Podcast
Grounded Growth
Hosted by Nicole Ghirardi & Stephanie Petry · ENGLISH
Hosted by Nicole Ghirardi and Stephanie Petry, Grounded Growth is a faith-inspired personal growth podcast for women who want a calmer, more intentional life without hustle, burnout, or overwhelm.
This podcast is designed for busy women navigating full schedules, multiple roles, and constant demands who are craving balance, clarity, and peace rooted in faith. Through real conversations and gentle, faith-centered encouragement, Grounded Growth helps you slow down and build simple, sustainable routines that support your mind, body, and spirit.
Each episode offers practical tools for intentional planning and weekly resets, encouragement for spiritual growth without pressure or perfection, and honest conversations about overwhelm, boundaries, and real-life seasons. You’ll learn how to create daily and weekly rhythms, faith-based routines, and grounded systems that help you feel steady, focused, and aligned.
Grounded Growth is your weekly pause. A space to reset, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters so you can build a life that feels meaningful, balanced, and aligned with your values.
Subscribe to Grounded Growth for weekly episodes on intentional living, faith-based personal development, calm productivity, and spiritual growth that feels gentle, grounded, and sustainable.
Follow along and stay connected
Website https://www.groundedgrowth.org
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/groundedgrowthmo/
Facebook Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/groundedgrowthcommunity
YouTube @groundedgrowthmo
Stay grounded and keep growing.
30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Leaving What You Knew: Faith, Identity & Rebuilding from the Ground Up
6d ago00:38:14Tap to summarizeShe did everything right. She checked every box her faith required, and then her cousin’s sudden death cracked the foundation she had built her whole identity on.In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie sit down with their friend Brianna Preece for an honest conversation about leaving the Mormon church, the hard truths that made her walk away for good, and how God rebuilt her identity around grace instead of performance.This is a reminder that questioning what you were taught is not a loss of faith. It can be the very thing God uses to lead you into the truth.In This EpisodeThe turning point: her cousin’s sudden death and the questions it raisedThe hard truths about the Mormon church that made her walk away for goodWhat it cost her: family tension and lost friendshipsThe moment she gave her life to ChristHow she unlearned what was false and relearned what is trueWhat her identity looks like now, rooted in Galatians 2:20Simple rhythms that keep her grounded as a homeschooling mom of threeKey TakeawaysA crisis often exposes what your identity is really built on. Brianna’s cousin’s death revealed her faith was rooted in a system, not in Christ.Learning hard truths about a belief system does not have to end in walking away from God. It can redirect you to Scripture as your only source of truth.Salvation is not a checklist. Resting in the finished work of Christ replaces the exhausting cycle of wondering if you have done enough.Leaving a high control system can cost real relationships, but God often provides unexpected community to fill that gap.Small daily rhythms, prayer, Scripture, a journal, a weekly plan, sustain long term spiritual grounding more than any single decision.Faith LayerGalatians 2:20. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.This is the verse Brianna carries with her, tattooed on her shoulder. Her salvation, her identity, her whole life is because of Christ, not because of anything she has done.Resources MentionedROOTS Morning Journal, groundedgrowth.org/storeWise Words for Moms parenting chart by Ginger Hubbard, gingerhubbard.com (confirm exact URL)Final EncouragementIf you have ever been afraid to question what you were taught, Brianna’s story is proof that God is not afraid of your questions. He welcomes them.Take your questions to Scripture and to a trusted, local church, not Google, YouTube, or AI. And if following God costs you something, count it all joy anyway. It may cost you for a season, but God can open doors years later that once looked permanently closed.
