Jerusalem, the Dead Sea & Galilee

Two days in Israel have been amazing! On Sunday we got off to a late start because my plane had to land early because someone on our flight had a stroke. My good friend Amit, whom I met at Acton, picked me up in a really nice rental car and drove us down to Jerusalem for the day. Gethsemene was closed but we did get to go to the wailing wall and walk the Via Delarosa...Jesus's path from when he was beaten all the way to the his burial sight. Most all of the stops had memorial churches in honor of what happened at that particular point. I prayed often and the Holy Spirit kept reminding me that Christ is alive...so that was really inspiring and eye opening. Although there were times where I did feel sad and relived the pain Christ endured, I just kept getting a sense of his resurrection. Way cool. Amit and I stopped half way to have cake and tea at really cool Roman Catholic hostal. They had a great view of the city from the rooftop. I was not feeling well at all but I was so in awe of where I was it really didn´t matter. We finally got to Christ´s burial sight and lit a candle and prayed for several things and for healing of some close family and friends.

We left Jerusalem to head down to the Dead Sea. I didn´t realize it, but it´s the lowest place on earth. Amit and jumped in for a dip and the water was so warm...even though it was 7pm. Also, I didn´t realize how dangerous it is...even though it´s great for your skin, drinking a cup full can kill you and getting it in your eyes burns really. But...you can float like a tube...it´s really a unique experience. After that we drove east near Beer Sheba to stay with a friend of Amit´s...we had a hot shower, AC, and a bed...so I was in heaven!
Today we drove up to Galilee and Amit baptized me in the Jordan.....what a day. We also played in the Jordan, as I was feeling much better. They had this huge rope swing and I´ve got some video of getting airborne.

Later we headed north near Capernaum...where Jesus gave the Beattitudes, and are staying is this quaint hotel called Filgerhaus Tabgha. It´s a German place for pilgramers traveling to see where Jesus lived. It was first built in 1889, but has since been updated and by far the nicest place I´ve seen since being in Israel. It´s actually hidden a bit on the north shore, and when I come back with family we definitely have to come back here.

Tomorrow we´ll head to Capernaum and see where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount...then we´ll head back south to a crusader´s fort that´s supposed to be amazing. As always...I just wish my family was here as it´s a once in a lifetime experience. BUT...its awesome none the less because my ultimate Counselor is always with me!

God bless...until next time!

The JOY of the Lord is my strength,

Travis

Last Day in Zambia

The last 24 hours has been one of the most joyful and spiritually invigorating days in my life. I've been shown joy like never before. In fact- I've never laughed and cry so much in one day.

There's so many stories to share, so for time's sake I'll stick to a couple. I want to share a story and offer encouragement (I shared this with the Americans here on Thursday night). Yesterday (Thursday) I spent the afternoon with my boys in their compound called Kabanana. Our task was to pass out flour, oil, and sugar to the poor in their community. My kids prayed for the people we encountered, did chores around the house, and shared the Gospel. What's crazy is that every person in their neighborhood is in need....the worst imaginable neighborhood you know of is their home. So, towards the end of our trip we found a lady pushing a wheel burrow with about 4 thirty to fifty pound water buckets. My boys sought this lady out and pushed the water about 100 yards to her house, then went back down the hill to draw more water. It took them about 20 minutes just go down and back to get more water. So, because this lady was freed up we got to witness to her friend, who was not a believer, and she ended up accepting the Lord...really cool. As I was kneeling, praying with my kids as they were leading this widow to the Lord, I began to savor the moment and thinking about what the Bible says about true religion- to love the widows and orphans. Here I was (not doing anything) and these orphans were serving this widow and now leading her to know the Lord! I witnessed a miracle.

