Ep 176: Renewal On The River (Part 1)

"Today, our dear sister in Christ, Andrea Hampton, shares how Sandy Cove provides a safe place to rest and reconnect with God. Through intentional faith, meaningful retreats, and family programs, guests are encouraged to slow down, renew, and listen. How can practicing being fully present help you recognize God’s guidance in everyday moments?"

We sit down with Andrea Hampton from Sandy Cove in Northeast, Maryland and talk about why the property feels like instant peace and real spiritual rest. We connect holistic health, intentional faith, and the small moments where God renews our thoughts, attitudes, and relationships.
• Holistic health as a way to hear God clearly
• What Sandy Cove is and how it serves groups and individuals
• Why “be in the moment” helps you notice God’s prompts
• Andrea’s intentional decision to follow Jesus in her early 30s
• How prayer and provision show up in practical needs for ministry
• Upcoming Sandy Cove programs, from caregivers to widows to youth mentoring
• Family Vacation 2026 details and the “Renew” theme from Ephesians 4:23 

SANDY COVE MINISTRIES — Family Vacation 2026: https://www.sandycove.org/family-vacation/

FAMILY VACATION 2026 Offers a Variety of Packages for each of the 4 week sessions: 

Summer 2026 Speakers
• July 5 - 10 (Joe & Denise Holman)
   - Pastor Fred Kenney, Jr. - Evening Speaker and Life Coach this week
• July 12 - 17  (Curtis Zackery)
• July 19 - 24  (Richard Dahlstrom)
• July 26 - 31  (Peter Reid)

Register Here: https://www.sandycove.org/family-vacation/book-now/

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Transcript

Welcome And What’s Ahead

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Lord, you know. You're now listening to play is the best. And I say it was very early 30s, 32, when I did the intentional thing of saying, okay, Lord, I'm gonna give you a try. And I'm gonna see if you're the real thing. And from that day, it was again just an intentionality on a regular basis, because sometimes you have those moments where you feel like God is far away, but really it's you that's truly uh needing some work to get back on up in there. So I'd say it was an intentional moment of saying, okay, Lord, I'm gonna give you a try.

SPEAKER_04 1:10

Let's join Pastor Teddy May, also known as Freddie David Kenny Jr., the founder of Plays on Word Theater, as he does a deep dive into the Word of God.

SPEAKER_03 1:19

Amen. Amen. Amen. Well, welcome to everybody. Thank you very much, Josh Taylor and Katie Kenny, for that introduction. Welcome to all you listening to Plays on Word Radio. God willing, this is a part of your Friday or Saturday or Sunday or rest of the week routine. We had an awesome time with our dear brother Brian from out down in Haiti last week. And we're gonna be today, we are going to be speaking with Andrea Hampton from over at Sandy Cove in Maryland, Maryland. And yeah, that place is really special, so I'm not gonna waste a whole bunch of your time talking right now. Check out this interview. We

Holistic Health For Clearer Hearing

SPEAKER_03 2:03

are here with Andrea Hampton Sandy Cove. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 2:09

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_03 2:11

Well, it's been a it's been a long time since we've had you on the uh plays on word radio program.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

And uh now let me correct because I think this is my first time.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

I think it's the first time too, wasn't it? You know what it was?

SPEAKER_03 2:27

We from one of the performed we used we used your interview after a play, I believe.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

But she's correct. This is the first official okay interview and appearance on plays on word radio, not memorettes.

SPEAKER_03 2:42

I I stand rejected. I love it. Wow, this is amazing. Well, well, welcome to plays on word radio. Thank you. The uh our plays on word family, which is which you are a part of. They already they they they know your voice, your voice is familiar because we've we did the interview when you flipped it on us and interviewed us after her play. But yes, indeed. How are you doing overall? How are things going? Tell us what's going on in your life.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Yes, well, I am doing well in body and spirit, and growing in both, or you know, trying to keep it all healthy so that I can really hear well from the Lord and what it is he wants me to do. And so part of that is working on what you call your holistic health, and that's everything. Everything from you know, your physical fitness, your mental fitness, your spiritual fitness, having those new conversations with God so that I can be on point, whatever it is he wants me to do today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.

SPEAKER_03 3:48

Yeah, amen.

SPEAKER_00 3:49

I love that, amen.

SPEAKER_03 3:50

I I get that. I uh I I got to the point where I said, I'm I'm just done being beat up and started hitting the gym hard, watching what I'm eating, and just you know, and the plays take a lot of energy and a lot of physical stamina.

