Testimonies from the 2004 Common Ground Retreat  

Our time in Monterey, California from March 26-28, 2004 is summarized in an article titled "Are you Called or Chosen?"  There are pictures in the photo albums as well.  Following are some of the testimonies that were turned in at the Retreat and some that came in the week following retreat. Enjoy His Presence today.

"I have been the kind of Christian who loves the Lord with all my heart for as long as I can remember. I love coming to Retreat once a year because I love the people here. But this year, something different happened to me. I saw Sandi hugging a woman on the beach. A hard looking woman, who I don't think was even in our group. She must have been hugging her for 10 minutes. The woman began to cry and as Sandi spoke the name of Jesus over her and comforted her, I began to cry and realized that I don't have a love for the lost like I should. God forgive me. I have lived my entire Christian life, loving God, but not His people who are lost. Oh God, forgive me. I have spent this weekend asking God for a burden for the lost and He has given it to me. What a thrill to have His heart's desire for the lost to be my desire! The image of God's love pouring out on a stranger on the beach in California will forever be with me and I thank the Lord that He used such a simple act of love to radically change me forever."

"I guess people come home from Retreat and say that they are changed many times. But, I never have. I was basically drug to the Common Ground Retreat and am forever grateful to the person who brought me. I've attended other retreats and considered it a waste of time. I was forced to see the "real me" during this retreat and it hurt. I have yet to stop crying. It was a pretty ugly site. I felt so much love there I still consider it a tangible thing. Complete strangers embraced me from the Abba's Heart group and let me know that I was loved. Our God has rescued me from the horrors of my past this weekend, and He did it through the love of His children. I have been placed in mental institutions 8 times, I was molested by my Uncles as a child and my abusive husband shot himself and my baby 3 years ago; they both died. I have had a lot of anger and lonliness, which, has been cured now because of the great love of God. Thanks for giving me your time and your hearts, I have found the heart of God in your arms. Thanks for that. I have never known this freedom I am walking in, ever! Each day I wake up expecting it to be gone, but it just increases in me while I sleep and each day I feel more delivered and free than I did the day before. It is supernatural! I can go on now and I will see you next year."

"I've been behaving "called" most of my life. It wasn't until this weekend that I realized that to be "chosen" means to chose Christ. It means to chose Him above all other things. If we behave chosen then we are! In my "called behavior" I have committed adultery a couple times and then kept loving the Lord and serving in His church, counting on forgiveness. At retreat, I realized called people do that, not chosen. I have chosen Christ, confessed to my wife and she has allowed restoration of our marriage at retreat. "Chosen" comes at a cost and now I am fully willing to live that cost. Thanks for a spiritual awakening."

"The waves and the surf were medicine to me. I took my notes from the sermons to the beach and sat there in the gentle breeze and let them soak into my heart. I really appreciated that there were not a lot of activities planned for Saturday in between services. It kinda forced me to be alone with Jesus and I've got to tell you, I have fallen in love with Him all over again. Never have I known His love like this!"

"As I stood there and watched the baptism in the ocean, I was amazed at not only God's creation, but His love for His creation. We looked so small compared to the mighty waves and rolling shores, but yet, we were the most important thing on that beach to God. Of all the great things He has made, He loves us best and most! I don't know, it did something for me to watch the waves roll over people getting baptised and for them to emerge victorious amidst His waves. As if they themselves, with God in them, were in charge of those waves. They bend and bow to God. It was a life changing moment for me."

"This whole retreat weekend has made me look at my own life and ask myself how much authority have I been walking in. From the times on the beach, seeing God's wonder around me and knowing He made that for my pleasure to how Sandi loves unconditionally with the love of God and how she doesn't give the devil an inch, not an inch. I determined to walk in my complete authority that day, not just the normal everyday kind, but the supernatural kind. I'm a Christian, but have been acting very normal and average. I have not been peculiar to much. Instead, the power of God has been a peculiar stranger to me. My life has not been the same since Retreat, people have noticed and my world is better for it. I'm no longer allowing the compromise that I did before. At first I thought it would be hard for me, I thought that people would give me a hard time, but instead they are proud of me. Even the non-Christians that I work with have said "Way to go!" Somehow, I think my "new faith" has given them hope, that "Yes, Christians ARE different, they DO have hope!" I believe many will come to Christ now because I'm living the life of power in Christ and abundance on this earth. I have no idea where I was all these years, but I'm back now, in the arms of Jesus and the world will know it and be saved! Praise Him and thanks for raising the bar Sandi and never letting us get away with being weak and lazy. Praise God!"