Transcribe →Faith at Work or in Business
2w ago00:31:27Tap to summarizeWe often treat our faith and our work like two separate worlds. One for Sunday and one for Monday.In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie talk about why it feels hard to bring faith into work, what happens when we keep the two separate, and what living your faith at work actually looks like in a normal, demanding week.Most women are not looking to preach at the office. They are longing to feel whole, like who they are on the inside matches how they show up at work. So maybe the question is not how to talk about our faith at work. It is how to actually live it there.In This EpisodeWhy we are taught to separate faith from professional lifeHow fear of judgment keeps us quiet at workWhat happens when work becomes only about resultsWhy faith at work is more about character than conversationHow to start your workday grounded instead of strivingWhat it means to work as a steward rather than an ownerWhy Colossians 3:23-24 changes how we see our daily workWhy It Feels HardMany women quietly believe faith belongs in personal spaces but not professional ones. Work environments often reward hustle, independence, and self promotion, while our faith teaches surrender, humility, and dependence on God. Those two value systems create tension. We also confuse living our faith with preaching it, when the strongest witness is usually steady, godly character.What Faith at Work Actually Looks LikeFaith at work is integrity when no one is watching. It is excellence offered as worship rather than a way to prove our worth. It is the way we treat people, because they remember how we made them feel long after they forget what we accomplished. And it is leading from peace instead of pressure, because when our identity is anchored in God, we can lead steadily through stressful moments.Faith LayerColossians 3:23-24. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.Faithfulness matters more to God than visible success. The world measures results, but God looks at obedience. Work becomes far less exhausting when we stop trying to prove our worth through performance and remember that our worth was already secured through Christ.Resources MentionedThe E-Myth by Michael GerberAtomic Habits by James ClearROOTS Morning Journal. groundedgrowth.org/storeFinal EncouragementYour work matters far more than you think. Not because of what you accomplish, but because God cares deeply about how you steward what He has placed in your hands. You do not need a ministry title or a platform for God to use your work for Kingdom purposes. Sometimes faithfulness in ordinary places is where His glory shines most clearly.Stay grounded and keep growing.Follow along and stay connected:Website: www.groundedgrowth.orgInstagram: @GroundedGrowthMO
Transcribe →Friendship in Different Seasons of Life
2w ago00:38:14Tap to summarizeFriendship was so easy when we were younger. Somewhere in the busyness of adult life, it got complicated.In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie talk honestly about why friendship gets harder as life changes, what happens when we let those relationships slide, and what real friendship actually looks like across the changing seasons of life.Most women are not lacking people. They are lacking the time and energy to stay close to them. So maybe the question is not how to find more friends. It is how to keep the ones who matter as our seasons change.In This EpisodeWhy friendship requires intentionality instead of convenience in adulthoodHow wives and mothers slowly move friendship to the bottom of the listWhat we lose when loneliness grows even in a full lifeWhy friendship is measured by depth and trust, not frequencyHow to be the one who reaches out first without keeping scoreSimple ways to build friendship into the rhythms you already haveWhy Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us we were made for connectionWhy Friendship Gets HarderNobody accidentally maintains deep friendships anymore. As women, we naturally start prioritizing everyone else first, and friendship quietly moves to the bottom of the list. Time and energy become scarce, guilt keeps us silent when a simple message would reopen the door, and high capacity women often pour into everyone but the friends who fill them back up.What Friendship Actually Looks Like in Different SeasonsFriendship in adulthood looks less polished and more sacrificial. It is depth over frequency. It flexes with the season instead of ending when life changes. It means being the one willing to send the first text. And it is mutual but not always equal, because in different seasons one friend gives more and the other receives, and later it flips.Faith LayerHebrews 10:24-25. