campus groups Testimonials

When I started ONE on ONE with GOD, I did not have a consistent quiet time.

I was not growing every day. I didn’t feel close to God, and I didn’t have the close, intimate relationship with God that I needed and saw that my fellow Christians had. My walk with God wasn’t where it should be. I did not spend time with God, and I didn’t put effort into the quality of time I spent with Him. I had never spent the time or made the commitment to memorize Scripture. I had always wanted to but hadn’t taken the time.

I have grown a lot through ONE on ONE. I feel closer to God. I have a consistent quiet time, and I feel intimate with Him. I have a better relationship with Him, and I hear Him speaking to me and feel His presence. I wish I had had the study when I was in high school so that I could have been farther along in my walk with God and would have had a stronger relationship by now. I have learned and disciplined myself to get up in the morning to have my quiet time. I am working on memorizing Scripture, and I have tried and put effort into disciplining myself to use my time wiselyŠ—”in the way God wants me to use my time.

K.C.

University student

Before ONE on ONE with GOD, I was not really expecting what I got out of it.

I was more focused on having lots of friends over the summer and just having fun. But after finishing the course, I feel that I have made somewhat of a connection with really knowing God. I have learned that His love is very important to have and to show toward other people.

Leslie S.

Before I started ONE on ONE with GOD, God found me not sure of my walk with Him belief-wise and not really sure of whether not this Š—“studyŠ— would impact me since I had done it before, and I felt no different.

I was also unsure of whether or not I really loved God as much as I thought I did. I was also not confident in my ability to really do what was needed to get to know God.

Now I am more confident in pursuing an intimate relationship with the Lord God. I am more sure of where my love for the Lord God lies and also where my beliefs lie. I am now wanting to spend more time in God’s Word than I did before. I am also more confident in my walk with the Lord.

Elizabeth S.

Before ONE on ONE with GOD, I was walking with Him but not very deeply.

I had my quiet time every day, reading His Word and trying to memorize verses. But after finishing the study, my walk with Him is a lot more solid and deeply rooted now. I am better at being able to hear His voice through meditation. I see the importance of reading the Bible through in a year, and I am doing that now. I see more clearly that my purpose is to know Him. Also, He has given me a real passion for making disciples, and I desire to carry that out for the rest of my life.

M.F.

I was someone who had never really accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior before I took ONE on ONE with GOD.

I had been playing the pretending game for most of my life. It was at the beginning of this study that I came to the knowledge that I needed to yield my life to God and start living as one who puts her complete trust in Him. I was very bitter and hard to get along with because I felt like the world was against me.

But now I find that it is easier for me to stay (or want to stay) closer to God because I am eager to know Him. I still have a lot of work to be done in me, but God is working on me. This study has helped me see the importance of saturating myself in and with God. It is a practical study, but it encourages (implores) the participant to make head knowledge become heart knowledge.

Annie I.

University student

God had to look really hard to find me before I started ONE on ONE with GOD!

I had no quiet time, and the only time I read the Bible was a chapter or so a few nights a week. I was convicted, however, and the first day of class was a Š—“choose this day whom ye shall serveŠ— type of thing. I was slightly scared of this Bible study, for I have come to despise post-mountaintop letdowns. I was very insecure about myself and very down on myself.

Now I wake up in the morning, and the first thought through my head is, Š—“I wonder what God is going to tell me today.Š— I am much more secure in myself in that I have worth because Jesus has me. I may not know exactly what I will be doing in my life, but God knows, and He is giving me situations and such to prepare for it. I am confident that I’ll keep growing. I pray that God will give me someone to disciple.

Amy C.

University student

When I arrived on Ridgecrest campus, I would venture to say that God found me physically, spiritually, and emotionally depleted.

There is no doubt that He led me abroad for a short time so that I could see things in my life that He wanted to strip me of and to also show me the shallowness of my faith. Upon coming here I was expecting much and had no idea that I would encounter ONE on ONE with GOD. In reflection I can honestly say that He answered the earnest prayer of the depths of my soul. I know that He wanted to draw me into an intimate relationship with HimŠ—”not just to know the hand of God at work but also to become more acquainted with His person. God has done great and awesome things which my eyes have seen, but I knew that there would come a time when I would need an intimate knowledge of the person of God to help me hold fast. So I arrived at Ridgecrest desiring to learn more about Him and His precepts. When I began this study, I was ready for what He had in store for me.

Now that I have completed this study, I have acquired the spiritual disciplines by which to continue to learn. I have never been so excited about reading His Word and knowing Him alone. I find myself claiming His promises with boldness like never before. I am more desirous of saturating my life with His Word that I may daily be transformed and empowered to make disciples as I go along. After all, only God and His Word are eternal. I may not know the details of what I’ll be doing after this summer, but I know what I will devote myself to for the rest of my life!