Here's an encouragement. As we were talking with our first group of women, one of my kids from last year, Felix, was just walking down the street and found us. He didn't get to come to Camp Life this year because there were not enough spots (i.e. only as many kids get to come to camp as we have American counselors). I asked Felix if he wanted to join us, and he spent the rest of the day with us. I gave him my bandanna and he spent the day praying, serving, and ministering to people as if he had been with us all week. He mentioned to me before we left about how his faith was stronger than ever. He looked great. Then, as we were on the bus ride home, we stopped a the Kabanana CRC and I heard a kid say "Uncle Travis!". There in the street was ANOTHER one of my kids (Angel) from the last two years who wasn't on the list and didn't get to come to Camp Life. He looked very healthy and just like Felix, reiterated how well he was doing and how he was walking close to the Lord. Seeing my two boys was a blessing from the Lord because I was reminded how just pouring a week's worth of love into a child has an impact we can't understand. The same goes for you- you don't necessarily always get to see God's work, but any time and energy you may be pouring into someone in need is so worth it. Plus- God will ultimately work in their lives...we just have to be obedient.

I've got a ton more stories but not enough battery on this computer. I'll be heading for Israel tomorrow and will be there until 8/4....Please pray that I will get to experience Jesus's presence like never before.

Love y'all- God is so good!

Travis

Joy & the Holy Spirit

Hello all!

Camp Life has picked up quiet a bit since Monday- I have been blessed to be a part of God doing some really cool things.

Tuesday was definitely a blessing- God revealed His joy to me in several neat ways. First, I was running fever Monday night and still on Tuesday morning. Only having Camp Life for 5 days meant that I really didn't want to be sick any because I wanted to give my kids all that I had. I prayed that the fever would go away, and God answered. By 10am on Tuesday morning the fever was gone and I felt better than ever. I also had the opportunity to do 5 blessing times (one on ones with each child) and really was encouraged by how they were all doing. A few of the boys have really started to read the Bible and apply it to their lives- very encouraging since they're only 12-16 years old. These kids are so much more exposed to tragedy and bad things at an early age, so really they've lived through things most of us don't see in a lifetime. At lunch my boys served a girls group lunch- I'm teaching them how to be true gentlemen as in Zambia girls are treated as second rate citizens. They seemed to enjoy this and were very shy during our brief time together. In the afternoon we had our sex talk and we shared with the the story of Solomon, I threw out some Tommy Nelson one liners, and we used an analogy to show the guys how vulnerable they are when sleeping around. HIV is such a huge problem- 1/6 people in Zambia have aids...it's truly out of control. But- praise the Lord- two of my 5 new kids accepted Christ (John and Luke) later in the day:)

Today (Wednesday) was another amazing day. My fever subsided yet again and we really tried to share with the boys in a very practical sense what Grace is and who the Holy Spirit is and how he works in our lives. We actually read scripture from John 12 about how the Holy Spirit, our counselor, is always with us and teaches us "all things". I'd never really thought about that before...he teaches us all things...not just some things. Both my Zambian counselors shared stories with our group about how the Holy Spirit worked specifically in their lives. I want to share one in particular.

Noah was in the front seat of a bus on his trip through Lusaka one day; he was in the very front seat in the corner by the windshield. For some reason Zambians love the front seat (shotgun!). So..as he was riding he felt the Holy Spirit leading him to just get off the bus. He didn't know why...but finally he just got off and caught the next bus. About fifteen minutes later, his new bus drove up on the bus he had been riding. That bus has crashed into a ditch, and the seat he was sitting in had been completely crushed all the way to the other side of the bus frame...if you getting chills right now...so did I!

Later today we took a trip to the new LRC (Lifeway Christian Schools) to see the new schools and how they were being put up. This location was actually a old World Hunger site (not exactly the right name) that had been abandoned. Family Legacy has been testing four schools and they've had remarkable results in effectively educating kids. When we got to the LRC probably 200 kids atleast crowded around our buses and as we got out jumped into our arms. I've got some great pics, but it was amazing just holding these kids. They are so poverty stricken but so joyous to see us. It was a true reminder of why I am here.

