Springs-Northern Calif
Photos and videos of Villa Maria Del Mar, the location of The Springs retreat in Northern California.
The Springs—Santa Cruz, CA
Northern California/Bay Area
Feb. 4-6, 2025
Arrive between 1-1:45, Program begins at 2 p.m. on Tuesday
Program concludes afternoon lunch at 2 p.m. on Thursday
Cost: $449 Private Room, Private Bath, 6 meals
The Program
Are you ready for a reset? Carve out a few days to spend with Jesus.
God’s loving embrace enfolds us, drawing each one into a closer, more intimate relationship. He wants us to comprehend a little more deeply the magnitude of his love. It doesn’t matter where we are currently in our walk with him, he invites us to come.
Although God’s love is beyond our capacity to fully comprehend, he longs for us to experience his love in ever-deepening ways. Through your time reflecting on the truths of Scripture, worshiping, praying, journaling, simply being with the Lord, we pray that you will come to know experientially God’s amazing love for you.
There’s nothing like looking at the expanse of the Pacific Ocean and listening to the rhythmic pounding of the waves along the shore to help us gain perspective, breathe a little deeper, and fall deeper in love with Jesus.
Learn more about the PROGRAM.
Meet the Team
Rachel is passionate about using worship music to break down the barriers we put up between us and God. She helped lead worship in a home church for two years. Because of her love of worship music, she pursued a mentoring relationship with Betsy Stowe (worship leader of the Three Rivers Springs), and now she is excited to be the Worship Leader for the Northern California Springs.
Rachel is participating in NEWIM’s first cohort with the Fuller Spiritual Formation program.She has been attending the Springs since 2013. She is a wife and mother of two beautiful boys, and attends Valley Community Church in Pleasanton, CA.
Gena is the Executive Director of Turlock Pregnancy and Health Center and also serves with Soul Shepherding as a Sr. Spiritual Director and Sabbatical Coach.
She and her husband, David, senior pastor at New Life Christian Center in Turlock, CA, have been in ministry together as long as they’ve been married - 37 years! They have four grown children and enjoy being Papa and Gigi to their delightful grandson. Gena serves on the Springs—Northern California retreat team.
Christy works as a genetic counselor in Modesto, CA. She is married to a fellow Westmont College graduate, and they have two lovely children. She enjoys being involved with women's ministries, and finds great joy co-leading the Central and NorCal Springs retreats, NEWIM's NorCal retreat for pastor's wives, and a quarterly NEWIM small group gathering at her home in Oakdale, CA.
Rugena is passionate about serving women recovering from abuse, trauma, and loss. She earned a master’s degree in professional clinical counseling in 2018. She is in the process of developing ‘God’s Original Design’, a ministry to help women recover from abuse, trauma, and loss.
She retired after working 31 years for the City of Los Angeles Fire Department and began working at her church in South Orange County. For over ten years she ministered, counseled, and prayed with the community as part of the Pastoral Care Ministry. She has led support groups for Survivors of Suicide and Mending the Soul for Abused Women throughout her tenure at her church.
Rugena is divorced and lives in Southern California. She has two adult children, and three handsome grandsons who are the joy of her life. Rugena is the Registrar for the NorCal Springs.
Luann is the President of NEWIM. She is also the author of Journal Keeping-Writing for Spiritual Growth and All Creation Sings. Luann earned a Master’s degree in English and loved her twenty-five-year career at Long Beach State and San Jose State. Teaching Composition, doing administration, and supporting the Christian student clubs were life-giving.
Luann’s husband, Kevin, recently retired from pastoring (DMin Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, ThM Dallas Theological Seminary). She understands from her own experience the challenges of being a pastor’s wife and is called to help women flourish as they serve in ministry.
Luann is a co-facilitator of The Springs Retreat in Northern and Central California.
What Women Said after the Retreat
How did the Lord use this time at The Springs in your life?
