The Bible will never feel the same again...
Imagine your morning devotions coming alive in the very places Paul preached, wrote, and worshiped alongside the early church.
This is an experience for women and married couples. Single men are not able to attend.
An Immersive Bible Study Experience Through the Streets and Scriptures of Rome
You know these stories by heart. Paul under house arrest. Believers worshiping in secret because it could cost them everything. You've read them for years, maybe even taught them, and still closed your Bible wondering if you understood them the way you were meant to.
Walking where the Scriptures were written will change everything.
In Rome, we'll walk the same stones Paul walked, stand in the prison where he wrote his final letter, and go down into the catacombs where the early church worshiped underground. These were people with homes, and fears, and families, in a city you can now walk through yourself.
You'll go home understanding Scripture in a way you never have before, with a faith that finally feels like your own instead of one you inherited from someone else.
Rome does something to me every time I go, and it's not really about the ruins.
It's about what happens when you leave your ordinary week behind and step into a city that still holds the ground where the early church prayed, hid, and died for what they believed. For seven days, nobody needs anything from you. The time with God you keep meaning to protect is already built into the day.
I've spent decades in ministry, and one thing has never changed for me: Scripture becomes something entirely different once you have been to the place it happened. I've watched people who have read the Bible their whole lives see it in a completely new way after seeing the ground it was written on and about.
That's what I want for you this week. To stop reading about the early church's faith and finally step inside it.
You've spent years reading these stories. This week you get to live inside them.
As we move through the streets where Paul preached and stand in the rooms where the early church gathered, you'll begin to see the Bible the way the people who lived it did. Not as ancient history, but as a real cost, paid by real people, for something they knew was true.
You won't be doing this alone. Every day you'll be alongside a group of believers asking the same honest questions you are, learning and processing together what God is revealing.
And you won't come home with only memories. You'll come home with a daily rhythm with God that survives a normal week, a way to open Scripture and actually understand it, and more confidence that the voice you are hearing is His.
This week is about your faith becoming yours, so you can know God and make Him known.
You'll be staying in a 16th-century cardinal's villa in the hills just outside Rome, about a half hour from the center of the city. The estate was built in 1580, and that history is still visible in the frescoed ceilings and painted walls of its rooms and corridors.
The villa sits on a panoramic hilltop surrounded by a large historic park, with quiet walking paths beneath old trees and views that stretch across the Roman hills toward the city itself. In the evenings you can watch the sun set over the countryside and see Rome glowing in the distance.
Meals are served in the villa's dining rooms, and there is room to gather, study, and simply be together at the end of a full day. This is your home base for the week, the place you come back to each night after walking the streets and sites of the New Testament.
On Bible Study Live trips, meals are part of how we build relationship. Each morning starts with breakfast together at the villa before we head out for the day, simple food, easy conversation, and plenty of coffee to go around.
Your week is bookended by two special dinners: a welcome dinner the night you arrive, and a farewell dinner on your last night together. In between, you'll eat the way Italians do, conversation keeps going after the plates are cleared. One afternoon in Naples, we stop for pizza in the city that invented it, sitting down together in the middle of a long day of walking.
You'll leave the table having laughed with someone you just met, prayed with someone who already feels like family, and by the end of the week, built friendships that long outlast the trip.
Accommodations & Meals
Teaching & Touring
Bible Study Live Bonuses
● Airfare to and from Rome
● Meals while traveling to and from the villa on arrival and departure days (breakfast is included the morning of checkout)
● Alcohol
● Travel insurance, which is highly recommended
● Medical costs, hospitalization, or evacuation expenses
● Any meals or beverages not mentioned above
● Personal shopping and expenses
About seven years ago, the Lord met me in the garden behind the Villa you see at the top of this page. In the quiet places of my heart, the Lord showed me an image of myself, teaching a group of people the Word. At the time, it didn't seem to make sense. This was before my books were published, before the podcast, and before I knew what was to come with Bible Study Live.
But that dream God placed on my heart never left.
Years later, the Lord opened up the door for me to bring a group of people with me. What we saw that first year was nothing short of a miracle.
People were healed. Shame was lifted. God's heart was revealed in powerful ways.
On every trip since, I have seen the same pattern unfold: we may make the plans, but the Lord is the One who sets the agenda.
I have witnessed firsthand as God has continued to soften hearts and reveal His Spirit, and I have watched what it actually looks like for someone to finally "get it."
Friend, I want that for you, too.
I want you to experience the kind of faith that happens when you see God move and you experience Him firsthand.
If there is something in you that is prompting you to come with me this year, I want you to know that is not by accident.
Let THIS be the year you step inside the story.
Will you join me?
"My perspective of the Bible has changed. I can picture so much more of the New Testament now since this experience. It really brings some of the pages of Scripture to life."
— Lisa, Rome 2025
"I came home feeling transformed and restored. The anxiety I held in my heart and shoulders is gone. I feel more at peace."
— Andi, Rome 2025
"Walking towards the Catacombs, I will never forget how God met me on that road and spoke to me and welcomed me. That moment is etched in my mind. All I have to do is close my eyes and immediately I'm back in Rome with my God."
— Maria, Rome 2025
"I wasn't aware of how affected I was until I arrived home. Two days after my return, I was struck by God's awesomeness. I physically felt Him, His Love, His Adoration, His Abundance, His Joy."
— Susan, Rome 2025, Maui 2026
"I had never been the woman who said yes to things like solo traveling, due to fear. This trip is the first time in my life that I truly took initiative and trusted in God alone, and it was the best decision I made. If you are nervous to do this on your own, please don't be. Take that step and let God handle the rest."