Tomorrow we'll be traveling into Kabanana Compound to visit my kids village and pass out flour, honey, and oil and bless people in their community. Please pray that me and my boys will be courageous and filled with the Holy Spirit to touch those in need. Also please pray that I will be an encouragement to both orphans, Zambian Staff, and Americans and that I will "leave it all on the field." I am praying for all my donors as again this trip would not be possible without you.

Love & Ztwownana Milo (see you tomorrow in Nanja),

Travis

Isaiah 40:31

Camp Life Day 1

Day 1 is in the books at Camp Life- it was great to be back in the swing of things with my kids. This morning we started the day off singing and praying with the Zambians. My Zambian translator is Brian- he's an incredible writer and one day wants to write a book. My other helper is Noah; he's a super servant and blessing to work with as well.

I got 11 kids this year- 7 are kids I've had from years past and 4 are new. It's been great because Emmanuel, who I had in 2008, is back (he wasn't in our group last year). It's been a blessing to see how the Lord has worked in his life and how he's grown into a young man. I had 4 one on one times with Salati, Sindiso, Emmanuel, and Phillip. They shared stories about how they've grown up spiritually and it seems they've been making great decisions as they grow into young men.

Please pray for two of my new boys- Mandra and Lazarus (different one from my first year). They both seemed distant in all of our interactions today, even when we played games. This is their first year at Camp Life, so I don't know much about them. Please pray that the Lord will open their hearts to hear God's word and that He will give me and my helpers the words to speak into their lives.

Also- if you could pray for my health...tonight I've been feeling a bit of fever and I don't want that to get in the way of this week.

Everything else is going really well- it's been great to reconnect and do Camp with my close friends who've been coming for the last 3 years.

Thanks for your prayers and I'll be in touch!

Nehemiah 8:10,

Travis

Father's Heart & Sunday with the Zambians

Hello all! Well- I'm in Zambia and the last two days have been full of blessings.

Yesterday I got the opportunity to go see my sponsor child Elijah in the compound of Jon Leing. I was earlier in the day told that Elijah had moved to another village away from Lusaka, but to my surprise I found out that that was a different Elijah and my Elijah was here. I spent the afternoon playing with him and his friends at the Family Legacy CRC (Community Resource Center) and then visited his home. I quickly saw that their family had moved since last year- their house was about 10x10...that it. I got to meet his mother, two sisters (one is Francia), and his sister's 5 month old baby. One HUGE blessing was finding out how much better Elijah's father was doing. Last year when I visited he was very sick. We've been praying for healing and his father is doing so much better! He was out working when I visited. It was such a blessing getting to see Elijah at home- he is such a precious child!

This morning we had church with the Zambians and Pastor Rafael preached a very powerful message- "A Christian Believer with a Difference". He pretty much brought the message that there are many of us who believe, but that obedience and action are the key to living an authentic life with Christ. It was a very great check for me and reminded me to see how my actions were lining up with my beliefs. As Rafael reminded me- even demons beileve in Christ. Jesus said, "If you love me you will 0bey my commands." Our actions and what we say we beileve in must match up- otherwise...we (myself included) are just fooling ourselves.

I'm actually having lunch now and am getting to see my Zambian partner from last year- N'Kandu. It's been incredible to see N'Kandu grow in his faith this year as he's leading the children's camp at his church and going to college.

Thank you for all your prayers!!! I really appreciate it. Zambia is a great place for me to come back to to be reminded of how real and powerful the Lord is and how he's accessible...we just hae to believe, obey, and follow Him.

Love,

Travis

London

We arrived in London today and got the pleasure of showing Kelly Bumpkin and Kim Malnar around the city. We went by Big Ben, Parliment, Westminster Abbey, St. James Park, Green Park, and Buckingham Palace. I slept the whole flight from Houston to London- much needed! We fly out to Lusaka here in an hour or so and on Saturday morning I'll get to go see Elijah and other kids in the Jon Leing compound.