SPEAKER_02 4:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 4:07

So and there was one point when I was just kind of I was being an athlete that wasn't really preparing like an athlete. And so I had to I had to change up how I was operating again. So more like an athl athlete, just get and that helped my spiritual get straightened out too.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

So I can only imagine just just having experience your ministry and and just what it takes, but all that memorization and also just the spirit working through you and bringing out those characters, if for lack of a better word, those characters and bringing it alive for us. That takes a lot out of you. So, yes, my brother, let's go to CrossFit together. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Amen. Get it done. In fact, you you gotta bring it to the community as well because you host a lot of health conferences and such there, retreats at Sandy Cove. And I I've been to at least one of them there. And I think, you know, as a matter of fact, I was at this is how this all kind of started. I was at a conference or retreat there, and I love how the Holy Spirit works because this is not me. I just felt prompted. I thought, wow, I wonder if they ever have any other Christian entertainers or anything at Sandy Cove. And and again, that thought would did not come from me. And I went down to the office, they gave me your name, and you know, by the end of the weekend, you and I were talking and already arranging something.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

Yes, I remember that conversation absolutely, right here in my office where I am sitting right now. Yes, the Holy Spirit was working on our behalf. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

Absolutely, and I think our so our the first time we performed for you guys was back in 22, right at a spring women's weekend. Yes, yes, and then we've been there what a bunch of times, yeah, like six times or something, five or six times, and you know what?

SPEAKER_03 6:05

For for our listening audience that might not know, yes, can you tell us what is Sandy

What Sandy Cove Is And Why

SPEAKER_03 6:10

Cove? Because I'll I'll talk about it once in a while. Like it's you know, it's like a second home. I'll be like, Oh, you're Sandy Cove, yeah, the family up there, and some people might not know. Can you explain it to us?

SPEAKER_00 6:19

Absolutely. So, Sandy Cove is a Christian conference retreat center, and it is located in the city of Northeast Maryland. If you are in the the Maryland DMV area, if you travel up 95 and keep going to exit 100, you will find us there. And so Sandy Cove is we are an organization that has been on this property for 80 years. The ministry has been going strong for for many, many decades, started by the Palmer family as a radio ministry. George A. Palmer started it as a radio ministry, and you will always see on our property Jesus Never Fails. And so there's the song Jesus Never Fails that was sung at that radio ministry. Now, I'm not gonna sing, I'm not like you, and so I maybe I'll hum a little bit, but so you will see that on our property, and so what we do is we provide the opportunity for people to come here and have an opportunity for respite, enjoyment, opportunities for them to hear from the Lord well, and we do that through a number of vehicles, through our group. If you're a group and you want to come and you want to contract to be here, or you just may be an individual who wants to come and spend the day, or I'm the program director, and so I am in charge of the programs that we host here, and so that is one of the vehicles through which, as we say, we set the table and allow you just to take advantage of the many, many things that are here on our property. You know, so many people say that when they turn onto the property onto Sandy Cove Road, that they feel the spirit, they just feel the spirit here. And I think in in part, yes, it it is a beautiful place, but you know what I always say to people, you bring the spirit with you. Even when you are coming during those times of stress, of grief, of joy, and everything in between. Our our what we say is we are providing that opportunity for you to come closer to God and each other.

SPEAKER_03 8:44

Amen. Yeah, it is it's a special place. I I dare say it it almost feels like a magical place.

SPEAKER_02 8:50

It's just it's it really is.

SPEAKER_03 8:52

It's like instant just relaxation spiritually, just like man, you know what? It's a such a it's a safe place. Yes, and uh the I like what you said, renew, renewing, you know, you can be renewed there, and uh I've been there man, it's too many times to count. And every I've never left that place feeling wound up or upset. I've all every single time I left that, every every single time, and I've been there many, many times. Yes, probably 30 times, maybe something like that. And and I'm telling you, every single time I've left that place, I have I felt renewed in one way or another.

