Kicking Comparison to the Curb

"Do I measure up?" Often, when we're trying to answer that question, we look around at everyone else to find our answer. In a word: we compare. In this episode, Shannon Popkin, author of Comparison Girl, shares a new and better way to find our true measure. She leads us to Jesus' example, which — … [Read more...] about Episode #203: How to Find Your True Measure

Concerning our American race problems, do you feel overwhelmed with conflicting emotions and a lack of understanding? You're in good company. The amount that many of us need to learn is enormous, but there's good news. You don't have to learn it all today. You can take one do-able step at a time. … [Read more...] about Episode #202: How to Harness the Problem-Solving Power of Learning

In the wake of so many race-related tragedies in America, many of us are suddenly aware that there's so much we don't know. Race educator and returning Grit 'n' Grace guest, Dr. Lucretia Berry, explains the importance of knowing the history of race so that we can face today's problems and build a … [Read more...] about Episode #201: What You Learn About Race Today Can Help Tomorrow

Many of us have adopted a skewed view of love. The belief that we're loved for our performance or productivity starts burrowing into hearts when we're young, and those deep-seeded convictions are hard to overcome. But these beliefs aren't innocuous. Over time, they kill our souls by drips. Listen in … [Read more...] about Episode #200: Tapping Into a Love with No Performance Review

At the core of every girl is the need to be loved and cherished, yet many of us missed out on those gifts. Either they weren't given by those who nurtured us or they didn't make it over the obstacles in our own hearts. Lynn Cowell, co-author of Loved and Cherished: 100 Devotions for Girls, discusses … [Read more...] about Episode #199: How to Lift a Girl’s Heart (and Your Own in the Process)