Gritty Mamas with Julie Jeppson

Julie Jeppson
  • 4.7 (133)
  • Personal Journals
  • Weekly

What happens when life changes the plans—and you have to figure out what comes next? Welcome to Gritty Mamas with Julie Jeppson. I’m a solo mom of eight and the founder of Gritty Mamas and GRITROCK: The Agency. My co-host Carley and I talk honestly about raising kids, relationships, faith, and building a life that looks different from the one you imagined. Some weeks, we share what’s happening in our own lives. Other weeks, we sit down with women whose experiences have something to teach us, alongside experts who help us understand ourselves and our options. My Latter-day Saint faith is part of my story and these conversations. So are laughter, hard questions, and days when we’re still figuring it out. We don’t always know what comes next, but we have plenty to talk about along the way. She didn’t break. She built. Find the podcast, free resources, and the Gritlock community at grittymamas.com.

  1. 2h ago

    Finding the Good When You’re Tired of Looking

    Have a question or something to share? Send Julie and Carley a message. I’m not naturally a silver-lining person, and lately, life hasn’t made it any easier. After another setback with YouTube, I’m opening my journal and looking for the things that have helped me keep going: eight free ice cream cones, help paying bills, and a very unexpected tampon delivery. Carley and I talk about the pressure to “just forgive,” how well-meaning advice can hurt, and the small reminders that God sees us even when our circumstances haven’t changed. There’s also a thrift-store story we’re officially calling “The Parable of the Ultra Tampon.” What’s something good that came out of a hard season in your life? We’d love to hear it. Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

  2. Oct 26

    Why Don’t You Just Move On? The Cost of Fighting for My Kids

    Have a question or something to share? Send Julie and Carley a message. “Why don’t you just move on?” Because a court order doesn’t feed your kids when the money never comes. This week, Julie and Carley get into the financial and emotional toll of family court. Julie shares what happened during a four-day divorce trial, the relief of finally getting a ruling—and what happened when a new judge changed it. We talk about unpaid child support, mounting attorney fees, and the impossible position of being told to stop fighting when you’re still trying to provide for your children. Plus, how a group of moms is showing up for each other through hearings, custody battles, and the days that leave you shaking. If you’ve ever been called bitter, difficult, or too loud for asking for accountability, this conversation will feel familiar. Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

  3. Oct 19

    He Dug His Thumbs Into Her Eyes. But the Real Torture Was Psychological.

    Have a question or something to share? Send Julie and Carley a message. For nearly two decades, Lyndsey Hackford lived in a marriage marked by manipulation, control, and escalating abuse. She shares terrifying moments from that marriage, including being strangled, threatened with a gun, and fearing for her children's safety. In this deeply personal conversation, Lyndsey joins Julie and Carley to talk about the warning signs she didn't recognize, the role faith and religious expectations played in her decisions, and the painful realities of navigating the family court system after abuse. Today, Lyndsey has found her voice, remarried, built a loving family, and uses her experience to advocate for survivors and educate others about domestic violence. This episode is a powerful reminder that surviving is only part of the story. There can be love, purpose, and a beautiful life on the other side. Content warning: This episode includes discussions of domestic violence, strangulation, threats involving firearms, and sexual coercion. instagram: @lyndseyh6723 podcast: @living.inthe.aftermath Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

  4. Oct 12

    I’m Still Hurting. I’m Still Trying. I’m Still Here.

    Have a question or something to share? Send Julie and Carley a message. Julie and Carley talk about what it means to keep going when life still hurts. Between raising eight children, recovering from surgery, and building a business, Julie is trying to move forward while grieving the life she expected. Together, they reflect on waiting for answers, finding purpose in difficult days, and how their faith in Jesus Christ helps them continue. An honest conversation about still hurting, still trying, and trusting there is more ahead, even when you can’t see it yet. Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