SPEAKER_00 9:37

I felt closer to the Lord, and yeah, so well, well, you know, one of the things I open all of my programs with is I many of my programs, they are a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And what I encourage the guests is I tell them, I say, while you are here, be in the moment. Every single hour that you are here, be in the moment. Because before you know it, Sunday is going to come and you must be away. And so you just want to take advantage of each hour. Now, that hour may mean you took a nap, you went outside, you supped with someone you didn't know. Maybe you just needed moments of silence, maybe you needed moments of going out in our chairs and being by the water because we're right at the Northeast River, which is the headwaters to the Chesapeake Bay. And maybe you just need to sit out there and see God's creation of the birds and the waves. And that's what I encourage when I talk to the guests, and when they are coming and they are here, be in the moment because there is some small thing that the Lord may want to speak to you about, and you want to make sure you don't miss it, amen. So that you can take that home and put it in your toolbox and carry it home with you in the trunk of your car and pull it out with the rest of your luggage when you get home.

SPEAKER_01 11:03

Absolutely. And you know, I you guys absolutely do exceed your objective to make us feel like we are in the moment, that we are surrounded by love, that the Holy Spirit is present. And I do, I remember driving onto the property on that long, windy road down to the main complex and just exhaling, like just being able to breathe, like okay, I'm here, you know, and that that beautiful road that leads down to the complex is just also a time to just be ready to be in that moment.

SPEAKER_00 11:39

Yes, absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. So many, all of our staff here, and I always mention them at the end of my programs because staff seen and unseen, they are the critical pieces which makes it all happen.

unknown 11:55

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 11:56

Every single thing that you encounter and things that you might not encounter because of our staff. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 12:03

Oh, our our our God pays attention to little details, so yes, that's that's really important. So you're expressing characteristics of him when you pay attention to details that nobody sees except for him.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

That's right.

SPEAKER_03 12:16

That's the type of stuff that makes a difference. Yeah, I have oh, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 12:20

No, and I was I was gonna just add that you are absolutely walking in your purpose because you are I you're made for this position, just your demeanor, your love, how you speak, and you just make everyone feel that that that presence of God and that comfort and that safeness, safe place to be.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

Oh, thank you. I appreciate that. That is truly a word, safe. That's a good word. Thank you for that.

SPEAKER_03 12:47

So so that brings up another question.

Being Present And Not Missing God

SPEAKER_03 12:51

So how how does how does Andrea Hepton, how does she how does she come to know Jesus, the our our

Andrea’s Intentional Walk With Jesus

SPEAKER_03 12:59

savior? How does she meet? Where does she meet the Lord? Where does this happen?

SPEAKER_00 13:03

Yes, well, I tell you, I tell you to both of you, to the listening audience and to myself, I'm not one of those who have one of those, you know, oh, I was born, and you know, at and at the age of six, I had this great, you know, burning bush moment. For me, it was a little bit more intentional in that I was always aware as I grew up. My mom was a single parent and she raised four daughters, yay, mom. And I was always aware of God through other people, whether it was friends, people on babysat, people at church, he was always there in my life through people. And I say it was very early 30s, 32, when I did the intentional thing of saying, okay, Lord, I'm gonna give you a try. And from that day, it was again just an intentionality of on a regular basis, because sometimes you have those moments where you feel like God is far away, but really it's you that's truly needing some work to get back on up in there. And so I'd say it was an intentional moment of saying, Okay, Lord, I'm gonna give you a try. And from then on, just trying to grow each season, hear him well, try to find those ways in which I can rediscover, hit that reset button if that happens, and all the things. So it was it was an intentional thing. Amen.

SPEAKER_03 14:51

I can I can relate to that. I I I relate to I understand exactly what you're saying because somebody says, Well, when did when did you get saved? And I'm like, Man, I I know I feel like I've known the Lubbert like almost my whole life. As far back as I can go, I remember his presence. Yes, I remember just being aware that yeah, God exists. Yeah, the God is real, and and I just but it then at right around the time I turned 30, it was as if he turned a light switch on, and I was like, okay, and it was like all right, we have work to do. All right, let's let's get to let's get down to business. And so, yeah, I understand. But there's some people that are like, Yeah, I can tell you at 6 55 p.m. Tuesday 1978, I Jesus came into my life like a hurricane. That's right. I'm like, well, God bless you, man.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

That's right.