Thank you for all your prayers- the Lord is already in this and working.

Sunday we'll have church with the Zambians, which is my favorite because they really know how to worship. Sunday evening I get to meet my translator (called evangelist) and other partner (apostle). Monday- I meet the boys and Camp Life starts!

Have a blessed weekend- thanks for all your support!!


His joy is my strength,

Travis

Leaving for Zambia Today!!!

Hello Family and Friends!!

To say the least- this has been an eventful 48 hours. Yesterday I traveled to Fort Worth to get my passport that turned out to not be there! Thank y'all for praying- today the Lord has answered one of many prayers in helping me go back to Zambia. After driving through Nacogdoches from Camp to get my birth certificate (I just happened to be driving through Nac...my birthplace), passport photos at Walgreens, and boarding pass, I sped down to Houston where I had an outside chance to get to actually get my passport today. I had all the documentation, but as I got ready to sign the lady at the counter said, "I'm sorry, but it's past the cutoff- it was at noon." I pleaded and prayed that the Lord would get me through. Sure enough..she checked with her manager and they pushed it through!!! PTL. I'm still not on the flight, but I'm fully aware He is in control.

Thanks first and foremost to you who made this trip possible- you are His hands and feet and I know the Lord will bless you many times over as he has me over and over as I go back to Zambia.

If you're praying- please pray for the following:
1. Strength and Energy- I'm on "e" right now
2. Vision and humility to just share what He wants me to say
3. Spiritual growth for my boys (Elijah, Salati, Sindiso, Angel, Moses, Phillip, Davies, Felix, Steven, Peter, Edward, Japhet, Suwilanji, Jack, Lackson, Lazarus, and Emmanuel)
4. For us to experience true JOY and fun
5. Empower me to encourage other Americans on the trip

I'll be leaving tonight- I am so sad to be leaving my kids at Camp Huawni...this is the last week of Camp (pic above is my tractor crew on cookout for Session 3). Our staff especially has done an amazing job- you can pray for them too! (energy and to finish loving the kids strong!)

I'll try my best to keep everyone updated.

Nehemiah 8:10,

Travis

Long Overdue Update

Greetings from College Station, Texas! I'm sitting in my hotel room right now thinking about all the close friends I have and how I wish I could catch up with you all. I've decided to start updating my blog so I can keep everyone in the loop on where I am, what I'm doing, and how the Lord is using me.

This summer Austin and I got an opportunity of a lifetime- we got to run Camp Huawni (www.camphuawni.com). We had an amazing summer with the kids; it was a great change up from the grueling Acton schedule. We had many kids say it was their "best summer ever"; that made our hearts smile.

On July 21st I flew out with my brother and Mom to Zambia; we took part in putting on Camp Life, a camp for orphans in Lusaka, Zambia. I actually got to be with my same orphans from last year- it was a blessing to see how they've grown. They have endured so many struggles they encouraged me once again to live a better life for His Kingdom. I love my kids! (https://fathersheart.legacymissions.org/ambassador.php?aid=1A.00000919). It was also a blessing to have Austin and my Mom there- this experience truly changed my life in a profound way and it's so neat to see that happen in their lives as well. I am planning on going back next year. Pray about it...you never know...maybe you should come with us!

Finally, in August, I accepted a job with Royalty Pecan Farms (our family's orchard) in Caldwell, TX. It's been a rich experience, as we've assembled a great team of people and a unique, premium product (www.royaltypecans.com). After running the retail side for Royalty for a few months, I am so grateful for the lessons learned at Acton and for the teachers and classmates who pushed me to learn more. There is no shortage of ways in which to implement the lessons learned at Acton.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful December and happy holidays. May the Lord bless your Christmas- what a wonderful and magnificent birthday we get to celebrate.

God bless and keep in touch!

