Darlene Brock is a jack of all trades – from COO of ForeFront Records, to mother of two daughters, to her latest endeavor, “The Grit & Grace Project“.

To be honest, when I was asked if I wanted to write up a piece on a new Christian website for women, I was a little hesitant, and thought to myself “Here comes the fluff, rainbows, and pink all over the place. I really don’t have the strength to talk to a superficial woman who isn’t willing to get real with people.”

I’ve been slightly burned by growing up in the South, where the vast majority of Christian women I knew were always perfectly groomed, appeared to have their lives all put together, and weren’t vulnerable or “real”. While I agreed to do the interview with Darlene Brock, I didn’t really know what to expect. Boy, am I glad I had the privilege of getting to know Darlene’s heart. She called me on a chilly Saturday afternoon, and as soon as we exchanged greetings, her kindness and authenticity quickly won over my heart, and I knew I was going to enjoy our conversation.

I think you’ll find “The Grit & Grace Project” as refreshing and encouraging as I did. Read on to hear about the heart behind the project.

Where does the title “grit and grace” come from?”

My great-grandma and my husband’s grandma are two of the most incredible women I know. They were the type of women who could kick butt and love their family well. I’ve always thought about these ladies, “You have grit and grace. You have the strength to get thorough life, and you love so incredibly well.” They were able to navigate well through the messiness of life and everything that lies in-between. I wanted to be like them. I wanted the strength to love well and not get hardened by the circumstances of life. The goal of this website is to portray and encourage women of Grit and Grace.

I look at life as a project that you actively participate in. That’s why I entitled it, ‘The Grit & Grace Project”. Life is a never ending project; it’s always moving, and we’re always participating.

Tell me about yourself

I’m the type of person who always jumps into the deep end. I grew up in a small Indiana town, and I thought to myself, “There’s more to life than the life I’m living.” At 18 years old, I left home and joined a commune. I’ve done everything from run a campground, to being an executive at ForeFront records. I’ve always attempted whatever’s before me. Most of my life, I’ve worked with men and was rather terrified of women. I began building solid relationships with strong and Godly women, and my perspective was changed. My next challenge and what I believe the Lord has called me to, is to build a place for women that will point them to real Godliness, not something fluffy or fake.

What sets “The Grit & Grace Project” apart?

We have over 20 contributors, from career women and executives of companies, to stay at home moms, single women and everyone in between. Our goal was to have all kinds of ladies who have had all kinds of life experience. The heart behind “The Grit & Grace Project” is all about our character and our willingness to stand up and face the challenges that life brings with Godliness, grit and grace. That doesn’t mean that life isn’t incredibly hard and that we don’t curl up into a ball sometimes, but that we will eventually stand back up and fight for holiness.

What sets “The Grit & Grace Project” apart is the wide variety of contributors who will touch on every subject. We want to offer wisdom, encouragement, and fun to women. This is about real life, so I have real women who are writing to encourage one another in their lives.

If you could tell women one thing?

I want women to know that life’s challenges should neither defeat or define them.

We should not be defined by the difficult moments of life, but we should be defined by our character and who we are on the other side of those trials. I acknowledge that life isn’t easy, and that you’re going to hurt and struggle, but those difficult things should not defeat you.