Grounded Growth

Nicole Ghirardi & Stephanie Petry
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Self-Improvement

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.

  1. 2d ago

    Raising Kids Who Know God

    Our children need more than information about God, they need to know Him. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie continue Motherhood Rooted in Grace with a conversation about raising kids who know God, not just know about Him. We cannot manufacture saving faith in our children. Salvation is the sovereign work of God, and our responsibility is faithful teaching, modeling, discipline, prayer, and discipleship, not controlling the outcome. In This Episode Why knowing God is relational, not merely informationalWhy passing on our faith is so hard when the culture shouts the oppositeWhat it looks like when we try to raise faithful kids on our own strengthWhat Jesus shows us about children and faith in Mark 10:13-16Six ways to layer faith into ordinary, everyday momentsWhat It Means to Raise Kids Who Know God I can teach my children Bible stories and verses, but ultimately I want them to know the God those things point to. My children are not projects I can successfully complete with the right formula. Shepherding a Child's Heart says the goal is not simply to modify behavior but to help our children understand that life is found in knowing and serving the true and living God. A child can obey out of fear or a desire to look good, and none of that necessarily means their heart has been transformed. Grace based parenting asks us to entrust our children to Christ, not try to control them into Christianity. Why Passing On Our Faith Is So Hard We cannot actually manufacture faith in our kids. The culture is loud and relentless, and it can feel like we are whispering truth while the world shouts the opposite. James K.A. Smith writes in You Are What You Love that we are formed less by what we are told and more by our habits and daily rhythms, so faith is caught in a thousand ordinary moments. We think of the father in Mark 9 who brought his struggling son to Jesus and said, I believe, help my unbelief. We do not have perfect faith to hand our kids, but we can keep bringing them, wavering hearts and all, to Him. What It Looks Like When We Try to Do It on Our Own One danger is turning parenting into behavior modification, managing behavior rather than shepherding the heart. High control or image control parenting can reveal something about our own hearts, correcting a child because their behavior is inconvenient rather than out of love. Discipline shifts from how dare you disobey me to let me help you understand your heart and where you can run for forgiveness. Faith Layer "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." Mark 10:14 Jesus does not tell us to manufacture our children's faith, He just says bring them to Him. Salvation is not dependent on our performance. We can teach, pray, and model, but only God regenerates a heart, so we do not have to parent out of panic. Resources Mentioned Shepherding a Child's Heart, Tedd TrippYou Are What You Love, James K.A. SmithBecoming MomStrong, Heidi St. JohnWise Words for Moms, Ginger HubbardFinal Encouragement You do not have to be a perfect Christian to raise kids who love Jesus. Just keep pointing them to Him. Pick one small faith rhythm this week, a prayer at bedtime or a verse at breakfast, and start there. Next time in Motherhood Rooted in Grace: When You Feel Like You're Failing. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.org - Instagram: @GroundedGrowthMO

