By OBBM Network Editorial Staff

Derived from an episode of Get on The Ark.

She stepped into the church clutching a tiny pager, thinking the invitation was a chance to earn “cool points” with her boyfriend’s parents. Instead, a gentle hand guided her to the altar, and she began to weep in a way she never had before.

Early Life and the Search for Meaning

Dr. Sandra Love, a Jacksonville native since 1982, grew up in a large family—one of twelve siblings—with a father named Joseph. Her childhood was marked by religious confusion; a step‑mother who attended a Seventh‑Day Adventist church and parents whose divorce left her questioning the purpose of faith. By the time she entered college, she was a full‑time worker, band captain in ROTC, and, as she put it, “an arrogant, cocky kid” who felt she had life under control.

It was a summer program at the University of North Florida, funded by a TPC and a Martin Luther King scholarship, that placed her in the path of a church invitation from her boyfriend’s parents. She admitted, “I thought maybe I’ll gain cool points, visit the church,” but the experience turned out to be far deeper.

The Turning Point: A Supernatural Encounter

Inside the church, a woman named Irene took Sandra’s hand, and she felt “the love of God in such a supernatural way that I started crying.” The moment led her to the altar, a back‑room, and finally immersion in water—her baptism. The pastor asked for a declaration, and she responded, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” sealing a spiritual awakening that would later be described as “on fire for Jesus.”

Despite the fervor of that night, Sandra confessed that she still wrestled with lingering thoughts, addictions, and a sense of unfinished healing. She reflected, “When I got saved, I thought I was a good person… I needed Jesus, you know?” The conviction that followed made her realize that salvation was not a one‑time event but an ongoing journey.

From Personal Pain to Public Ministry

Years later, in 2017, Sandra faced a crisis that stripped away her material comforts—”the five cars in the driveway, the custom‑built house, ordering cars from BMW”—leaving her to confront the deeper wounds of molestation, rape, robbery, and betrayal. In that low point, she heard a clear voice: “I haven’t forgotten about you… I know you’ve been through a lot.” This divine reassurance prompted her to collaborate with neuroscientists to develop deeper, Spirit‑focused questions, moving beyond surface‑level self‑examination.

Her resulting framework encourages believers to “talk to God more than you talk to yourself,” fostering a relationship with the Holy Spirit described as “the Holy Spirit of perfect love, the Holy Spirit of grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ.”

She emphasizes that the gospel is “relational and not religious,” warning that mere box‑checking without heartfelt connection reduces faith to “noise” and “irritant” without love.

Teaching the Gospel Through Love, Not Fear

Sandra’s ministry now centers on teaching that true sanctification comes from hearing God’s voice and aligning daily life with that guidance. She likens the Christian journey to navigating an inner court of the Kingdom, where the “most holy place”—a spiritual Sabbath rest—offers restoration. She also highlights the concept of spiritual senses, urging believers to develop “spiritual ears” and discern the fragrance of genuine anointing versus counterfeit love.

In her own words, “The gospel keeps taking us back to love. 1 Corinthians 13 tells you… without love, I’m nothing. I’m making noise.” This love‑first approach shapes her success development system, which teaches entrepreneurs, families, and churches to prioritize divine intimacy over fear‑driven performance.

Impact on the Jacksonville Community

As a transformational trainer, author, and keynote speaker, Sandra has become a fixture in Jacksonville’s faith community. Her workshops blend neuroscience with biblical principles, offering practical tools for believers grappling with addiction, trauma, or spiritual stagnation. By sharing her story on Get on The Ark, she invites listeners to consider their own “resting place for the soul” and to engage the Holy Spirit daily with questions like, “What is your definition of sin? What is your definition of righteousness?”

Her message resonates especially in a city facing its own challenges, echoing the series’ motif of an approaching spiritual storm and the need for an ark of faith. Sandra’s testimony illustrates how personal redemption can become a communal beacon, encouraging Jacksonville residents to seek a relationship with Jesus that transcends mere religious ritual.

In a culture often driven by material success, Sandra Love’s journey reminds us that true peace emerges not from external achievements but from an intimate, ongoing dialogue with the Holy Spirit—a dialogue that transforms suffering into service and individual healing into collective hope.

The full episode of Get on The Ark is available on OBBM Network TV.