Travis

Hello Family and Friends!!! I apologize for the much overdue update. Things are going fast and furious, and I feel blessed to be at this stage of school, life, etc!

As far as Acton goes- things are great. Two weeks from tomorrow and we are finished! It's truly been one of the most stimulating journeys in my life. Tomorrow morning I will be pitching my business opportunity with classmates Hugo, Lawson, Scott, and Joe. We will actually be pitching a real business opportunity, one which we may potentially pursue post Acton. Also, last week I was privileged to host the TCU CEO Club. Brad Hancock, a very talented entrepreneurship teach at TCU and dear friend, and the TCU faculty led a group of TCU students to sit in on a case study. The students also got a chance to hear from former Horned Frog Vernon Bryant as he discussed private equity, what it means, and what all he does here in Austin. Thanks to all you TCUers who I got to meet- I truly enjoyed getting to hear your stories and ambition for an entrepreneurial career path.

On to other news- I attended the 2nd Zambia Camp Life meeting two weeks ago- it was also amazing. I have been praying that the Lord would come through financially for me this year. Thanks to many of you, I raised half of the $4,000 needed for the trip. This past week- God showed up and supplied the rest! I was reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6; He is so clutch! Please continue to pray for my kids and my brother and mom, who are also going with me. The final Camp Life meeting is coming up on April 17th.

Lastly, as some of you may already know, this summer I have secured a very high paying and lucrative job opportunity- the Camp Huawni director position! Well, maybe monetarily it doesn't pay great, but the intrinsic (i.e. enduring/self) value of loving on the kids and staff this summer is priceless. Hey- I do get free rent and will be on the meal plan of our famous chef Miss Ada (she is the most wonderful cook in all of Shelby County!). Following Huawni and Africa, I hope to be back either in Fort Worth or Austin. I've got several opportunities- please pray that the Lord will make the path clear to me and that I would follow joyfully.

So, as Acton winds down, I am trying to soak up as much of the environment and knowledge as possible. I'll be graduating on May 3rd, finally. So before I go, just know that each of you are in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks again for your support. And finally, remember that each day we are all called to be on mission to loving others- we are missionaries, believe it or not! Have a blessed Easter!

He is Risen,

Travis

ps- I am currenlty mentoring a prisoner named James- he and I are involved in the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (www.pep.org). Please pray that the Lord will bless and guide him as he begins the process to turn his life around and start his business.

In the Middle of Mid Terms

Hi y'all!

I apologize for taking so long to update everyone on what's going on. School has been fantastic but super busy. I just finished up my fourth mid-term exam and will be taking my Raising Money final this coming week. It's crazy how fast time flies- we've only got 7 or so weeks of classes left. Every Acton alum I talked to says to cherish this time and finish strong, which I'm doing my best to do. I'm really going to miss being with such a bright and down-t0-earth group of classmates. This past Friday my good friend Rodrigo (from Guatemala) forced me to have dinner with him- we'd been planning on getting together just to catch up outside of classes, but our schedules are always swamped with school work. It was great just to hang out with "Rodas", as I call him, and unwind a little. Fortunately he got to meet Tully, who was on his way down to Lake Amastad for a bass fishing tournament.

On other fronts, last night I got to go to the first Camp Life meeting here in Austin! Thank you to those who are supporting me- it's been a blessing to see how God has been at work financially. I need to raise another $2,000 or so to pay for the trip. The meeting went very well- Greer caught us up on all that's going on in Zambia and introduced this year's theme (John 3:16). I'm especially excited that this summer I'll have family with me- it's going to be amazing! It was great seeing Josh Rives, who now works full-time for Family Legacy. Josh said he's going to be putting up my video from last year (the one I can't find out how to post on this site). As soon as it's up- I'll post and/or provide a link.

I hope everyone is doing well and hope to see y'all soon!