SPEAKER_03 15:41

Hurricane's been in my life the whole time, except, you know, I I was being knucklehead for a while, but you know, he's he's faithful.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

Yes, yes. Well, I love how how God gives us all different testimonies because yeah, you know, the the really every single one of them is impactful and will speak to someone because there is someone that was in that position. Yeah, whether it's this big epiphany moment or those gradual steps, like you said, Andrea, that where the Lord's speaking to you. And and, you know, in time we see how our walk has changed. I I've even seen, you know, I've always trusted the Lord, but even in the past couple of years, just how that faith walk has just, you know, the endurance of that has just bolstered my my faith in the Lord and my relationship with him when I thought I was already in a good place. I was in a good place, but he just, you know, he shines that light in different areas at just the right time where it just kind of you know secures it even more, if that makes sense. Amen. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 16:43

Speaking of faith, uh Andrea is the one that she she's well well familiar with when we used to pull up with a Cadillac stuffed stuff to the gills with with like merchandise and stuff. And she said, We're gonna pray for we're gonna pray for you to get a truck. Absolutely, we're gonna we need to ask God for praying for us for a long time, many years asked God to fix this situation, and you know what? That's right, he got us better. He we got a truck, but he got us a trailer that is where we can keep our stuff, and there you go, it's like the perfect size, and but you were there, you saw it. We were like, we go anywhere.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

We might show up with no room in the car because we bring in coffee mugs and shirts and stuff, but yeah, but yeah, you you you always hear about people saying, pray the miraculous, pray the big things, and it's like, why not? Come on, Lord, we're doing this for your glory. Come on, we we don't want this family out there getting stuck on the road and and things breaking down. We want them to be able to prosper, yes, and and to feel uh no stress in the doing.

SPEAKER_01 17:49

Yeah, well, you don't know how influential Andrea has been on Plays on Word. I mean, you know, we're a work in progress, we've been doing this for what, 12 years now. And I remember being in your office and and talking to you, and you know, we're we had we had a website up and we knew we needed to make some changes, but I remember you saying specifically, wow, you you need a video to show that he sings. I didn't know that he did all this other stuff. Now, I don't know if you've gotten a chance to check out our new website that we just put out there, but that that main video is is a testament to you, girl. Oh that video right up front. So you see right there what what you what you'll experience when you're hey man, it plays on more performance. So that was that was because of you, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:36

And a lot of the a lot of the connections, a lot of the plays that we have done, like numerous so many have come from just our our relationship with with you and Sandy Cove and just the connections that you've made possible. Put it this way there are people that are saved now in in the in the family of Christ. Oh my goodness, because of just the connections we're made through you and Sandy Cove.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

So hey, I love it.

SPEAKER_03 18:58

Mission accomplished, amen. Mission accomplished, amen to that.

SPEAKER_01 19:03

So and speaking of that mission, yes, what some stuff coming up quick stuff.

Programs That Serve Real Life Needs

SPEAKER_01 19:08

So tell us what's happening at Sandy Cove and Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 19:13

So programs abound, and and this weekend I have Caregivers Retreat coming up. So I I I host throughout the week a number of programs, Caregivers Retreat, Women's Weekends, which were a number where where you all came, where it's it provides the opportunity for women to just come and have respite for the weekend. I host two couples programs a week, and I believe you two came. I believe it was 22, 23. You you graced our couples with with uh on date night that we have. That was absolutely fabulous. We also have just a number of programs, like I said, like Caregivers Retreat that's coming up this weekend, and that is for anyone who is in the caregiving stage. It could be a professional, it could be someone who is caregiving, a family member, a daughter, a husband, anyone. And so it's an opportunity for them to get away and come and have a moment of respite and have honesty and conversation about the realities, the tiredness sometimes, oftentimes, of being a caregiver and knowing that in the safety of that conversation that everyone in that room understands and there is no judgment. So I love hosting this caregivers retreat that's coming up. Programs such as, and and I want to give a shout out for these two because I think it was the first one that you came to, Katie, was Hope for Me, which is a women's wellness weekend with first place for health. And we also do another one with them called Restore Me, which is talking about strongholds in one's life. That is absolutely exciting. And I also want to give a quick shout out to three other ones that I do. One is a widow's journey, because I believe that it is oftentimes in our churches, in our communities, our widows are that forgotten group of persons. And so a widow's journey was a partnership with Gail Roper over these past 11 years, and we're still holding it early part of the year, and it's an opportunity for ladies who are in any stage of their widowhood to come and once again be in an environment where they are cared for, they are heard, and they are to be, and we take them right where they are. And so that's widows' journey. And the last two I'll mention right quickly before I get to family vacation, which is coming up in July, are two programs called Launch and Catapult. Catapult is for dad and dad mentors and boys middle school age. And launch is the girl version. So moms and mom mentors and middle school age. And we have those two separate programs because that age is something, is a time where you want to make sure that there is a strengthening of relationship. And it is absolutely a beautiful thing when you hear, especially the guys that come and during the testimony time, they will say, you know, this was a good opportunity for me to get away and for me to discover some of those words I know I need to have with the youth that I brought, my family at home, my spouse. And similarly with moms, they're strengthening their relationship with the girls who are at that very tender age. And so those are just a few of the many exciting programs. So just go to sandyclove.org. I'll just put it out there right away. All right, yeah. Um, but probably you may want me to touch on what's coming up in July. Yes. Let's hear it. Let's hear it. All right. All right.