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, but encouraging one another.We were created by a relational God who exists in perfect relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Community is woven into how He designed us. The best question we can ask is simple. Do the people closest to me push me closer to Jesus?Resources MentionedCloser Than a Sister by Christina FoxBraving the Wilderness by Brene BrownAtomic Habits by James ClearThe 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John MaxwellROOTS Morning Journal. groundedgrowth.org/storeFinal EncouragementYou have not missed your chance at deep friendship. It is never too late to rebuild a connection that matters to you. Reach out to one friend this week. You do not have to reconnect with everyone. Just take one small step toward one person, because someone has to go first, and there is real freedom in deciding it can be you.Stay grounded and keep growing.Follow along and stay connected:Website: www.groundedgrowth.orgInstagram: @GroundedGrowthMOFacebook: Grounded Growth Community
Transcribe →Parenting with Grace Instead of Pressure
2w ago00:31:45Tap to summarizeMost moms are not lacking effort. They are lacking the room to breathe.In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie talk honestly about why parenting feels so pressured, what happens when we parent from a place of pressure instead of grace, and what grace based parenting actually looks like in the everyday mess of real life.Maybe the real question is not how to parent perfectly. It is how to parent from grace.In This EpisodeWhy parenting feels so pressured for high capacity momsHow we confuse our role with God's role in our children's livesWhat happens when we parent from pressure instead of presenceThe reframe behind grace based parenting and shepherding the heartNicole's story of breaking down on the stairs with TravisStephanie's "it is hard to be a kid, it is hard to be a mom" momentFour practical ways to bring grace into your everyday parentingWhy Psalm 103:13-14 changes how we see God's compassion for us as parentsWhy Pressure BackfiresWhen we parent from pressure, we react more and respond less. We trade connection for correction. We let guilt become the background noise of our parenting. And our kids feel the difference between being corrected and being known.The truth is kids do not need a high performing manager. They need a present and steady parent.What Grace Based Parenting Actually Looks LikeGrace is not lowering the bar. Grace is parenting from a place of peace instead of pressure.It means asking what is happening in my child's heart before jumping straight to behavior management. It means combining loving correction with meaningful conversations that point our children toward Christ. It means understanding what our child is believing, fearing, wanting, or worshiping in the moment.Grace is connection before correction. Progress over perfection. Repair instead of pretending. And grace extends to us too. We cannot pour out what we have not first received.Faith LayerPsalm 103:13-14. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust.God fully knows our weaknesses and loves us anyway. He does not motivate us through shame. He transforms us through grace. The more we experience that secure love, the more we begin to offer it to our children.Resources MentionedShepherding a Child's Heart by Ted TrippGrace Based Parenting by Tim KimmelMindset by Carol DweckDaring Greatly by Brene BrownFair PlayAtomic Habits by James ClearROOTS Morning Journal. groundedgrowth.org/storeFinal EncouragementYou do not have to be a perfect parent to be a good one. Your kids do not need your perfection. They need your presence. The fact that you care this much is already evidence that you are doing better than you feel.Stay grounded and keep growing.Follow along and stay connected:Website: www.groundedgrowth.orgInstagram: @GroundedGrowthMO
Transcribe →Faith in Marriage and Singleness
Jun 2500:35:39Tap to summarizeWhether you are married, single, waiting, widowed, or longing for a change, every season comes with the same quiet question. Is this where I am supposed to be?In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie sit down for an honest conversation about marriage and singleness. They talk about why every season carries its own struggles, what happens when we misplace our expectations, and how identity in Christ has to come before any relationship status.This is not an episode about fixing your season. It is about being faithful in it.A quick note: Nicole and Stephanie are not professional marriage counselors. There are seasons that require professional support, and they want you to feel encouraged to seek it.In This EpisodeWhy every season, married or single, comes with its own strugglesWhat happens when we expect a relationship status to fulfill usNicole and Stephanie's honest stories from their own marriagesWhy submission and respect are not weakness but unityHow to live