Sponsor my Zambian Orphans Online

I have some wonderful news! You can now sponsor one of my kids through Family Legacy's website. It costs just $36 per month to take care of my kids' basic needs (school fees, supplies, food, etc.) It's so easy, and one sponsorship will literally change one of my kids' lives forever. I know some of you have asked me how you could sponsor one of my orphans. Just click on the link below and it will take you directly to my page. Each one of my kids is certainly a miracle- they are great kids who love the Lord. Thank you so much for your support and God bless!

Sponsor Travis's Orphans

Acton Coming to Dallas

Hello! I just wanted to let everyone know that Acton will hosting a reception for prospective students in Dallas next Monday. Click on the following link for details:

Dallas MBA Session

It will be held at 6pm at the W Hotel downtown. If you're in the neighborhood and would like to learn more about the Acton program, please register for the event! It's open to anyone interested in Acton. In fact, I was first introduced to Acton at this same event last year. It's funny how things have come "full circle". I am also excited because I will be making the trip as a "current student" and I'll get a brief chance to travel back to DFW. I am looking forward to sharing my experience with others- it's definitely been a great ride so far. Hope to see you in Dallas- now back to studying!

Best,

Travis

Back at Acton

This week has been very eventful back at Acton. Tuesday through Thursday we had a door to door "Sales Challenge". This was something I have been looking forward to all year. As many of you know, I started my Edward Jones business by going door to door in Cleburne; it's how I sparked many of my relationships. Thus, I felt I had a good chance to win the challenge; we were selling Austin Junior League cook books. One of my friends and teammates, Jason Herd, plays guitar, so we had the idea to play a Cook Book Jingle to get our foot in the door (literally) and sell some cookbooks. It worked great! Unfortunately, our team ended up getting 2nd. Thankfully, I learned more about myself and how I can be more effective selling (which I will hopefully do one day when starting my own business).

On Friday we had a debreif at Acton on our service projects. Each student was asked to spend 8 consecutive hours with someone in need. Fellow students shared some very compelling stories; each story reiterrated what life is really all about (Mathew 22:36-39). I shared my story about spending the day with my ninety-four year old great aunt. The experience was indelible. Time "stopped" and I was able to reflect on how precious our time truly is.

So, I am excited about this last semester at Acton. I really want to thank you for your support and prayers throughout this time in my life. I met with many family and friends over the break and was very encouraged by your kind words and thoughfulness for my future. It was also a blessing to hang out with you Murf (my close friend Charlie Hutto pictured above) in Nashville. My prayer this last semester is that I will absorb as much as possible from this spring classes and wonderful master teachers. I also hope and pray that I can be an encouragement to others. Have a wonderful and blessed 2009 and take some some time off to think about "what's most important".

God bless,

Travis

Sunday School

I wanted to say a special thank you to Karen and David Hill for inviting me to share my Zambia story with their Sunday School class this past weekend. David and Karen teach the 12th grade class at First Baptist in Henderson. I feel blessed to have been able to share with these seniors the amazing things the Lord has done with me and for my kids this summer. I really encouraged them to get plugged in to some type of ministry as soon as they hit their college campus; I am a big believer in this. I warned them that many things (both good and bad) will try and steal their time away, and to keep Christ #1. Also- I apologize for not getting my video up; I still haven't figured out how to post it on this site. I will keep everyone up to date.

As far as Acton goes- I will begin our "Re Boot" week on January 6th. I've got two more books to read by next week; the ones I've read so far include The Black Swan and Mastering the Rockefella Habits. Both are great business books that I would highly recommend to anyone running their own business. I am currently reading a book called Made to Stick, which is about clearly communicating. I certainly need to learn from this one!

One more thing- I will be mailing out my Zambia sponsorship packets tomorrow. I hope you enjoy the DVD when you receive it. If for some reason you don't get a packet- please let me know (travisearl14@gmail.com) and I will send you one. Just so that everyone is aware, this is my first time to raise a majority of the money for my mission trip. I am definitely uneasy about "asking" for money from family or friends- it's definitely a pride issue. I would appreciate your prayers; I know the Lord will provide.

