For years, I dreamed of attending the Speak Up Conference, but it remained just out of reach year after year. I hosted an annual event for my special needs daughter and families with the disease she suffered from. It always fell on the exact dates as the Speak Up Conference. Then, 2019 brought a devastating change—my daughter passed away. The following year, 2020, amidst the global turmoil of COVID-19, a blessing emerged: I could finally attend Speak Up, even if it were virtually.
That first virtual conference was an experience I’ll never forget. From the moment I logged in, I could feel the presence of God moving through the event. The attendees’ authenticity, passion, and spirit were palpable, even across the screen. When Carol introduced me, saying, “This is Rachel Wojo; we’re in an author mastermind group together,” I felt a stirring amid the audience. The sessions were enriching, and the connections I made were invaluable. But after the conference ended, the question came up time and time again, “What’s an author/speaker mastermind group?”
I emailed Carol, expressing my gratitude and excitement about the conference. Yet, as a strategist and activator, I couldn’t shake the feeling that God wanted to do something new. Speak Up was incredible—like drinking from a fire hose—but what happens afterward? How do you process, implement, and grow from all the wisdom shared when you’re back in the day-to-day grind? I shared an idea with Carol, hoping to offer a solution to what I saw as a gap.
Carol’s response was both encouraging and challenging. Like any great leader, she asked for help. “Rachel, I love these ideas. Will you lead this endeavor? And so, after much prayer, reflection, and the undeniable nudging of the Holy Spirit, the Speak Up Growth Groups were born.
Developing Your Lifeline
These Growth Groups are designed to be that lifeline—your community, your accountability, your ongoing support. They come in two levels: Lean In and Learn On.
Lean In is perfect for those new to mastermind groups or with limited experience. It’s a peer-to-peer group where we walk through a monthly focused topic together, fostering discussion, accountability, and community. Each 90-minute Zoom session is guided by a discussion facilitator, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to grow and share in a supportive environment.
Learn On, on the other hand, is for those ready to take their ministry to the next level. This intensive coaching group includes everything from Lean In, plus 20 minutes of personalized coaching, additional resources, and a monthly bonus Zoom meeting with Carol Kent, me, and our intensive coaching group leaders. It’s a place to dive deeper, push harder, and see real growth in your calling.
We also offer specialty groups within Learn On, focusing specifically on podcasting and writing. These groups follow the same format but are tailored to help you hone in on these particular skills.
I invite you to join us in a Speak Up Growth Group. Don’t just survive until the next conference—thrive all year long with a community that understands your journey, challenges you to grow, and supports your every step. Let us help you answer your “HOW?” and walk alongside you as you continue to pursue the calling God has placed on your life.
Registration closes 8/28/24, so don’t delay. We’d love to see you there!
Question: What is the biggest challenge you face in your ministry right now? How can we pray for you?
About Rachel Wojo
Rachel Wojo is the Speak Up Growth Groups director, author, public speaker, and podcaster who hosts Bible reading challenges on her popular blog, rachelwojo.com, Her biblical approach and life circumstances influence women to find strength and hope in everyday situations. The ideal desperate pray-er to shed light on asking God questions, Rachel’s journey includes losing her mother to leukemia, her adult special needs daughter to a rare neurologically degenerative disease, and her father to illness. She is the author of Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life’s Darkest Moments. Mostly, Rachel is crazy in love with Matt, mom to six on earth and two in heaven.