faithfully right where you are, not where you wish you wereThe myth that marriage will meet our deepest needsWhat Philippians 4:11 has to teach us about contentmentThe Big ReframeThe truth in this conversation is that no person and no season can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. Only Christ can. When we place that expectation on a spouse or on a future spouse, we set ourselves up for disappointment. When we place it on Christ, we find that He is already meeting us where we are.Faithful Obedience in Every SeasonMarriage is not ultimate. Christ is. And the same is true of singleness. Both are different assignments, both are valuable, and both are opportunities to reflect Him.Faithfulness looks like small daily choices. Praying. Reading the Word. Choosing gentleness when you do not feel like it. Showing up when it feels easier to withdraw. Surrounding yourself with a Christ-centered community that points you back to Him.Faith LayerPhilippians 4:11. I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.Paul says he learned contentment. It did not come naturally. It came through trust. Contentment is not about getting what we want. It is about trusting God with what He has given.Resources MentionedThe Meaning of Marriage by Timothy KellerFive Things to Pray for Your Spouse by Melissa and Michael KrugerJourney Bible Study by Randy PopeROOTS Morning Journal. groundedgrowth.org/storeFinal EncouragementWherever you find yourself today, God sees you. Your relationship status does not define you. You are first and foremost a beloved child of God. Trust that He is writing a beautiful story with your life, even when the chapters feel unexpected.Stay grounded and keep growing.Follow along and stay connected:Website: www.groundedgrowth.orgInstagram:@GroundedGrowthMO
Transcribe →Through Their Eyes: A Conversation with Our Kids
Jun 1800:37:03Tap to summarizeThis is a different kind of episode.For the first time ever, Nicole and Stephanie hand the microphones to their kids. Travis (T Dog) and Jojo come prepared with their own questions for the moms, and then the moms turn the tables and ask the kids. The result is sweeter, funnier, and more honest than anything we could have scripted.You will laugh. You will probably get a little teary. And you might end up wanting to do this same exercise with the kids in your own life.In This EpisodeHow the kids decided what questions to askThe childhood memory that made one mom cry on the spotWhat kids think their moms are actually good at (and not so good at)The very real answers when moms ask "what do you think I do when you are not around"Rapid fire: ice cream or candy, beach or mountains, board games or video gamesWhat the kids think Grounded Growth meansWhat makes a good mom in the eyes of a kidSweet, Honest MomentsKids see things we miss. They notice the small lullabies, the morning walks, the way we slow down for them, the way we get nervous in front of a microphone.What Made Us Most ProudWhen asked what makes a good mom, the answers were not about being perfect. They were about presence. Time together. Listening. Empathy. Hugs.A Reminder for the Parent ListeningYou do not have to have it all figured out for your kids to feel deeply loved. You just have to keep showing up.Sometimes the best perspective we can get is through the eyes of our kids.Final EncouragementIf this episode made you smile, do your own version at home. Sit down with your kids. Ask them what they think you are good at. Ask them what they think you do when they are not around.Stay grounded and keep growing.Follow along and stay connected:Website: www.groundedgrowth.orgInstagram:@GroundedGrowthMO
Transcribe →Gratitude: The Habit That Changes How You See Everything
Jun 1100:37:39Tap to summarizeGratitude doesn't change your circumstances. But it changes how you experience them. And many women aren't lacking blessings, they're lacking the margin to notice them. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie close out the Faith Foundations series with a conversation on gratitude, why it can feel difficult, what quietly happens when we don't practice it, what gratitude actually does in our hearts and minds, and simple habits that can shift your perspective. In This Episode Why gratitude can feel hard, even when we want to be gratefulHow our brains default to noticing what's missingWhat quietly happens when we don't practice gratitudeWhat gratitude actually does for your perspective and peaceSimple gratitude habits that change how you see your life Key Takeaways Gratitude feels hard because life feels full. Stress, comparison, and the habit of noticing what's missing pull us away before we realize it. When we don't practice gratitude, discontentment grows quietly. Good things start feeling ordinary, and we become more frustrated and less present. Gratitude grounds you in the present. It