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year- may the Lord bless you and your family!

Romans 12:2,

Travis

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to wish each of you a Merry Christmas! This brief break has really allowed me to enjoy time with family and reflect on this past semester. I have been busy burning up the roads back and forth from East Texas to Fort Worth meeting with various business people about potential business opportunities post Acton.

Tonight we had a wonderful time with family and friends as we met at the Hills house for dinner. It was so nice to share old and new stories and literally laugh until I cried. The Lord has certainly blessed me with a marvelous family and such wonderful friends!

I hope you have a wonderful, blessed Christmas. Thanks to each of you for your encouragement and prayers throughout this Fall!

Christmas wishes!

Travis

ps- please let me know if you want a copy of my Zambia video- I finished it last week!

Christmas break is finally here! This is a picture of our family at Bass Hall last week. We took Dad out for his birthday to see Ricky Skaggs & Family for their Christmas show. For those of you who don't know, Ricky Skaggs is an amazing bluegrass singer/mandolin player and a very strong believer. It was really amazing- their entire family is so talented.

This morning I had the pleasure to share my Camp Life/Zambia experience with my mom's Sunday School class. The Lord was definitely at work. Becky Pruitt really wanted me to play guitar (which I reluctanlty did). I also got to show them the new DVD I made from Camp Life. Please let me know if you want a copy and I'll be happy to mail you one. If I can figure out how to post the video on this site, I'll put it up soon.

As far as Acton goes- the semester has come to a stop. Two things I'll be busy with over the break include networking and reading five books (for Acton). I definitely am looking forward to a change in pace and getting to spend time with family and close friends from Henderson. I also want to say a special thank you to Kathy Simmons! She hand delivered a coconut pie from the Purple Turnip. This is by far my favorite dessert of all time!

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I also want to encourage you to take time at some point over Christmas to communicate with your family and friends how much they mean to you. We have so much to be thankful for!

Thankful for Elijah

This week I got the most amazing Thanksgiving gift ever. My little buddy in Zambia, Elijah, wrote me a letter. Here is what he said:

Dear Travis,

How are you? Thank you for praying for me. Happy Thanksgiving. Tell your family that I love them.

Love,
Elijah

Wow- that's all I can say. I need to take notes from Elijah; they tell us at Acton to "get to the point"... Elijah sure knows how to do that. You can see a picture of Elijah right here- he was the one God told me about long before I ever met him. I'm looking forward to meeting up with Elijah again this coming summer. I'll be heading back to Zambia; this time I'll get to do Father's Heart, which will allow me to go see Elijah at his home and hang out for a while. Again, thank you to those who helped make that trip possible last year. I'll be sending y'all a DVD soon over viewing my experience last year...don't worry!

On another note, I wanted to share with y'all the message I got to hear this morning at Austin Stone. Matt Carter delved into 1 Corinthians 11:1-10 and Ephesians 5. He explained the relationship between husbands, wives, and non-married folks (like me) who one day hope to be the former. It was really interesting- he brought to life what it really means for wives to be helpers and husbands to be like Christ to their wives. He told the story about how had he not had a supportive, encouraging wife, that a church known as "Austin Stone" would have never happened. He said he could not have achieved what he had without her.

With that, I wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. My cup definitely overflows! God bless.

Robin vs. Wonder Woman: Understanding Biblical Submission and Headship
http://media.austinstone.org/

Overdue Update!

Sorry for not updating everyone for a while! School is definitely in full gear, and I definitely wanted to update everyone on what's been going on. I apologize for those who've emailed (especially my wonderful former assistant Kahty!), please don't think I'm ignoring you.