"I came because my friend said I was going and that my way was paid. Thanks for the scholarship. It was like returning a survey in the envelope because it had a stamp on it for me. I would not have gone if it had not been paid for. I've been hurt and my story is pretty average for these days. I had an affair with a pastor, a married pastor. I was newly saved and he was so kind to me. He wasn't careful and I trusted him. I developed feelings from my past in the world toward him and he never stopped it. I guess I should have, but I'm telling you, I didn't know how. I felt these feelings of affection and I ran to him for help and he helped himself. If it wasn't for the sheer love of Christ from a dear friend of mine, I would have turned from God completely. I changed jobs and moved out of town, this is the first time I've admitted this stuff in my "new location." I've been so ashamed. After a 3 year affair, I finally allowed the Holy Spirit to get a hold of me and I repented and broke it off. I've been out of church for over a year now and this is my first attempt at "coming back." I always loved the Lord, but his people,.......well, no thanks! On the first night of Retreat, people came up to me that I have never seen before and my friend smiled at me and told me, "I told you so!" She said that if I would just come, I would feel the love of saints from all over the country who love Jesus without any strings, and I didn't find them, true to their nature, they found me! I wept through most of the sermon and then after the sermon, Sandi came to me. I had never met her before. She walked up to me and said, "Jesus loves you more than you know!" She wrapped her arms around me and said, "Let it go, because I'm not going anywhere and neither is Jesus. I'll stand here as long as you need me to." I squirmed and wiggled and tried to get away. She wouldn't let me go and then she looked at me and said, "His love is unconditional, didn't you know? He will love you forever and forgives you." I broke, that was it. I couldn't take it anymore! I began to howl and I cried like I never have before. The worship team, who I thought was done, started playing again. We were in the back and I don't think anyone noticed at first, but then they began to play songs of love and forgiveness. It was the Holy Spirit sending the word to me that I was forgiven and I mattered to God. I'm supposed to bring many people to the kingdom, I've always known that, but how could I ever do that now, I have thought. God has surrounded me with people who are ungodly, but who actually want to know the truth. I never let them know my truth because of my deep pain and disappointment. Now, I am whole, now I can. Now I can do my job and bring in the lost from their dying, hurting world and give them to my Jesus. That day I was not only set free from guilt and forgiven but I felt a love of God that will take me through my lifetime. If I never, ever get another touch, it will be enough, for I have more than touched His Hem, I felt His heart and touched His face. What a supernatural God. I repented when I came out of my sin, I tried to do all the right things, but for the last year, I have not known that God had actually forgiven me. I am forgiven! Now, I can cause others, in the name of Jesus, to know that they are forgiven too! Thanks for taking the time to read this and for being there for me when I needed someone to show me Jesus. I'm back in the race and I shall win because I'm running with my Lord."

"Okay, you all probably already knew, I've had a drug problem. Just a small one, as they say! I didn't write this out at retreat because I wanted to be sure that I was out of the way. Well, God has done it! He has knocked me right out of the way! I am free and I am no longer the big hypocrite that I was before. I knew I'd get "found out" at retreat, I suppose that's why I came! Anyway, I'm solid in Him and wanted to say thanks. It happened when all of us couples came up front to get prayer over our marriages. Sandi had the single people come behind us and pray. When my wife and I received prayer a jolt went through me and I knew this wasn't a game. I've been playing it quite successfully before, but I was told, "You are now facing the living God, be careful!" And man, was Sandi right. Everything in me turned to jell-o, in fact, I'm still a bit shakey! Anyway, this gal prayed for us and I was completely delivered and in fact, my marriage is renewed as well. My wife and I have never been so much in love. Our children have even noticed it. They call the retreat "Our Honeymoon." So, thanks. I'm praying for the one that prayed so obediently for us; "Lord, let her find a mate that is as wonderful as You are." Thanks everyone for letting God be Real."