pulls you out of comparison and ahead-thinking. Gratitude shifts perspective from scarcity to provision. Instead of "What am I missing?" you start asking, "What has already been given?" Gratitude builds peace, resilience, and contentment. Simple Gratitude Habits Write down three things you're thankful for dailyCelebrate small wins instead of skipping past themPause midday and ask, "What is still good right now?"Tie gratitude to a routine, morning coffee, your commute, your nightly resetUse the ROOTS Morning Journal to anchor gratitude in scripture and reflection Faith Layer 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. It says in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. Gratitude is a posture of the heart that keeps us anchored in what is true about God. Resources Mentioned ROOTS Morning Journal, groundedgrowth.org/storeWeekly Reset Guide, groundedgrowth.org/WeeklyResetGrounded Growth Community Final Encouragement Start with noticing one good thing each day. Just one. Gratitude doesn't change your circumstances overnight. But it does change how you see them. And sometimes, that changes everything. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.orgStay grounded and keep growing.Follow along and stay connected:Website: www.groundedgrowth.orgInstagram:@GroundedGrowthMO
Transcribe →How Wisdom Changes the Way You Make Decisions
Jun 400:28:44Tap to summarizeThe conversation explores the challenges of decision-making, the impact of overthinking, and the importance of seeking wisdom. It emphasizes the need to slow down decisions, seek trusted perspectives, and ground decisions in truth. The discussion also highlights the role of prayer and reflection in building wisdom and the generous gift of wisdom from God.TakeawaysSlowing down decisions instead of rushing themSeeking perspective from a trusted personGiving yourself space before respondingGrounding decisions in truth and seeking wisdomSlowing down one decision this week to shift the pattern in your lifeChapters00:00 Intentional Decision Making08:08 Second Guessing and Confidence13:39 Building Wisdom into Everyday Decisions23:35 God's Generous Gift of Wisdom
Transcribe →Why You Weren't Meant to Grow Alone
May 2800:28:04Tap to summarizeThe conversation explores the hesitation to ask for help and the impact of growing alone. It emphasizes the importance of healthy community and the role it plays in personal growth and support. The discussion also delves into the practical aspects of building and nurturing a healthy community. The conversation delves into the importance of honesty, vulnerability, and intentional time for connection in building strong relationships. It emphasizes the prioritization of relationships, the role of community, and the significance of taking small steps towards connection. The essential themes include honesty, vulnerability, intentional connection, prioritizing relationships, building healthy community, and the role of community in personal growth.TakeawaysImportance of asking for helpThe value of healthy community Honesty and vulnerability lead to stronger relationshipsIntentional time for connection is essentialChapters00:00 The Hesitation to Ask for Help14:16 Building a Healthy Community22:48 The Essential Role of Community28:23 Taking Small Steps Towards ConnectionStay grounded and keep growing.Follow along and stay connected:Website: www.groundedgrowth.orgInstagram: @GroundedGrowthMOFacebook: Grounded Growth Community
Transcribe →Prayer: Learning to Bring Your Real Life to God
May 2100:30:20Tap to summarizeThe conversation delves into the nature of prayer, emphasizing its role as a conversation and a posture rather than a performance or a task. It explores the impact of regular prayer on stress, mental load, and emotional weight, as well as the shift in perspective that occurs when prayer becomes a relational conversation with God. The discussion also covers the various forms and habits of prayer, highlighting the importance of prayer as a connection and not just an obligation. The conversation delves into the essence of prayer, emphasizing the importance of connection over routine and the idea of prayer as a process of honest communication with God. It explores the daily practice of prayer, highlighting the significance of honesty and consistency in building a deeper connection with God.TakeawaysPrayer is a conversation, not a performancePrayer is a posture, not a task Connection over routinePrayer as processing, not pretendingChapters00:00 The Nature of Prayer10:02 The Forms and Habits of Prayer16:28 The Connection of Prayer25:03 Honesty and Consistency in Prayer30:25 Building a Deeper ConnectionStay grounded and keep growing.Follow along and stay connected:Website: www.groundedgrowth.orgInstagram: @GroundedGrowthMOFacebook: Grounded Growth Community
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