Today's summer pop-up episode features stories from our very own Grove Podcast listeners in our first ever Friendcast! Back in the Spring, we asked our listeners to send in mini-podcast episodes sharing Jesus stories and chatting with the women who inspire them. Today we will hear from four of those submitted episodes! You'll hear women in various seasons of life sharing stories of life transition, the challenges of motherhood, struggles through dark seasons, and how Jesus carried each one and used His Church to surround and support.

Today we are wrapping up Season 1 of the Grove Podcast with one of our most powerful episodes yet. We get to hear from Shelley Giglio and some of her dearest friends - Courtney Pray Duke, Angela Richardson, and Kerri Stanfill - as they recount the days surrounding the sudden and tragic death of Courtney’s husband, Andrew Pray. No one ever feels prepared to walk through something like this, and we rarely feel equipped to help others as they walk a road we haven’t walked. But as these women share, it’s clear to see how they were each given exactly what they needed for each moment. They talk about listening to the Holy Spirit when He calls us to step outside of our comfortable norms, and they give the most beautiful picture of Gospel community through their unexpected relationships. You’ll hear the redemption story of what they have seen and you’ll be so encouraged to keep pushing through as you walk alongside those who are hurting and to hold on to hope in your own dark season. This episode helps us launch our summer of the Grove Friendcast as we are asking YOU to share podcast episodes with us! Just grab a girlfriend or someone who inspires you and record a 5-10 minute mini-podcast episode and send it our way. We want to hear your Jesus stories - how you’ve been inspired to give shade to people in your path, how you choose to flourish where you’re planted, and how you’ve been set free! Check out passioncitychurch.com/thegrove for more details on how to submit your episode. And we’ll see you in September for season 2 of the Grove Podcast!

In today’s episode, we have a dear friend of The Grove and Passion City Church, DawnCheré Wilkerson. She and her husband Rich serve as pastors of Vous Church in Miami, FL. DawnCheré joined us for our last Grove gathering of the season and brought an incredibly powerful and encouraging message. Today she sits down with Shelley Giglio and discusses her heart for building the Church, the rhythms of working with your husband, and walking through infertility - and other seasons of waiting - with hope and expectation.To learn more about the Wilkersons and Vous, check out vouschurch.com.

Today we’ve got Maya Moore on the Grove Podcast! Maya is quite possibly the best female basketball player of all time. In 2017, Sports Illustrated called her “the greatest winner in the history of women’s basketball” after winning her 4th WNBA title. She’s got several MVP awards as well as Olympic gold medals. But she also has a huge heart for activism and is shaping the culture around her in countless ways. Maya is an all-around phenomenal human and serves faithfully at Passion City Church in the worship choir most weekends. Today she sits down with Shelley Giglio and shares about being raised by a single mom, discovering her abilities, having perspective through great success and how Jesus has carried her through it all. We trust you will be so encouraged after hearing her story, and you’ll want to be sure to learn more about her social justice campaign at winwithjustice.org.

Today on the Grove Podcast, Shelley Giglio sits down with a dear friend of the Grove, Katherine Wolf. On April 21, 2008, Katherine suffered a massive brain stem stroke, which could have left her paralyzed or in a vegetative state, but the Lord had different plans for their family. Although she is still severely disabled, and struggles with many harsh side effects of her stroke and the events that followed, she and her husband Jay and their two boys have learned to thrive in their story. Katherine and Jay recently moved their family cross-country from Los Angeles to Atlanta and are a part of the Passion City Church family. In today’s episode, she shares with Shelley how she has come to love her story, how God has healed her heart and given her the ability to “hope while you cope.” They talk about raising boys, the challenges of watching them grow in their understanding of her disability, and even relate to each other as being daughters of dads living with cancer. It’s an honor to have her share with us today, especially in the wake of the 11th anniversary of the day that would mark her life forever. To learn more about their ministry, their book Hope Heals and their Hope Heals family camps, visit HopeHeals.com.

Are you a young woman seeking guidance? An experienced woman hoping to share your wisdom with those a few steps behind? A small group leader looking to begin a mentoring program? You’ll love this episode of the Grove Podcast! Today you’ll hear from Shelley Giglio and some other amazing women from Passion City Church as they discuss the scriptural calling to mentorship. They share their own stories of how mentoring has shaped their lives and the real change that can occur when the truth is held up like a mirror by someone who is committed to walking alongside you. They also unpack the new Flourish mentoring curriculum coming out in May of this year that will be available wherever Christian resources are sold! This year-long mentoring journey created in partnership with LifeWay + Passion City Church will help you establish strong relationships between both mentors and mentees as you dig into understanding God’s truth and love through His Word together. Be sure to check out passioncitychurch.com/flourish for more tools on mentoring and starting your own groups.

Today on the Grove Podcast, we have our very dear friend Lisa Harper. Lisa is a speaker, an author, and one of the most phenomenal Bible teachers we know; but she is proudest of the title “mama" to her daughter Missy, who she adopted from Haiti in 2014. Today she sits down in a candid chat with Shelley Giglio, as they discuss the pain of singleness, the challenges of motherhood and how she maintains a deep gratitude to the Lord in the midst of it all. To learn more about Lisa, and to access her many books and Bible studies, check out LisaHarper.net.

In today’s episode, we’ll hear a powerful talk—recorded live at the Grove!—from Emily Vogeltanz, as she teaches and challenges us around what it looks like to be holy as Jesus is holy. Se unpacks several passages from Ephesians and encourages us not to cheapen the gift of the cross by living a life of less, but to step fully into our calling, embracing holiness. Emily serves on our Passion City Church staff team, and is one of the original members of the Grove Team. She’s a phenomenal teacher, rich in wisdom and insight, and we trust you will find this talk helpful today!

Today’s episode is a powerful talk from our dear friend, Christine Caine. She and her family are extended family to Passion City Church and the Grove and we are always honored to have them in the House. Today, Christine unpacks a passage from John 5 and asks the question, “Do you WANT to be healed?” It will leave you considering what it looks like to get off your proverbial “mat” and walk in true freedom. Today’s message was recorded live at the Grove. Christine Caine is a wife, mother, international speaker and author. She and her husband Nick founded Propel Women, as well as their anti-human trafficking organization, the A21 campaign. To find out more about Christine Caine and her books and other resources, check out christinecaine.com.

Join us today as we journey into the Grove Swap! The Grove Swap is an annual clothing exchange that happens in January at Passion City Church. Throughout the Fall, we have women from our House bring beautiful pieces from their own closets - clothes, shoes, purses, jewelry - and we carefully curate them and transform our building into a beautiful boutique where women can come and shop for FREE! Today we’ll hear some of the stories that came from the night, right as they were happening. We’ll also get a behind the scenes look at both the vision for our Swap as well as how we do it! Check out passioncitychurch.com/thegrove for more help on how to put on a clothing swap in your city.