Sandra
Sandra’s sunny smile and cheerfulness have endeared her to everyone at GRACE MB Church. There is an air of joy about her. The wonder of knowing God is in her eyes. We are blessed to have witnessed her first hopeful steps in following Jesus. God has done, and is doing, a wonderful work in her life. The past 6 months, especially, have been life-changing for Sandra—studying at Youth With A Mission in Australia, and then ministering with the YWAM group in southern India. No doubt, this experience has broadened her vision immeasurably. It’s intriguing to think what further adventures of faith await her, as she follows on with the Lord.
Sandra was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, October 19, 1982—the first child of Ross and Marcia G. She has two brothers and one sister. The children were taken to Sunday School regularly in those days. “We’d stand in a big circle holding hands and say The Lord’s Prayer,” remembers Sandra. “But as far as I can remember I never heard anything about having a personal relationship with Jesus. Maybe I just didn’t happen to hear about it. I’m not sure. As far as I knew, you were a Christian as long as you believed in God…” The family moved to Penticton, BC when Sandra was about 10 years old, and has lived in this area ever since, at several different addresses.
“For the first two years we lived in a trailer over by the water-slides,” she recalled. “There were a lot of disturbed people living there then; all kinds of terrifying things went on.” Sandra witnessed much that is unfit for children to see. “I realize now that all of this had a kind of desensitizing effect on me. I’ve seen a lot of very disturbing things, unfortunately.”
Though she was rather shy, Sandra quickly made friends at school. She loved music, and gravitated to those with similar interests. “We were all in a band together and hung out in the band room at lunch and after school. I guess we were ‘band geeks’,” she laughed. A girl named Karen, from England, was her classmate in grade seven. Sandra remembers how strange Karen’s British accent sounded to all the children. “We weren’t really friends at that time, though,” said Sandra, “we just knew each other.” That acquaintance turned out to be providential.
When she was 16 years old Sandra was shattered by the betrayal of a close friend. False rumors practically ruined her reputation at school. She was left friendless and alone. Even the following year, at High School, relationships continued to be painfully difficult for her. “I’d bounce from group to group, never really accepted,” she said sadly. “Then I found Karen again; and she introduced me to Kate, Niki, and Jenn. We all became really good friends.” Soon Sandra began attending Youth Group at GRACE MB with these girls. “I was amazed! Everyone there was so loving and accepting. I couldn’t get over that! And Youth Group was a blast! I loved it. I couldn’t believe how loving Sott and Jo-Anne [the Youth Leaders] were.”
At that time Sandra began attending Sunday services, too. “The community there was just amazing. I’d come to church on Sunday and people would give me hugs. That was just unheard of to me. No one ever hugged me.”
In many various and gentle ways, that great and faithful Friend, the Lord Jesus, began to draw Sandra to Himself. She began to realize this at a retreat she attended with the Youth Group in 1999—ENCOUNTER at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, BC. “I don’t know what it was the speaker said, but something absolutely just spoke right to my heart. I started bawling. Scott took me outside to talk, and told me more about how I could live my life for God, how I could make a commitment to know Jesus. I wanted to; but for some reason I couldn’t. I still don’t know why. There was a rock in front of my heart, I guess.”
However, a few months later, by allowing her to experience yet another painful issue with friends, the Lord removed that “rock” from her heart. “It was really upsetting,” recalled Sandra of the ‘friend problem’. “It was just SO overwhelming!! I went outside and broke down, ‘God, I can’t do this anymore. Please take this away. I can’t live without You. You have to direct me—be with me Lord.’ I just gave my life to Christ that night—January 10, 2000.” Then, about a year and a half later, in the summer of 2001, after the June 24 Sunday morning service, Sandra was baptized upon the confession of her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church Family, along with her mother and friends, gathered on the shore of Skaha Lake to witness this wonderful occasion.
Right from the start, Sandra began helping in the Church—playing trombone during worship time; preparing weekly church bulletins; helping with summer Bible Clubs and Camps; participating with Youth Group leadership. She has become an integral part of our Church Family, and we’re so glad she has allowed us to become a part of her life. She is much loved and prayed for.
“I think the relationships at GRACE are great—I have about 20 sets of grandparents now. I call Niki’s grandmother, ‘Grandma’. I really do think of her as my Grandma. I love all the people here—even those who have left. Oh! Just everyone. It’s such a family. It is! It really is.”
Sandra’s dream had always been to become a doctor in Africa. Therefore, when she graduated from High School with $19,000 in scholarships and bursaries, she headed to university with determination. Studies were challenging, there were health issues and other difficult experiences; but she completed two years successfully. (Also, she made several close friends during that time.) “God helped me get through it all, and helped me grow.” Now, however, after her life-changing experiences in India, she’s wondering whether God has other plans in mind for her. She feels like He is calling her to missions, and is excited to make that a part of her life. Whatever He wants is okay by her.
“God can really change people,” smiled Sandra, quoting Romans 12:2; “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world; but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” This, and the whole 4th chapter of Philippians are among her best loved Scriptures. “…Rejoice in the Lord always! … Do not be anxious about anything… Whatever is true — noble — right — pure — lovely — admirable — think about such things… I can do everything through Christ Who gives me strength!…”
April 2003
© 2003 SKM