Why I Started No Grit No Pearl (and What It Means to Me)

It’s been a while since I’ve written here, but today I’m finally dusting off the keyboard with something special to share. After years of procrastinating, praying, and sometimes doubting, I’ve finally launched something that’s been cooking on the stove, so to speak, and in my spirit for a long time: my new YouTube and podcast channel, No Grit No Pearl.

If you’ve followed me for a bit, you know I've never presented Songbird On the Wire as just a boutique—it’s a place I've tried to root in grace, grit, and the stories that shape us. Do I want you to buy something? Well, sure. But, it's more about the connection to ya'll than my weekly sales. And now, with No Grit No Pearl, I’m leaning into the storytelling side of things even more.

What "No Grit No Pearl" Really Means

The phrase is simple, but powerful. Pearls don’t form without irritation. Without the grit, there’s no beauty. Life is like that, too. We go through hard things—loss, heartbreak, change, waiting seasons—and yet, somehow, God uses it all to shape something meaningful in us.

This new channel is a way to speak to that. It’s for the women out there (all y'all, as we say in Texas) who have walked through fire with mud and muck on their boots, dirt under their fingernails, and faith in their bones. Women who laugh through tears and keep showing up. It’s for all of us who’ve lived a little, stumbled a lot, and still believe there’s more ahead. I want that here. 

What to Expect

Each Wednesday, I’ll post a new No Grit No Pearl episode—some with guests, some solo, some live-streaming —talking real life, Western fashion, faith, and the messy beauty of aging with confidence and style! We all need encouragement and a place to talk and chatter like birds on a barbed wire fence. (See what I did there?)

Sundays will bring Slow Down Sunday, a shorter, more devotional-style message rooted in scripture and encouragement. So join me with a cup of coffee, your Bible and any handouts I have available. 

📄 Download the Slow Down Sunday Journal Prompt – Rahab (Printable PDF) a closer look at Rahab—yes, the prostitute from the book of Joshua—who became part of Jesus’s family line. Her story is bold, gritty, redemptive. And it’s one of my favorite chapters in Liz Curtis Higgs’ Bad Girls of the Bible. If you’ve never read it, it’s a must.

You can watch the intro and subscribe to the channel here:
🎥 Watch the Intro on YouTube

Or listen to the audio-only podcast version wherever you tune in.

Let’s Ride Together

I don’t have it all figured out. I’m not trying to be polished or perfect. Uh, no. I have never been able to figure out polished or perfect. I just want to show up—authentically, faithfully, and always with humor—as we walk this road together. I view this world as a guest just her for a little while. My goals are to be a blessing to someone and to have a song in my heart every day. 

So whether you’re tuning in for a word of encouragement, a Western fashion find, or just someone who understands that a good pearl snap shirt can cure a lot of ills—welcome. I’m glad you’re here.

So, keep showing up with grit, trusting the pearl is on its way. 

Love y'all - Barbara ❤️