R.G.

University student

When I started this awesome Bible study, I was in a rut.

Reading God’s Word had become another item to mark off my to-do list. It was all very academic, which is not all a bad thing, but it does not lead to changes in one’s lifeŠ—”in my life.

Today I am expressing my love to God on a daily basis. He is developing in me a love for His Word. I am challenged to be directed in my decisions according to what the Scriptures say. I am challenged to remain faithful in spending quality (not quantity) time with my Creator and Savior. I am more focusedŠ—”to know Him and to watch and see how He is going to work in my life in the future (perceiving), to know and watch how He is working in my life now (recognizing), and to remember and understand how He has worked in past situations. I now have the tools to disciple others and to keep spreading the Good News. I have always thought we do a fair job of evangelizing but not of discipling. I believe this study has practical tools and methods for developing spiritual maturity in Christ Jesus. Thanks!

Stacy F.

University student

God found me at the beginning of this summer as a woman lacking that intimate relationship with Him.

He found me trying to attain that in my own strength and not in His. I was searching for His will but didn’t know exactly where to start. He found me frustrated, knowing I needed to be seeking Him more but lacking the motivation.

Today God finds me as a woman becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more clearly. Through ONE on ONE with GOD I have become more aware of God in my daily life, in the intricate details as well as the larger picture. God finds me more at peace with Him, yielding to His control of my life. He finds me desiring to read His Word each day, excited to see what He will speak to me. He finds me excited to share with others what He is teaching me.

N.H.

University student

When I started ONE on ONE with GOD, I wanted to learn, and I desired to come away with disciplines ingrained in me.

I wanted to meet all of my responsibilities and obligations as a covenant group leader and as a housekeeper. My focus wasn’t as much on Him as I wanted it to be.

Now I am doing better. Bible reading and Scripture memory on a consistent basis are pretty much a reality in my life. My focus is much stronger on God, and I turn to Him when I make more and more decisions. He guides me, and I can see it. I have confidence to teach and help my peers; that was not present before (though I was comfortable with younger people). I believe my obligations have been well metŠ—”well, maybe not the housekeeping one, at least as much as I’d have liked!

Justin F.

When I began ONE on ONE with GOD, God found me as a young man who had a great desire and zeal for the knowledge of the holy and a desire to see people the way He does.

But He saw in me a need to allow Him to become a more intimate Father to me and that I needed to move much knowledge from my head to my heart. He could see I needed to have revealed again the simple beauty and truths of His Word and His faithful promises. I was somebody who needed to admit that I needed very much to grow.

After finishing the study, I feel God is growing more pleased with our fellowship each day. The intimacy of our conversation has increased by an immeasurable amount. He has seen in me my desire to not just know about God but to know Him, and He has been faithful in meeting with me and loving me. He is ready to use me this coming semester to disciple young men. He knows I am His willing servant who seeks to do His will over mine and yield all control to Him.

R.H.

Before I began ONE on ONE with GOD, God found me struggling but willing to be completely at peace with circumstances of my life.

After finishing, I am at peace with my life and more able to let the joy in my heart shine through my actions and responses to people and myself.

R.S.

Before I started ONE on ONE with GOD, I had a desire to grow closer with God, and I wanted to learn how to disciple people.

I felt like I was doing pretty well in my spiritual life and that I knew a lot about God. I also was planning to lead a Bible study when I got back to my university and be a leader in the BSU. I came this summer to learn how to be a leader who reflects God. I was totally clueless, though, as to what this summer would hold.

After finishing the course, I feel like I have a long way to go before I am close to reaching what God wants me to have, but I am confident that His will shall prevail. I’m very excited to get back and begin discipling people and committing discipleship as a lifelong project. I want to be a man who is wholly devoted to God with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength. And I am thrilled that God is going to use me to accomplish his purpose. I’m very dependent on God, and I know that I can’t do any of this without His strength working through me. I am completely content with what God accomplished this summer in my life and know that it was God’s will for my summer.

Matthew H.

When I started ONE on ONE with GOD, I had a strong desire to really know God, but my quiet times were inconsistent, and I didn’t really know how to study the Bible and have a deep quiet time.

I was unsure of my future, and even though I had always wanted to pursue medicine, I knew that it was not where God wanted me, and I was struggling to give it up.

After completing ONE on ONE, I can have a deep quiet time now, with a plan that will keep me on track. I understand that my quiet time should last the whole day, and the method of ponder-picture-pray allows me to do that. I feel peace about my decision not to pursue medicine because I have been assured and reassured that God has a plan for me and that He will take care of me.

Amy C.