  2. Oct 8

    Mothering from Rest, Not Guilt

    Motherhood is a role God has given us, not the identity He has given us. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie begin a brand new series, Motherhood Rooted in Grace, starting with a conversation about mothering from rest instead of guilt. Mom guilt convinces us that if we are not doing more, we are failing. But grace changes the goal. God never asked us to be perfect mothers. He asked us to faithfully steward what He has entrusted to us, and to trust Him with the rest. In This Episode Why rest is not the absence of responsibility, but the presence of trustWhy mom guilt feels impossible to satisfy, and where that ache comes fromWhat it looks like when guilt, not grace, is running the show at homeWhat Jesus shows us about rest in Matthew 11:28-30Six practical ways to grow from rest instead of guilt in everyday motherhoodWhat Mothering From Rest Actually Means Rest is not the absence of responsibility, it is the presence of trust. We can have a full calendar and still have a heart resting in God. Motherhood is a role, not our identity or our soul's ultimate purpose. When it becomes our ultimate purpose, we can begin to idolize the very role God gave us. Gospel Mom reminds us that motherhood happens east of Eden. There will be hardship and things we cannot fix, and grace meets us right there. Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is hold something loosely and say, Lord, I trust You with this outcome. Why It Is So Hard to Let Go of the Guilt Mom guilt is hard to shake because the standard is impossible. No matter how much we pour out, it never feels like enough. We compare ourselves to other moms, and social media hands us everyone's highlight reel while we live our own behind the scenes. Faith Chang calls this the perfectionist's ache in Peace Over Perfection, believing in grace with our heads while still feeling like we are never quite enough. We think of Martha in Luke 10, so busy she missed Jesus sitting right there, while Mary simply sat at His feet. What It Looks Like When Guilt Runs the Show Guilt can become a subtle form of self reliance, compensating for every mistake by working harder instead of trusting God's grace. Conviction says, that response was not loving, come to Me, repent, and grow. Condemnation says, you will never get this right. Left unchecked, guilt can look like saying yes to everything, being present in body but not in mind, or snapping and piling on more guilt for snapping. Faith Layer "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 Jesus does not say come to Me once you have gotten your life together. He says come when you are weary and carrying a burden. Rest begins with coming to Him, not with finally getting everything under control. Jesus never asked us to become our children's savior. There is already a Savior, and we are not Him. Resources Mentioned Gospel Mom by the Risen Motherhood teamPeace Over Perfection by Faith ChangBecoming MomStrong by Heidi St. John100 Days of Less Hustle, More Jesus by Shanna NoelFinal Encouragement God is not asking you to be a perfect mom. He is inviting you to be a rested one who leans on Him. Pick one guilt you have been carrying and hand it to God on purpose. Next time, we continue Motherhood Rooted in Grace with Raising Kids Who Know God. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.org - Instagram: @GroundedGrowthMO

  3. Oct 1

    Walking in Trust

    Trust begins with recognizing that God is God, and we are not. We can make plans, seek wisdom, and steward what He has given us, but we are not the author of our story or the controller of its outcome. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie introduce our new Walking in Trust ROOTS Morning Journal and unpack the three-part rhythm behind it, surrender, guidance, and peace. Walking in trust is not a one-time decision. It is a daily practice of releasing control and resting in God’s presence while we wait to see what comes next. In This Episode Why surrender is not giving up, but releasing our demand to control the outcomeHow to seek God’s guidance for the next step without needing the whole mapWhy biblical peace is rooted in God’s presence, not peaceful circumstancesBreaking down Proverbs 3:5-6, verse by verse, as the building block for trustThe daily ROOTS rhythm behind our new Walking in Trust journal What Walking in Trust Actually Means Surrender is not passivity. It is loosening our grip on the outcome while remaining obedient in the present. We can steward what God has given us without trying to be sovereign over it. Guidance comes after surrender, because we cannot genuinely ask God to lead while still demanding control over where He takes us. Sometimes He gives us enough light for today because He wants us depending on Him, not on the plan. And peace is not the absence of unsettled circumstances. It is rooted in the presence and character of God, who meets us again and again, not just once. Why It Is So Hard We want the entire plan and an explanation of how every part fits together, not just the next step. Fear can sound like wisdom, and impatience can create false urgency, so it takes discernment to tell our feelings apart from God’s actual direction. Ruth Chou Simons writes in Now and Not Yet that faithfulness to God sometimes puts us on a course where circumstances get worse before they get better. That is where knowing His character, not our comfort, becomes essential. Faith Layer “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 This is the verse our new journal is built around. Trust begins with the object of our trust, the Lord, not our own preparation or understanding. It is wholehearted, covering every dream, fear, and unknown, not just the parts we don’t mind releasing. And it promises not an easy path, but a directed one. The straight path may still include waiting, detours, and opportunities we never imagined. Resources Mentioned Now and Not Yet by Ruth Chou SimonsWalking in Trust ROOTS Morning Journal. groundedgrowth.org/store Final Encouragement You do not have to solve everything today. Begin with one honest prayer, one surrendered decision, and one faithful step. You may not know what comes next, but you can trust the One who does. Next time, we’re beginning a brand new series, Motherhood Rooted in Grace. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.org - Instagram: @GroundedGrowthMO

