Hey friend,

We’ve been praying for you.

A while back, we felt strongly that today’s episode was supposed to be recorded...

Despite potentially being misunderstood.

Despite perhaps getting pushback.

Despite getting straight up criticized or canceled.

But with the signs of the times… and the great privilege (and responsibility) of being hosts of a podcast that strives to have open and authentic conversations about living out our faith in everyday life…

We honestly felt it’d be unfaithful not to follow through with today’s podcast episode.

Before you listen/watch, we want to ask you 2 things today:

1. Please listen with an open heart and mind. ❤️
   
   We know that this topic is a polarizing one…
   
   And it sadly often turns people against each other, especially when so many conversations about it have not been empathy-driven.
   
   It triggers emotions, experiences, and wounds from people’s pasts.
   
   It causes people to put up guards and walls as soon as it’s mentioned.
   
   We really don’t want this episode to come off preachy or un-compassionate.
   
   We simply want to share testimonies of how we’ve seen God working - and help people discover and discern how God is working in their own hearts and lives.
   

2. Please pray for us this week. 🙏 
   
   We really just don’t know what to expect.
   
   Yet, we’re also bracing for “the worst,” whatever that might be.
   
   The bright side of still being relatively “small” is that we don’t have as “much” to lose.
   
   But the downside is that we also have everything to lose… especially because we truly treasure and care for each person who listens.
   
   We want them to know God’s heart for them.
   
   We also know that we’re not perfect… far from it.
   
   And so though we tried our best with this conversation, it was still difficult, and imperfect.
   
   There are a million ways it probably could’ve still been “better.”
   
   It was also definitely the MOST technically challenging episode we’ve recorded, especially given the super weak wi-fi on our guest’s end in Mozambique.
   
   (Thankfully, the tool was still able to record it all - and we were able to stitch all the pieces back together after MANY hours! 🙏 )
   
   Nevertheless, we are believing and trusting in the sufficiency of God’s grace… and his ability to redeem and still work through every way we might fall short.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for your prayers.

We truly hope that today’s episode helps and blesses you, and that it fuels you to love, pursue, and reflect God with your whole heart. 🤍 

How do we navigate Pride Month as Christians?

We all come from varying experiences, views, & emotions when it comes to the topic of sexual orientation.

You might feel like the odd one out in your workplace, unsure of what to do in cultures that celebrate Pride.

Or, you might feel like the odd one out in church circles, upset about Christians who seem bigoted or hateful.

Or, you might identify as LGBTQIA+ yourself, but have been hurt by the Church's responses - or are afraid of being "found out."

With so much complexity around this, we recognize it's a sensitive one that's hard to talk about, let alone know how to approach in our everyday lives.

Today, Grace is joined by her friend Nadia Benbernou, as Nadia opens up about some incredible stories of how Jesus has transformed her life...

From a comfy career as a Google engineer with a PhD from MIT, to becoming a full-time missionary in one of the poorest & most dangerous countries in the world...

And from being in a same-sex relationship for 10 years (& then marriage), to having God completely transform her identity & sexuality in ways she least unexpected.

Wherever you might currently stand, our genuine hope and prayer is that this conversation inspires you - and perhaps challenges you - to consider what God can do in and through people... and to have and reflect the kind of true freedom, peace, and wholeness he so deeply desires for ALL of us. ❤️ ✨ 

✨ Episode 9 is OUT NOW ✨ 

"I Was In A Same-Sex Relationship for 10 Years" (LGBTQIA+ & Faith)

- Nadia Benbernou, Full-Time Missionary & Former Google Engineer

💬 Join us for this episode as we unpack:

• What led Nadia from Google engineering into full-time missions in Mozambique

• Adjusting from Google to Mozambique

• God at work amidst violent Christian persecution

• Nadia's testimony of how Jesus radically transformed her life

• Reconciling SSA / gender dysmorphia with faith & identity

• How do we discern confusion vs. truth?

• How can the Church better support those who identify as LGBTQIA+?

• The responsibility of pastors / preachers

• How can Christians navigate Pride Month with truth AND love?

• The importance of this moment in history (& what this means for us)

• and more