written by Travis Otwell
I pray that through this testimony that God will reveal something to you through this. My name is Travis Otwell and Jesus has been showing me some things lately. He has been speaking this one word to me lately. A word with much power behind it. A word that's power I was not taking advantage of. God promises great and wonderful things in the Bible if His people would but do this.
Pray.
I think it probably started with Tuesday Night prayer during The Austin Stone vision series. These prayer services were definitely a highlight of my week and the times I didn't get to go I was pretty bummed. Just being around God's people while all were seeking God to move was just so powerful. His presence was definitely thick during those times of prayer and worship. This, I believe, was the beginning of a beautiful new relationship with my Jesus.
So I'm praying more during this time, but pretty much just because the Bible said to, and God is getting me ready to make this prayer something more. I met a young lady named Jill from a ministry on campus called CRM (Campus Renewal Ministry) and she talked with me about getting a time to pray at the Campus House Of Prayer. At this point in time I am involved with the freshman ministry at the Stone, so I talked with some guys from the freshman ministry and set up a time at the CHOP on Sunday nights after the 7pm service at The Austin Stone. This is when my heart for prayer was growing more and more, and prayer [KEEP READING]
A 22-year-old UT nursing grad recently decided she’d spend at least the first year of her new life in North Africa, raising money to get and keep her there. As with anyone fresh out of college, it took a special working of the Spirit to have her forsake her sure income for a year, lose her jumpstart on the industry, abandon her comfort and obey His will.
For Andrea in particular it’s been a long road, getting to a point where she could actually trust God to provide her every need. Even in heeding the call she felt surely was from Him, she wouldn’t fully trust Him to provide.
Starting when she was 15 on a short-term trip to the Dominican Republic, she began building her own résumé of short-term mission work, for the most part refusing to ask for outside funds. Her father realized his call as a sender, paying some of her way and motivating her to write a few letters.
Later, in preparing for her first return to the D.R. at 18 with a medical team, she sought full self-sufficiency.
“Chili’s paid my way,” she says, laughing.
Since she could understand she had a future in the workforce, Andrea had taken for granted her future in medicine. When she was 16, visiting her grandmother in intensive care, her calling became tangible.
The gaping voids between the doctor’s brief visits for diagnosis, check-up and surgery left her grandmother’s well-being in the care of the nursing staff. Andrea was taken by their compassion and relational power as they strove for the dignity [KEEP READING]