  4. Sep 24

    Self-Control When You Want to Give In

    Self-control is not about gripping our lives tighter. It is about handing the controls to the One who is actually in charge. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie close out our Fruit That Lasts series with self-control, the fruit that shows up the moment we want to give in. Self-control is not a personality trait we achieve through willpower. It is a fruit of the Spirit, grown as we surrender to God's authority instead of gripping our own. In This Episode Why true freedom comes from knowing God is the Author, not usWhy willpower always eventually runs out, and what actually sustains changeHow giving in rarely looks dramatic, and shows up in the ordinary yeses we regretWhat Jesus in Gethsemane and David sparing Saul teach us about surrendered strengthSimple, everyday practices for choosing obedience when your feelings pull elsewhere What Self-Control Actually Means Self-control is choosing obedience when our feelings pull us somewhere else. It does not mean controlling everything around us. We can control how we respond, but not another person's response or tomorrow's outcome. Second Peter 1 describes self-control as part of a growing life of faith, not an isolated discipline. J.I. Packer reminds us that knowing whose we are changes how we approach ambition, productivity, and failure. True freedom is found under our Father's loving authority, not in authoring our own story. Why It Is So Hard We live in a world built for instant gratification, where almost everything we want is one tap away. Willpower runs out, and a lot of giving in is really just soothing a feeling we do not want to sit with. We think of Esau, who traded his entire birthright for a single bowl of stew. Proverbs 25:28 says a person without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. That is exactly how it feels, one small yes at a time, until there is no fence left. Faith Layer "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." Luke 22:42 Jesus shows us that self-control begins with surrender. In Gethsemane, He knew what was coming, yet He prayed not my will but Yours. That is not weakness. It is the ultimate picture of strength submitted to the Father. Sometimes the most self-controlled thing we can do is open our hands and say, God, I do not understand this, but I trust You. Resources Mentioned Living Well, Spending Less by Ruth SoukupKnowing God by J.I. PackerROOTS Morning Journals. groundedgrowth.org/store Final Encouragement Self-control is not gritting your teeth and trying harder. It is a fruit of the Spirit, and if you belong to Jesus, the power to grow it already lives in you. Think of David, who had every chance to strike down Saul in that cave and chose restraint instead. So on the days you give in, do not quit. Bring your desires back under the care of Jesus and take the next faithful step. That's a wrap on our Fruit That Lasts series. Next time, we're beginning a brand new series, Motherhood Rooted in Grace. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.org · Instagram: @GroundedGrowthMO

  5. Sep 17

    Gentleness in a Harsh World

    Gentleness sounds beautiful until someone pushes our buttons. It is easy to be gentle when we're rested and getting our way. The real test comes when we're frustrated, misunderstood, or under pressure. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie continue our Fruit That Lasts series with gentleness, the fruit that gets tested the moment life stops going our way. Gentleness is strength under control, not weakness or passivity, and Jesus was both truthful and tender. In This Episode Why gentleness is strength surrendered to God, not a naturally calm personalityHow hurry becomes the quiet enemy of a gentle spiritThe subtle ways gentleness slips out, as a tone, a sigh, or a clipped answer we regretWhat Jesus shows us through the prodigal son's father and His gentle correction of MarthaSimple, everyday practices for staying soft when the pressure is real What Gentleness in a Harsh World Actually Means Gentleness is not weakness. It is strength surrendered to God. We hear the word gentle and picture someone who never speaks up or lets people walk all over them, but Jesus was incredibly gentle and incredibly strong. James 3:17 says wisdom from above is peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits. Gentleness takes care with people because people matter to God, and it makes room for vulnerability, so the people we love know honesty won't cost them our love. Why It Is So Hard Gentleness is hard because we live in a harsh, loud world, and the quickest, most cutting response is usually the one that gets rewarded. Gentleness takes margin, and most of us are running on empty. Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life, and when we are hurried, we are harsh. We are also afraid that if we soften, we will get walked on, so we armor up instead. Our sharpest tone often comes out with the people we love most. Faith Layer "Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15 Jesus shows us that gentleness and truth belong together. He never watered down truth to make people comfortable, but He also never used truth as a weapon. Think of the prodigal son's father, who does not wait on the porch with a lecture. He runs toward his broken child. That is the posture God invites us into, making repentance feel like a doorway back to grace. Resources Mentioned The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark ComerGrace-Based Parenting by Tim KimmelROOTS Morning Journals. groundedgrowth.org/store Final Encouragement Gentleness is strength surrendered to God. It is not a weakness, and it is not just having a naturally calm personality. It is fruit that Jesus grows in you as you stay close to Him. Jesus said of Himself, "I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29). The One with every right to be harsh with us is the gentlest person we will ever meet. Next week we are continuing the series with Self-Control When You Want to Give In. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.org · Instagram: @GroundedGrowthMO