He used this time to help me rest and be refreshed. He helped me surrender my issue with some blended family disappointments and hurts. And I received his forgiveness and healing. – Anonymous
Reminded me that I need more solitude. Time with him. Also reminded me of the importance of Sabbath. – Anonymous
“Where do I even begin? I am so full of love, peace and joy right now. The Lord got my full attention and he was able to give me some much-needed refreshment and draw me closer than ever before.”- Darlene Derby
“He refreshed me by rest and bonding with him and other ladies’ stories of life.” - Leslie Santos
“Affirmation of his love for me and his love for all of his creation.” – Joshlynn Norquist
“Revealed areas where I was relying on myself and expecting results only he could provide. He brought me to a new beginning of me—gently, tenderly, and with a depth of love I've needed to connect with authentically again.” Andries Blake
“He drew me close and filled me up with his love. Rest. Perspective shift. I've moved from judgmental to overwhelmed by grace, from worried about upcoming challenges to confident that the Lord will strengthen me and it will be for my good.” – Anonymous
“He reminded me of what real rest is and that maybe my routines aren't as spiritually fulfilling as I thought. He showed me I can trust him and other women to care for me.” – Anonymous
“I'm grateful for the opportunity to spend extended time with God in solitude. I felt like he gave me clarity, comfort, and inner healing at various times. He also used Rugena to highlight some things for me during the one-on-one prayer time. I really appreciated and needed that time.” – Ashly Nation
“I don't think I have ever had an extended time of quiet and focus like this. It was so refreshing and very much needed.” Lisa Collier
“Many, many ways, but mostly to draw me closer to him, to work on some things in my heart that have been weighing heavy on me but are now resolved.” – Chrissy Aguiar
“The Lord loves me. I can trust him and I have peace when I cling to these truths.” – Leah Fuller
“Softened my heart and drew me to the Lord.” – Anonymous
“Showed me I'm more comfortable “doing” for him than “being” in him.” – Anonymous
“The Lord spoke to me regarding the fears and concerns I have. He gave me Psalm 139, which reminds me that I am on his mind. He introduced me to new ladies. He humbled me in areas where I have pride.” – Wendy Nation
“I consider anything that brings me to the feet of Jesus a learning experience and blessing. I had a couple of life issues I needed to give to Jesus.” – Anonymous
“A sweet time of refreshment and rejoicing. After some storms of life, I'm digging deeper into abiding and this retreat. I experienced more Jesus being in all my moments, even the ones that didn't feel spiritual (like Pilates in my room).” – Anonymous
If you had to boil everything down:
“Andrew Murray talks about inviting Jesus into all our moments as we abide by being aware that this moment is with Him, too, and all we do, so we got to practice that more. I want to be intentional to keep pressing into him and to increase my abiding awareness.”
“The Lord loves me and made me who I am, and I can be glad and embrace and like who I am. I desire to be less impatient with my family and God's children. I need to learn to breathe and let go of expectations.”
“Be present with God. Journal your thoughts and what I hear from God. I'd like to schedule a monthly silence Get with God time. Be present. I'd like to carve time to just sit with the Lord.”
“Presence. The presence of the Lord and women and people of Christ. I'd like to redefine the space of my family of Christ, making it my own.”
“Give back to someone a scholarship to attend.”
“This has been such a refreshing time to meet with Jesus face to face, heart to heart. I wanted to go home with refreshed love and. Enjoyment of my husband, I want to learn how to love my broken family member with the love of Jesus.”
“God is walking in all circumstances. Let go and listen. I'd like to make Sabbath and a time of solitude and silence a regular part of my life.”
“Just be, be still and know. Trust. He has a plan, and it's a good one. I'd like to continue to dig deeper and allow my relationship with Jesus to be the most important thing in this world. Providence. I'd like to write out fierce conversations through journaling. Love more, forgive more, and be more joyful. Making the most of every opportunity.”
“Moving closer to him, more retreats, continuing to explore spiritual disciplines.”
“I'm here to receive God and give love.”
“I was and I am created for more. Slow down, write, reflect and rest.”
“Communion. I want to be intentional to set a boundary around my time with Jesus in the early morning.”
“God is faithful and present, in sun-scorched and well-watered places. Reform our family Sabbath into a restful, worshipful real experience.”
“Perge some of my To Do List, submit to God's will, and stop trying to wrestle out my ideas.”
“Make more room for God daily, but also in Sabbath and retreat. Devote more time to journaling.”
“The verse you picked, Isaiah 58:11, was so very helpful for me in this season. I need to be intentional about the time alone for renewal and rest.”
Villa Maria Del Mar Retreat Center
The front yard of Villa Maria Del Mar Retreat Center
Located on the beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean
Villa Maria Del Mar retreat center is located on the beach just south of Santa Cruz, overlooking Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Many of the rooms have ocean views, as does the Dining Room.
Villa Maria Del Mar is located about an hour north of Monterey and Carmel if you want to do some sightseeing before or after the retreat.
The closest airport is SJC (San Jose), about an hour away.
Villa Maria Del Mar offers women the privacy of a private room with a private shower/bath. Each room has a desk, no distractions from television or telephones.
There are indoor and outdoor places for reflection. Just adjacent to the retreat center, a short walk down the street, there is a public beach and usually a few surfers.
Villa Maria Del Mar has a lovely chapel for prayer, reflection, and worship.
The staff respects the needs of people on retreat and they try to minimize indoor noise during our times of silence.
The food is healthy and delicious—coffee is ready by 6 a.m. and a variety of teas and soft drinks are available around the clock, as well as fresh fruit platters and a variety of snacks. A refrigerator is available for women who would like to bring their own food to meet their dietary restrictions.
Villa Maria Del Mar retreat center is a delightful place to spend time with God and be renewed by the Holy Spirit.
21918 EAST CLIFF DRIVE
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95062
831-475-1236
Additional Links
Learn How to Prepare for a Contemplative Retreat
Melanie reflects on her first time at The Springs retreat and shares the benefit it was to her.
Springs Team - Northern California being prayed for