"I thought to myself, a baptism on the water, that's nuts! But then, there you have it...... it made all the sermons flow together in my soul. It made everything come alive and just as I felt all my sin each time Christ took a stripe in the movie, "The Passion." I felt each of them be washed away with each wave that rolled on by at the baptism. What a miracle. When that brother baptised his brother, it was one of the most beautiful things that I've ever seen. It was like Jesus baptising me and that's how I felt. It was so soothing and beautiful. I had to repent for judging that and I thank God that I was there to enjoy the freedom of that moment. Sometimes, I just sit and recall that moment and the peace that floods me once again, is unbelievable. Thanks Lord."

“I thank God for all of the living examples I met at Retreat of God's love and healing. I felt your prayers working before I arrived. A beautiful peace came over me. I knew it was your prayers for the retreat and all who were coming. I am in awe at the cocoon that I felt throughout the weekend. Like I was in the palm of God's hands, wrapped in His arms, under His umbrella. I prayed to feel Him, to see Him, to trust Him. When we were at the beach, I knew every one of those waves continually moving toward us always in motion were a symbol of His love as it is and always will be. I prayed and my prayers were continually answered. I asked to see God. He showed me, Jesus, weeping, wailing, and crying for us, in all of us, I saw babies and mother's love, I saw butterflies, beauty everywhere, peace was touchable through every moment, love was present. Healings were taking place in me and all around me! Music filled my heart and surrounded me and spoke to me. My heart arrived guarded, hurt and distrustful. A loving, unconditional, healing space with God and one another was experienced. Like I walked into the Heart of God and was invited to be freed from the past, to let go of whatever I have been holding onto. I realized that I expected God to be unconditional with me, yet I was being very conditional with God. That I desired His love although was withholding my own. Called yet not chosen. I became aware of how God must feel all this time I have withheld my heart from Him because of the pain I feel when other's with hold there heart from me. So I put my heart in His hands, I made the boat of my life His boat. I was afraid to receive the life in the spirit. I heard the words, the truth, that it definitely will not hurt me. So I received. My heart wanted to wrap my arms around hurting people along with Sandi. So I prayed for Sandi. I desired to bring her a drink of water, to hug her, pray for her, minister to her too. I prayed to be made an instrument of whatever God wishes to have me be an instrument in and for Him. I was touched in realizing how important it is to tell God the truth! That I need not worry about tomorrow, be here today, pray today, do what I can today, tomorrow is in God's hands. The music was wonderful, the words, so touching. The thankfulness to God was touching. The butterfly's flying around during our beach time on Sunday as the waves of God's love were consistently coming in toward us, as we stood and sat on the sands of time with the all encompassing closure of the retreat was awesome. I am overflowing as you may tell. I reflecting on the heart and love of God, as a marriage, as a relationship. I realized I am never alone. I know now that God believes wholeheartedly in me, I am his beloved bride. If God seems far away who moved? I did. God is Now and nowhere else. I am so thankful to the seed that has blossomed within my heart. I was afraid of the liar and the stealer. I was reminded that as long as I have God in my heart, my mind, soul, and in my spirit. Living under this daily chosen nurtured umbrella, I am safe. I get what I nurture. Growth requires nurturing. Thank you for being the living vessels of Gods, Grace, Love and Healing. I prayed for God to move mountains in me because I am stubborn. He did and I thank you for causing me to set some time aside to know that!”