  6. Sep 13

    Faithfulness in the Small Things

    Most of us picture faithfulness as the big, dramatic leap of faith. But most of the faithful life is lived in the small, ordinary, repeated things almost no one ever notices. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie continue our Fruit That Lasts series with faithfulness, the fruit that grows in the long, unglamorous middle. Faithfulness is not about doing something impressive. It is about consistently saying yes to God in the place He has already put us. In This Episode Why faithfulness is rarely exciting, and why that is exactly what makes it hard to sustainHow comparing our hidden chapter to someone else's highlight reel quietly steals our heartWhat Timothy, Noah, Daniel, and Elijah teach us about staying faithful in the unseen middleWhy Jesus' faithfulness gives us confidence when our own feels weakSimple, everyday practices for staying faithful when nobody is watching What Faithfulness in the Small Things Actually Means Faithfulness is choosing to respond to God instead of reacting to life. It means stewarding what God has actually given you, your family, your work, your home, instead of waiting for a bigger platform to start. It doesn't require a perfect story either. Second Timothy 1:5 points to Timothy's sincere faith, first lived in his grandmother and his mother. Where the ideal is absent, God's grace abounds. Why It Is So Hard Faithfulness is hard because it is rarely exciting. It is the same small, ordinary thing done again and again, with almost no immediate reward, and our hearts crave the big moment instead. So much of it is unseen, and it is easy to confuse faithfulness with feelings we no longer have. We think of Noah, who built the ark for years with no rain in sight. That is faithfulness, obeying God in the long middle before anyone can see the point. Faith Layer "Abide in me, and I in you. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5 Our faithfulness was never meant to rest on our own strength. Jesus was faithful in the hidden and ordinary long before He was seen publicly, and He walked the faithful road all the way to the cross. Lamentations 3 reminds us His mercies are new every morning and great is His faithfulness. When we fail, we do not have to stay stuck in shame. We can repent and take the next faithful step. Resources Mentioned Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald WhitneyNow and Not Yet by Ruth Chou SimonsOwn Your Life by Sally ClarksonROOTS Morning Journals. groundedgrowth.org/store Final Encouragement God is not looking for impressive. He is looking for faithful, the quiet yes you give Him right where you are. Think of the widow who put two small coins in the offering, and how Jesus said she had given more than all the wealthy people combined. So on the days it all feels small and unseen, keep taking the next faithful step. Next week we are continuing the series with Gentleness in a Harsh World. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.org · Instagram: @GroundedGrowthMO