-Stephanie, Rome 2025, Maui 2026
"One of the sweetest gifts from the Hearing Jesus trip to Italy wasn’t just experiencing the beauty, history, and faith-filled moments together—it was the friendships God formed along the way. When we signed up for the trip, we expected to see incredible places and deepen our faith. What we didn’t fully anticipate was the lasting connection with fellow believers who would become dear friends. This past week, Jesse and I traveled to North Carolina to spend time with Lisa, someone we met on that trip. Sitting together, sharing meals, laughing, praying, and simply doing life for a few days was such a reminder of God’s goodness. God’s family truly has no borders, and sometimes the most unexpected blessings are the people He places in our path along the journey."
- Silvia, Rome 2025, Maui 2026
Is this retreat for me?
If you've read the New Testament for years and it still feels like someone else's story from far away, and you're ready for it to become something you've actually experienced, this retreat was built for you.
Is this only for women?
No, this retreat welcomes women and couples coming together. It's just not built for men attending on their own.
Do I need to know the Bible well to come?
Not at all. Teaching is accessible and personal, built for anyone ready to engage with the text seriously, not for those who already have it all figured out.
What is the daily schedule like?
Mornings begin with breakfast and teaching before we head out. Days are spent on location at the sites themselves, with teaching tied to wherever we're standing. Evenings bring the group back together over dinner. These are full days, and one of them starts early for our trip to Pompeii and Naples. A full itinerary is provided closer to the trip dates.
What do I pack?
November in Rome runs cool and often wet, with highs in the low 60s and evenings dropping into the 40s. Bring layers, a waterproof jacket, and a scarf. Comfortable, broken-in walking shoes matter more than anything else you pack. You'll also want something modest for church and Vatican sites, where shoulders and knees need to be covered.
Do I need a visa?
American travelers do not currently need a visa for a trip this length, but Europe's new ETIAS travel authorization has been delayed to 2027 and may be in place by November. It's an online form, around twenty euros, good for three years. Your passport should be valid for at least three months past our return. I'll confirm exactly what's required in your Rome Traveler Guide as we get closer.
Can I room with a friend?
Yes, just let us know during registration and we'll pair you together. Rooming together is also the lower price. If you'd rather have a room to yourself, single occupancy is available for a limited number of guests.
How is this different from Maui or Greece?
Rome walks the broader story of the early church, the places where Paul preached, was imprisoned, and wrote, and where believers worshiped underground when it cost them everything. Greece goes narrower and deeper into the specific women who led alongside Paul. Maui is a return to Genesis and creation itself, asking not what happened, but who you were made to be. Of the three, Rome is the most immersive in the actual text, and the most physically demanding.
Is it safe to travel to Rome?
Yes. Rome is one of the most visited cities in the world with excellent infrastructure for travelers. The most common issue is pickpocketing in crowded areas and on public transit, which is worth being mindful of. We travel as a group with local guides throughout, and I'll be with you all week, so you're never navigating logistics alone.
What is the weather like in November?
Cool, often cloudy, with highs generally in the low 60s and evenings in the 40s. Rain is fairly common, so a waterproof layer is worth packing. The upside is real: far fewer crowds at the sites than summer, and comfortable temperatures for the amount of walking we do.
How much walking is involved?
More than a normal day at home, so plan for it. On touring days you'll be walking several miles, much of it on cobblestones, uneven ground, and ancient stone worn smooth over two thousand years. Several sites have stairs with no elevator, and a few have very little shade. You don't need to be an athlete, but you do need to be able to walk a few miles at a comfortable pace, manage stairs, and be on your feet for a good part of the day. Bring shoes you have already broken in, and bring a second pair. If you have a mobility concern, email me before you register and we'll talk it through honestly.
What should I expect to walk away with?
That's a hard one to answer, and I want to be honest about why. This week is built for spiritual growth, for understanding Scripture in the place it happened, and for time with God without the noise of regular life. What that does in you is between you and Him. Some people leave with a decision they had been avoiding. Some leave with a quieter kind of clarity. Some leave mostly rested, and that turns out to be the thing they needed. I can promise you good teaching, good food, good company, and a week shaped with care. I can't promise a particular outcome, and I wouldn't trust anyone who did.
What is your cancellation policy?
A non-refundable retainer of $500 is required at registration to hold your spot and is applied toward your retreat total. After you register, we'll schedule a call together, which takes place within 30 days of registration. If we determine this retreat isn't the right fit for you, your retainer is refunded in full. Your retainer is also refunded in full if She Hears, LLC cancels the retreat. Apart from those two circumstances, the retainer is non-refundable.
If cancellation occurs on or before February 28, 2027, there will be no loss beyond the retainer. Cancellation received in writing between March 1 and July 30, 2027 results in a loss of 50% of the retreat price. Cancellation received in writing between July 31 and October 8, 2027 results in a loss of 75% of the retreat price. Cancellation on or after October 9, 2027 results in a total loss of funds. Any request for a refund must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the date of cancellation. Travel insurance is highly recommended. All cancellations must be made in writing to Rachael D. Groll at [email protected]. Full terms are provided at registration.
Is there a payment plan?
Yes. A non-refundable $500 retainer holds your spot when you register and is applied toward your retreat total, followed by five installments of $1,140 due the first of each month from February through June 2027, with any remaining balance due July 1, 2027. If you register after that schedule has passed, payment is due in full at registration.
Still have a question?
Email Rachael at [email protected]. I'm happy to help.
Rome, Italy 