"I want to thank you for such a wonderfully peaceful and loving time in or
wonderful Lord-Jesus this past weekend. I have been praying for a month before the retreat and asking God what His purpose was with me at the retreat. The Lord started having me pray for His truth to be revealed about this matter in which I have unfortunately struggled with since last October. I also had determined in my heart that this was the weekend that I laid all my pain at the feet of Jesus and not pick it up again. I shouldn't be amazed at God, but I still am. The message for the weekend has been the cry of my heart for about two months now. On Friday night I left early to go back to my room with just God and me and read your booklet entitled, "The Bride and the Church". I wept uncontrollably. I have asked God to reveal His truth about any unrighteousness that is in my heart. Your little book made me realize that I've become the bride with the messy dress. This absolutely broke me. I also was able to see how the second bride desired nobody else but her Lord. This was a very hard truth for me to realize, but I'm blessed that God loves me so much to be completely honest with me. I have put so much emphasis on preparing my heart for my earthly groom, that I have put my eternal groom in second. This absolutely tore me up in the spirit for my sweet Jesus. However, I have walked away with a peace and a love and a deeper revelation of God's love for all of His children and how his heart just breaks when we are disobedient to him. I have asked the Lord to forgive me for not trusting in Him. While I was sitting at the beach Saturday morning, the Lord put a song in my heart by Sheila Walsh called, "The Love of God", one of the verses in the song says this, "The love of God, would drain the ocean dry". Then I looked out at the vast ocean and just started weeping, just to get a visual of how much God loves each of us is so amazing to me. The Lord then gave me Psalms 40:1-4: ‘I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ This past weekend, helped me to determine in my heart that I will walk 'Chosen rather than Called.' It has also helped me to also determine in my heart that my Lord and Savior is all that I need for a mate. I'm so blessed that the Lord would show me so much truth about my own torn- up spiritual state, but to do it with so much love…….All I want to do now and forevermore is praise and worship my God and love the Lord as much as He loves me.”

"This whole gathering of people from across America was not only helpful, but inspirational. When I see this many people excited about God in one awesome place, I see thqt God is alive and His presence is among us. I think the Nature surrounding this place, especially the ocean, is really a peaceful place to love the Lord and sing of His goodness. I loved hearing the prayers of others, and their testimonies were amazing. The outcries of the people as they interceeded for the causes of God was the most amazing part to me. The sermons were like things that I have never heard before. I cried through most of it because of the power of God that was there. What a privilege to meet and walk with, even for a short time, people who have paid a high price and love the Lord so much. The sermons made me look inside myself and examine how I am living my life. I am a wanderer who has recently repented and truly accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. The first night, when it was time for prayer, after that sermon that changed me forever; I went to my knees as God's words hit deep into the heart of my very soul. I could feel the Holy Spirit changing me, it was a tangible thing. I felt God's presence in me like I never have before. Retreat was two weeks ago, and the burning fire in my soul has not left me. I pray that it never does. I shall go and win the lost with the Love of God and the fire of His presence and yes, even am so doing now."

"This weekend was definitely a landmark weekend in my life. As the music played, people were raising their hands and singing. I myself, began to sing with joyfulness, this has never happened to me before. I felt the meaning of the words that were spoken from the pulpit with intensity. When Sandi asked for people to come forward for prayer and respond to God's Word and His Spirit, I ran to the altar and just fell to my knees. I ran because the sins of my p0ast have always dictated the decisions I make daily and I was not only sad and unhappy about that, but I wanted to have my past stop telling me what to do. I wanted to fully accept Jesus and have all these demons from my past cast out that I could live free. I wanted my sins forgiven. I have been forgiven and no longer am controlled by my past of the devil that I served there. I asked Jesus to open my heart, mind, eyes and soul to Him and only Him that night, so that I would know His presence. He sent Sandi over to me right at that time and what she said changed my life forever because I know those were the words of God. I felt so special that God would care for me so much. A weight has lifted off my shoulders since that day. I have taken a step down the new path of life that I will be on forever. Thank you Lord and thank you everyone for helping me get there this weekend! I was baptized in the ocean by my brother and now know that the Lord is my constant. I have done many bad things in my life and used to cry sometimes knowing I hurt myself, others and even God. But now, I can smile, knowing all is forgiven!"

"I've been a Christian for 22 years and found myself recommitting myself to this true and living God that I barely knew until this weekend."

"I was born and raised in the Mormon church. I am a 5th generation Mormon, or should I say, 'I was.' The demons of Mormonism have been cast out of me this weekend and I see the truth clearly now. I shall be going forward to win my family for the Lord Jesus now and appreciate your prayers. I will see you next year and hopefully bring many of my family members who will be shouting 'Jesus is Lord!' with me. I love you all."