When I started ONE on ONE with GOD, I was very knowledgeable head-wise.

I knew the truths of God, but somehow they weren’t working themselves out in my life. I didn’t know if I wanted to live out God’s plan for my life. I did not care about other people as Jesus did, and I did not have a deep love for Scripture. I loved Jesus, and I wanted to live a life pleasing to Him, but I was struggling with worldly wants and desiresŠ—”looks, money, popularity, etc. I was unsure in my faith to the point of wondering if there really was a God at times. That made it hard to trust Him.

But now I have a deep love of Scripture. Most of the truths have moved into my heart. I want nothing more than to bring delight to my God. I desire to Know Him deeply. I desire to talk about Him, with Him, etc. My heart is now His home completely; before, certain rooms were closed to Him. I desire to glorify Him, and I want to be transformed into His likeness. I love Him more deeply and intimately. I still struggle with trusting Him and knowing in my heart His truths, but my walk is progressive.

S.S.

I was just going through the motions when I began ONE on ONE with GOD.

I loved God, but I was more focused on getting my quiet time done for the day. I was living the Christian life without God as my center. I was still talking to Him, but there was something blocking my growth. I wasn’t going back; I just felt stuck in my personal spiritual growth. I was praying that God would help me in this and get me Š—“unstuck.Š—

Now I feel like whatever was blocking me is gone. I can now grow. This summer God has taught me how much He loves me and wants a healthy, strong relationship with me. He has been my stronghold and my comfort. I have no idea how I would have lived my life this far without Him. I feel like I’ve had an easy ride, but I know there could have been many disasters.

I said I felt like I was stuck in one place in my Christian walk. I think that if I hadn’t been in ONE on ONE, I would have started going backward. God answered my prayer better than I could have imagined. I can’t pinpoint any one thing that helped me get unstuckŠ—”all I know is that God did it, and I feel closer to Him. Now I’m praying I’ll continue to grow and take what I learned with me to college. I don’t ever want to be Š—“stuckŠ— again!

A.F.

When I started ONE on ONE with GOD, God found me desiring to know Him more but frustrated by the lack of stillness and consistency in my life that He required of me.

I had been set on a path, but I felt as if I had stopped midway and wasn’t moving forward. I also desired to be more confident in what God was teaching me and to be able to share that with less fear.

Now I have come to a place where I realize that to know Him should consume me, and this alone will bring the joy I desire in Him. I shouldn’t measure my spiritual life according to some standard, but I should focus on my one-on-one relationship with God. God is teaching me also that the best way to take the focus off myself and put it on Him is to recognize that my significance comes only through my relationship with Him. I have learned that setbacks aren’t permanent, but I should always depend on God’s strength to carry me on. God finds me with a renewed and new desire to love peopleŠ—”not only my Christian brothers and sisters but the lost. There is nothing in me when I act alone, but with God I am filled beyond the brim of my cup.

Amy M.

When I started ONE on ONE with GOD, I was a strong Christian in knowing the way that I should live personally, but I did not have a heart for sharing God with others and being sensitive to God 24/7 like I had been at one time.

Coming here this summer, I hungered for a better understanding and closer walk with God.

Today my work is not complete. I still have a lot of improving to do on my walk! This summer has set me on a path to have my quiet time every day. It hasn’t become second nature to do my quiet time every day, and I know I will struggle with my schedule when I go home. My prayer is that God will honor the commitments I have kept this summer and give me the strength to continue seeking out His daily plan for my life. Through my quiet times this summer, God has communicated plans that He has for my life. There are certain things that I know I must do when I return home because of things God told me. From 800 miles away He has led me to a certain church that I need to change my membership to. He has also been using certain verses to prick my heart concerning mission work.

Ellen T.

When I started ONE on ONE with GOD, God found me willing to serve Him, expectant for what He would do in my life, and with a real desire to be a disciple-maker.

Yet I felt that I was unequipped to be able to share my knowledge with others. He found me seeking Him but often discouraged as my time with Him was not always quality time but rushed time.

Now God has really given me an awesome tool in this study, which I feel has prepared me to share with girls back at my university. I now have the tools to not only share with others, but they have grown me spiritually this summer as well. I have been able to know the Lord in a much deeper and more intimate way and have the skills to continue to know Him more. I have come to realize how powerful my God is and how worthy He is to be trusted with my whole life, not just the parts of my life I choose. I’ve also seen how unworthy and sinful I am and how merciful and abounding with grace God is.

Lindsay N.

Before I took ONE on ONE with GOD, I had a desire to serve God and do His will in my life.

But I was struggling in my walk and didn’t really know how to have a consistent quiet time. After finishing the study, I have the basics of how to learn and study the Word of God. ONE on ONE has really helped me!

J.L.