  7. Sep 3

    Goodness in the Unseen Moments

    Most of us are decent enough people in public. The real test of goodness is the small, unseen moment when no one would ever know. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie continue our Fruit That Lasts series with goodness, the fruit that grows in the hidden places. Our culture likes to say people are basically good, but Scripture gives us a more honest picture and a far better hope. Goodness is not about appearing good. It is about letting God transform who we are when no one is watching. Galatians 5:22-23 calls these the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruit of our effort. Goodness is not willpower or reputation management. It is what the Holy Spirit produces in a life surrendered to Christ, and it shows up most clearly where no one is keeping score. In This Episode Why goodness is about who you are in private, not how you look in publicHow social media can quietly turn goodness into performanceThe little compromises that trade our goodness away without us noticingWhat the Pharisees, Joseph in Egypt, and Joshua's stones of remembrance teach usSimple, everyday practices for growing goodness in the unseen moments What Goodness in the Unseen Moments Actually Means Goodness begins with understanding that God, not us, is the standard of what is good. We live in a culture that says just be a good person, as though goodness is sitting inside all of us. The gospel is more honest. We are created in God's image and also broken by sin, which means we do not need more confidence in our own goodness. We need Christ to change us from the inside out. Goodness is choosing what is right when there is no audience: honesty when a lie would be easier, integrity when cutting a corner would save time, kindness when no one will ever know. Resources Mentioned You Are What You Love by James K.A. SmithSocial Sanity in an Insta World by Sarah Eekhoff ZylstraGood to Great in God's Eyes by Chip IngramThe Attributes of God by A.W. PinkROOTS Morning Journals. groundedgrowth.org/store Final Encouragement Goodness is not about being seen as good. It is about quietly becoming good in the moments only God will ever see. You do not have to overhaul everything at once. Pick one hidden place this week, one small unseen choice, and do the good and honest thing there. Remember that you are not the source of your own goodness. A.W. Pink describes God as the fountain of every good, the One from whom all goodness flows. Think of Joseph, alone in Egypt, who refused to compromise his integrity when no one from home would ever have known. His goodness in the unseen moment was really just his faithfulness to the God who was always watching. So on the days your goodness feels thin and no one is clapping, do not give up. Keep doing the small right thing in secret, and trust that the God who sees in secret is growing something lasting in you. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.org Instagram: @GroundedGrowthMO

  8. Aug 27

    Kindness That Costs Something

    Most of us have settled for being nice. Nice is easy. Kindness is something else entirely. In this episode, Nicole and Stephanie continue our Fruit That Lasts series with kindness, the fruit that almost always costs us something. Being nice is a pleasant surface. Kindness is a costly action, and the two are not the same, even though we treat them like they are. Galatians 5:22-23 calls these the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruit of our effort. Kindness is not a personality trait a few lucky people are born with. It is what the Holy Spirit grows in a life that stays close to Christ. And it starts with remembering how kind God has already been to us. In This Episode Why biblical kindness goes deeper than being pleasant, and where the "cost" actually shows upThe difference between being nice and being kind, and why we confuse themWhy our kindness runs thinnest with the people closest to usWhat Jonah, the Good Samaritan, and Boaz show us about kindnessSimple, everyday practices for growing a kindness that looks like Jesus What Kindness That Costs Something Actually Means Kindness is an attribute of God before it is a behavior we try to produce. Romans 2:4 tells us it is God's kindness that leads us toward repentance. His kindness is never just Him being nice to us. It is purposeful. It draws us back and it changes us. Micah 6:8 does not only tell us to do kind things. It tells us to love kindness, which means something is happening in the heart, not just the behavior. And that is where the word cost matters. Kindness may cost us our time, our convenience, our comfort, or the satisfaction of getting the last word. Why It Is So Hard We live in a world that rewards speed and self-protection, not sacrifice. Being nice is free. Being kind asks for our time, our comfort, and our plans, and it rarely shows up at a convenient moment. Most of us are only naturally kind to the people who can be kind back. Faith Chang names this pull in Peace Over Perfection, how prone we are to lean on our own goodness instead of resting in God's. When we forget how freely He has been kind to us, our kindness toward others turns stingy and conditional. Resources Mentioned Peace Over Perfection by Faith ChangAdamant by Lisa BevereThe Attributes of God by A.W. PinkROOTS Morning Journals. groundedgrowth.org/store Final Encouragement Kindness that looks like Jesus is not about being nice. It is about letting His love spill out of you in ways that actually cost you something. You do not have to overhaul your whole life. Pick one person this week and do one kind thing that is a little inconvenient, and let that be enough. Every bit of kindness you give is really just an echo of the kindness God has already poured over you. He was kind to you first, while you could not pay Him back at all. So on the days your kindness runs thin, do not try to squeeze more out of yourself. Go back to the One who is endlessly kind and let Him fill you again. Stay grounded and keep growing. www.groundedgrowth.org  Instagram: @GroundedGrowthMO

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5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole Ghirardi & Stephanie Petry
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Nicole Ghirardi & Stephanie Petry