"I loved the services and the time with retreat 'family.' Last year was my first year and everyone welcomed me in so openly, that I came back this year. I take these sermons and fire back to my own church. My pastor paid my way this year, because I'm in leadership and he said that coming last year so changed my life and it helped so many people in the church that they wanted me to go again this year. Next year, the staff will be attending. Thanks for not holding anything back and loving us, no matter what church we come from. It is the love of God that we feel in such a rare way that is unbelievable here."

"After Saturday morning's service, I went to my room by myself and sat alone for awhile. No music, no reading, just Jesus. I attempting to do what Sandi said, BE STILL and KNOW THAT HE IS GOD! I always come running with my prayer requests, which is good; but, I hardly ever just sit still enough to HEAR HIM speak to me. Well, thanks for not having a bunch of silly things to make us feel 'required' to attend. These retreats are so beautiful because Jesus is lifted up above all things and all people. So, I went to my room and heard Jesus like I never have before. I was carried off into a fabulous vision, which has never happened before. I told no-one, for the power of it, and people commented to me about how different I looked and wanted to know what happened. They thought I got a really good nap! I tell you that I spent that afternoon at the feet of Jesus like never before. Oh, to see Him clearly and to know Him fully!
The peace that flooded my soul that day has yet to leave. My entire family has noticed something different, well, in fact, everyone has! It's because I sat with Jesus. How sweet and how good that is. Thank you so very much for the opportunity to 'get away' with Him. The Lord has been knocking on this door for years and I was always too busy to sit with Him. Five hours seems like 15 minutes. I am truly changed forever!"

"Because of my rebellion, there was a time in my life of great darkness. A place of confusion and tragedy. Great was the horror and sorrow of it. And yet..... God is God. In the midst of my horror, He protected me. He held the calling of my life in His hands. The precious lives He had entrusted to me, I failed them so terribly. And still..... God is God. He did not fail my lchildren and He did not fail me, inspite of me! He remained faithfully unwavering! How beyond my understanding is His unconditional love for me. As only God could do ----- He made beauty from ashes. Truly, He turned my horror and tragedy into a place of peace and abundance of goodness, and this weekend, I finally can rest in that and know that without any condemnation! I don't have words for the fullness of peace and blessing my life is today. God has given great favor and peace to my children. Before this weekend, I always doubted that and tormented myself because I have been so guilty of so many things. The horror that should have destroyed us all, sits powerless in
the deepest sea. God showed me His great affection for me and my children this weekend. He showed me the great wonder of His heart toward us. He called me to sit at His feet this weekend and it has been a wonderful time of refreshing and destruction of guilt. I am His daughter and it is good! I am not a slave! He loves me without measure and I almost cannot contain the gratitude. Truly, He loved me when I didn't love Him. The beauty and intimate walk He calls me to this day causes me to stop and look back and remember the great, great, great miracle of redemption and grace that is my life. I can walk with Jesus now with full assurance. The past cannot touch me. God has touched me and I will forever be changed. Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus!"

“The topic of this retreat was right on for me. “Are we Called or Chosen?
I understand more deeply how to apply obedience to the Lord in my life now. Not only through the preaching and the word, but specifically through the modeling I see. The Lord knows how much I need a model for what a "chosen servant of God" can be. Who you are as you do His work speaks volumes to me about how an authentic Christian lives a spiritual life. His work through my Christian sisters and brothers at these Retreats has greatly influenced our family dynamics. I now refuse to compromise my decision to be "chosen" in order to walk called under the condemnation of man. How we live our lives as chosen vessels of honor is very much within us all the time as we open up more and more to God's love and to His will for us. Thank you for the retreat, for making it possible for so many to get set free and for being such a clear and powerful voice for God's message. Until we meet again………."


JUST IN CASE:

If you would like a copy of the booklet which holds the "Vision of The Bride and The Church" that is referred to in some of these testimonies, just click here  and Brenda will be happy to send you one.  You may also read it online, click here.

If you want the sermon tapes from the weekend, click here,  or want to register for next year's Common Ground Retreat, click here.
$50.00 will hold your spot. The Retreat will be held from April 8-10, 2005 at Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort in Santa Barbara, California.  More.

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