SPEAKER_03 23:04

You have the mic.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

Amen. I've got the mic here and I'm used to having a blue mic. Where is it? Well, coming up in July

Family Vacation Week And Renew Theme

SPEAKER_00 23:16

is our annual family vacation weeks. And this week we have four weeks. So you come for Sunday and you depart on Friday. And it is an absolutely gorgeous time. It is called Family Vacation 2026. And it is an all-inclusive Christian vacation time. And I'm just getting excited. Okay, because it's coming up. We've got our summer staff arriving as we speak. And so it is a week, and you can choose any week. And I always encourage, let can I please say this? I always encourage it's called family vacation, but I always say a family can be a person of one. And it can also be uh that aunt bringing the nephews and the nieces, yes, or it can be that person in the neighborhood who's like the Kool-Aid house, and they want to bring the youth with them to family vacation because what we have is we have speakers in the morning and in the evening for adults. And so while adults are listening to the speakers and getting some uh praise and worship music as well, we have you have an opportunity if you have youth from age zero all the way through high school, they are in special programs as well, so they are having fun as well as getting ministered to. We have a speaker that comes in just for the middle and high school age group. We have staff who take care of the age zero through 11. And so, in between there, all day long, I'm telling you guys, it is just a jam-packed activity schedule. We just tell people don't try to do it all because you you by by Monday night or Tuesday, you're gonna get tired, but it's it's all sorts of activity. A shout out to my activities manager, Justin, and his team, all sorts of activities from water skiing to our marina to tournaments, tubing, pedal carts, archery. We have uh swimming going on, our large swimming pool is open. We've got rockets and root beer going on, our pontoon boats, so many things. Rock wall, the zipline. Wait, wait, wait.

SPEAKER_03 25:44

Y'all got a y'all got a zipline?

SPEAKER_00 25:45

Yes, we do.

SPEAKER_03 25:46

We have a see our see. I know what I'm gonna do when I get out there.

SPEAKER_00 25:51

Yes, yes, yes. So we have a zipline. So all throughout the day, those things are happening, and so you know it's interesting that you said the word renew because every year we have a theme, and our theme this year is renew. Yes, and that is taken from Ephesians 4 23. I'm gonna read it here, is taken from the New Living Translation. It says, Let the spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes, and so someone coming may need to be in a spirit of renewal in whatever area of their life. Maybe they're trying to strengthen a renewal within their family unit, or they're trying to renew that relationship with the Lord. Yes, maybe they're just needing to hit that reset button as I talked about, because you know, I need to find, or maybe somebody just needs to renew and find some fun, some laughter, yeah, it just opens up our spiritual hearts so much, and some people may be coming to find that, and so that's our theme for this summer. And so, like I said, we have a speaker in the morning, and we have a speaker in the evening that is for our adults, and guess who's coming, radio family? Guess who is coming for one of our weeks? Come on, say his name, say his name. Who might that be?

SPEAKER_03 27:26

It might be Pete or Genesis Joe, or it might be Christmas Joe, or it might be Dan or Paul Paul.

SPEAKER_01 27:32

Yeah, he's making a personal appearance as himself.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

We will have the one and only Fred Kenny Jr. All right, yes, indeed. He will be our evening speaker for the week of July 5 through 10. You don't want to miss it, you don't want to miss any of our weeks, so come and choose a week on our website, but he will be here July 5 through 10, ministering to the adults in the evening, and he is just gonna be himself. He he he he will come and he will give a message in the evening, and I am excited. I cannot wait to see you, family, pull up into our driveway. Yes indeed. Amen.

SPEAKER_03 28:17

Amen to that, amen to that. We're we're we're looking forward to spending time with Andrea Hampton at Sandy Cove.

Next Week Preview And Closing Blessing

SPEAKER_03 28:25

We are going to continue this interview with her, our dear sister, uh, next week. All right, until then, the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you.

SPEAKER_04 28:48

This program was made possible by the Plays on Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our website at plazonword.org.