The big news in our family is that Lesa (my cousin) and Steve Abney (almost my little brother) got engaged! The Lord definitely has brought together two wonderful people- congrats Lesa and Steve! We got to celebrate over a big family dinner last Saturday night at the Red House. Yes, I got away for a weekend and went to Henderson- it was fabulous. Even though I studied pretty much the entire time, it was great to be back home with the entire family (which doesn't happen as often as we'd like). This picture is of me and Michael Anne by the campfire on Saturday night.

Other big news is that Katie and Josh are expecting a baby! It was a real shocker (in a good way). We got to have lunch with the Hills on Sunday and it was wonderful just getting to catch up with two of my best friends in the entire world. The baby is due in June, and I'm hoping to be an adopted uncle soon (wow...that's weird to say).

As far as Acton goes- things are moving along quit well. I'm loving the classes. I'm reminded daily of how blessed I am to be learning from top notch entrepreneurs. We've only got one more full week of school before Thanksgiving, and I am looking forward to wrapping up this semester so that I can concentrate a bit more on my next step post Acton. I hoping to either stay in Fort Worth or Austin- I'll keep you guys updated.

I just found out that on December 14th I will have the privelage to share my Zambia story with my mom's Sunday school class. I am excited to share what God did in my two week stent this past summer. If you're in East Texas around that time- I'd love for you to come!

Everyone please have a BLESSED weekend. Thank y'all for all your prayers! The Lord is definitely directing me each day, even when I'm stubborn to move. Keep in touch and God bless!

Kind regards,

Travis

Philippians 2:5

Mid Terms Finished

Hello everyone! Well, we just got done with mid-terms last week; pretty soon my first of two semesters at Acton will be in the books. It's amazing that at Acton, even when tests are over, you are still challenged. For instance, this week, most of us thought it would be a little less stressful- that was definitely not the case. But, the good news is, our class is doing an amazing job of improving on the "case method". Like I've mentioned before, during class we use the case method to guide our learning. The teacher asks questions, and the students are supposed to answer that particular question with sound logic and evidence gained through 5-8 hours of prep time. This week our class did an exceptional job at building on the previous point; it was neat to see how all the brain power in the room, combined with active listening, reasoned to a very practical and effective course of action.

Okay, one last thing. In our Life of Meaning Class (www.lifeofmeaning.com) I was posed with the following question: If you were to pick one value you hold, one rule you live by, or one commitment you've made that most clearly distinguishes you, what would it be? This question brought to my mind a myriad of thoughts. Here was my answer:

"Growing up, my dad would often say, “Remember who you are.” At age thirteen, I did not fully realize the weight behind Dad’s advice. Today, these words sit like an anchor. To me, here’s what “remember who you” means: be yourself, don’t follow the crowd, be a leader, stand up for the truth, be quick to listen and slow to speak, honesty and integrity matter, honor your family name, do unto others as you’d have them do unto you, don’t ever start a fight, but if you ever get in one- finish it, be a role model to your brother and sister, encourage youth, be bold, do what is right, and finally, follow Christ. “Remember who you are” is the insignia on my life, and through it I have gained both accountability and respect from and to my family.

Have a blessed week, remember what is important, and take time to thank God for your many blessings. God bless!

It Hurts So Good

Well, believe it or not, Acton just got a whole lot tougher. You are warned numerously of how hard the program can get in October. But believe me- it's definitely different when you're in the middle of it. I'd say it's wonderfully difficult and that I'm sickly loving it! How's that?

A friend shared the following video with me. You talk about moving...man. It reminded me real quick of what's important, and where my priorities are, and why I'm doing what I'm doing. I hope it touches you like it has touched me. You can thank my classmate and friend Mike for sharing it with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPLCaAu_H2U&feature=related

Lastly, I wanted to share with everyone a quote that Dad shared with me a few years ago. It is my favorite. Coincidentally, this quote hangs in the entrance of our Acton classroom, otherwise called "the pit". I am definitely being humiliated and knocked down this week. But I know my efforts are not in vain. It's time to get back in the arena- may God bless your week, and may you fail courageously each day!

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."