BeTempered Episode 59 Part 1 – Battling Insecurity, Answering God’s Call, and Moving to One of the World’s Most Dangerous Places

BeTempered

What happens when following your faith costs everything? In this powerful episode of the BeTempered podcast, Pastor Jeff Travis joins hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation that traces his extraordinary journey—from childhood struggles in suburban Detroit to anti-trafficking work along the Thailand-Myanmar border.

As a young boy, Jeff battled severe reading difficulties and depression, feeling like he didn’t belong in traditional academic settings. Competitive swimming became his outlet, but it wasn’t until college that everything changed. A miraculous healing experience not only restored his ability to read but ignited a spiritual awakening that would alter the course of his life.

During the conversation, Jeff opens up about the lingering effects of his early coping mechanisms—avoiding failure, hiding insecurities, and performing to gain approval—and how those patterns followed him into adulthood, ministry, and marriage. With honesty and humility, he recounts the gradual unraveling of those habits as he learned to listen more deeply to God’s call.

That call would take Jeff and his wife Elizabeth from Michigan to small-town Ohio, and eventually, in 2022, to one of the world’s most dangerous regions. Now partnering with Life Impact International through New Life Commission, they work on the Thailand-Myanmar border, offering hope and healing to displaced families and survivors of human trafficking. Jeff describes this leap of faith not as a heroic act, but as a daily choice to trust, to serve, and to go where the need is greatest—even when the road is uncertain.

What makes this episode especially moving is Jeff’s willingness to share the messy, often painful parts of his journey—his battle with self-doubt, the grief of miscarriage, marital challenges, and the weight of leadership. His mix of vulnerability and humor makes his story both accessible and deeply resonant for anyone wrestling with purpose, identity, or fear of the unknown.

Whether you’re navigating a personal crossroads, feeling called to something outside your comfort zone, or simply seeking a story of authentic, faith-driven courage, Jeff’s testimony will challenge and encourage you. His conversation with Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr on the BeTempered podcast is a powerful reminder that sometimes the greatest transformation happens when we stop playing it safe and start listening to that still, small voice—even if it leads to places we never imagined.

Support the show

Chapters

1. Introduction to Jeff Travis (00:00:00)

2. Childhood Struggles with Learning Disabilities (00:13:46)

3. College Years and Spiritual Awakening (00:38:36)

4. Bible School and Meeting Elizabeth (01:07:36)

5. Early Ministry and Personal Loss (01:25:29)

6. A Call to Ohio and Pastoral Ministry (01:30:50)

7. Transition to Missions in Thailand (01:36:59)