  5. Oct 5

    I Thought I Was Just Recovering… Then They Found Blood Clots

    Have a question or something to share? Send Julie and Carley a message. I thought the hardest part was behind me after emergency hernia surgery. Then a stubborn calf cramp and another trip to the ER led to something I wasn’t expecting: multiple pulmonary embolisms—blood clots in my lungs. This week, Carley and I unpack the diagnosis, the push I needed to get checked, and the reality of recovering while raising eight kids. And yes, we get into the very unglamorous side of blood thinners. Apparently, nothing is off-limits around here. But this conversation goes deeper than a medical update. We talk about the struggles people can’t see, why vulnerability builds real friendships, and learning to let people help. There’s grief, gratitude, faith, and plenty of laughter in the middle of the mess. If you’ve been carrying something heavy and telling everyone you’re fine, this episode is for you. You don’t have to carry it alone. Smells Like HumansLike listening to funny friends discuss curious human behavior.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

  6. Sep 28

    I Thought It Was a Kidney Stone—Then I Needed Emergency Surgery

    Have a question or something to share? Send Julie and Carley a message. In this raw, real-life episode, Julie tells Carley how what she thought was a kidney stone turned into an emergency hernia repair. She shares the pain that sent her to the ER, the surprise diagnosis, surgery and recovery—and the moment her kids stepped in to get her help. The conversation goes beyond the hospital: motherhood’s toll on the body, the guilt we can carry about our choices, the friends and community who show up, and what it means to finally slow down and let people care for you. Thanks for listening to Gritty Mamas. If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share it with a friend. Support the show

  7. Sep 21

    I Went to Scotland to Get Away… But You Can’t Outrun Your Life

    Have a question or something to share? Send Julie and Carley a message. I just got home from Scotland and Ireland—and somehow, being surrounded by some of the most beautiful places in the world gave me a whole lot of time to think. Maybe too much time. Watching my siblings walk hand-in-hand with their spouses, making memories together, brought me right back to a trip four years ago when my marriage had just fallen apart. I remembered how desperately I prayed for things to change, how hard I tried to save my family, and how convinced I was that if I just had enough faith, everything would somehow work out. This week, Carley and I talk about what happens when life doesn't turn out the way you prayed it would. We talk about faith and agency, divorce, resentment, crushing debt, single motherhood, the mental load of raising eight kids, and that awful feeling that everyone else is moving forward while you're still trying to dig yourself out. We also talk about something I desperately needed to hear: maybe I'm not as far behind as I think I am. Sometimes a vacation doesn't fix anything. You come home and the laundry, bills, responsibilities, grief and uncertainty are still waiting for you. But so is everything you've already survived—and everything you've already built. If you've ever looked at your life and thought, “I should be further along by now,” this episode is for you. ❤️ Julie & Carley Gritty Mamas Support the show

  8. Sep 14

    My Neighbor Is on the Run… And There’s Finally a Warrant

    Have a question or something to share? Send Julie and Carley a message. After more than a year of harassment, stalking, threats, racial slurs, police calls, arrests and violations of a civil stalking injunction, we finally got news I wasn't expecting: criminal charges have been filed. In this episode of Gritty Mamas, Carley and I talk about the moment I learned my neighbor was facing 19 stalking counts with hate-crime enhancements and a no-bail warrant—and then learned that he had apparently left before police could arrest him.  But this conversation becomes about something much bigger: what it feels like when you don't feel safe in your own home, why victims can become frustrated with systems that are supposed to protect them, and the complicated line between believing victims and preserving innocent-until-proven-guilty. We also talk about motherhood, family court, resentment, and trying not to let everything you've been through change the way you see the world.  This one is messy, personal, and very real. Support the show

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4.7
out of 5
133 Ratings

About

What happens when life changes the plans—and you have to figure out what comes next? Welcome to Gritty Mamas with Julie Jeppson. I’m a solo mom of eight and the founder of Gritty Mamas and GRITROCK: The Agency. My co-host Carley and I talk honestly about raising kids, relationships, faith, and building a life that looks different from the one you imagined. Some weeks, we share what’s happening in our own lives. Other weeks, we sit down with women whose experiences have something to teach us, alongside experts who help us understand ourselves and our options. My Latter-day Saint faith is part of my story and these conversations. So are laughter, hard questions, and days when we’re still figuring it out. We don’t always know what comes next, but we have plenty to talk about along the way. She didn’t break. She built. Find the podcast, free resources, and the Gritlock community at grittymamas.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Julie Jeppson
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Gritty Mamas with Julie Jeppson
  • Show Website
    Gritty Mamas with Julie Jeppson

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