Go Back Up
Asset 1

About JOURNEY U

The story of Journey U began in March 2007 as South Texas Refreshing Spring Healing Center, led by Rosemary Burkhard. After Rosemary's retirement in 2011, Sherry Torbert took over, renaming it Refreshing Spring Ministries (RSM). With divine provision, RSM began its mission to bring healing through individual prayer ministry.

In 2017, Laura Bradshaw assumed leadership, feeling led to rename the ministry Journey U to reflect its mission of healing and equipping the body of Christ. Inspired during a flight, Laura developed a curriculum called "4 Truths & A Lie" to reach more people.

The pandemic prompted a shift to virtual classes, expanding their reach. By 2023, the curriculum evolved into "Trace Modeling," focusing on comprehensive healing. Today, Journey U offers an 8-part curriculum and individual prayer ministry sessions to fulfill its mission.

MEET THE TEAM

Laura Bradshaw

Journey U President

Laura has been in ministry since 2011. She is an author, speaker, life coach, and prayer minister. During her time at Journey U she has launched many Christ followers into their callings as well as seeded into many new ministries. Laura is motivated by seeing believers in Christ, walk in the true purposes that God has called them to through healing, training, and equipping the body of Christ. Laura brings a unique perspective gained from her testimony and paired with biblical truth that empowers others as they apply the “Trace Modeling” Curriculum in their own lives.

 

Teri Weise

director of operations

Teri is a devoted follower of Jesus whose faith has been the guiding light in her life. She has been blessed with 35 years of marriage and is a proud mother of two grown daughters. With over two decades of experience in the medical field, Teri has dedicated 22 years to serving others with compassion and professionalism. Her career has been more than just a job—it has been a calling, driven by her heartfelt desire to help and uplift those in need. Now, as the Director of Operations at Journey U, Teri continues to live out her passion for helping others, leading with integrity and dedication.  

 

Alexis Baddoo

Director of Marketing 

Alexis is a graduate of the University of Houston with a degree in Advertising and has served as a Texas educator for over 15 years. After a life-changing encounter with the Lord on 2.22.22, she began her healing journey through Journey U—and exactly three years later, on 2.22.25, became a graduate of the program. Now serving as Journey U’s Director of Marketing, Alexis combines her professional expertise with a passion for helping others find freedom in Christ. She is married with two children, an apologetics enthusiast, and an active member of her local classical learning community. Above all, she is a grateful recipient of God’s enduring grace and mercy.

 

ANgela Aberle

Dean of students

Angela worked in the field of Physical Therapy for 23 years, prior to stepping into full-time ministry with Journey U in 2020. She served in children’s ministry from 2005 to 2013 and in women’s ministry from 2011 to 2020. She is a graduate of the Trace Modeling curriculum, has facilitated the Journey U Trace Modeling curriculum from 2020 to current and is the Dean of Students for Journey U. Angela is happily married to her husband Paul and has two grown children.  She is motivated by seeing those who are captive, set free and walking in their true identities in Christ.                                 

             

Charles "Gordan" Lindsey

Chairman of the board

Gordan has been in the energy business for 40 plus years and is currently V.P. of Corporate Development for Talos Energy Inc. He is a primary supporter of Northgate Fellowship, a Texas Prison Outreach Ministry.  Gordan was Board Chairman of a community outreach ministry for 10 plus years.  He is happily married to his wife Beth, a highly recognized Christian Therapist for 31 years.  He has been associated with Journey U since 2010.  Gordan is honored to serve as Chairman of the Board for Journey U.

 

dena wilhite

Board secretary

 

BRittany Hammerschmidt

Board member/Director

 

MAureen Ross

jOURNEY COACH

Maureen has been in ministry since 2009 and has been involved with Journey U since 2019. Maureen is experienced in ministering to those who have been captivated by sin and leading them into freedom in Christ. Maureen is motivated by helping others on their journey of faith and seeing the broken find healing and grace through becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.

BRandi Toups

JOURNEY COACH

Brandi has served in ministry with children, youth, and adult women since 2001 and has been involved with Journey U ministries since 2020. Brandi is experienced in education, writing, community outreach, and event planning, and she is gifted in connecting with the hearts of others. Brandi is motivated by seeing the revelation of the Word of God illuminating the soul of a believer and the freedom they experience as they recognize the truth.

Jay Anderson

JOURNEY COACH

Born again in 1989 on his 21st birthday, Jay began making up for lost time by reading the Bible constantly and attending a nearly unreasonable number of weekly Bible studies around the Texas A&M campus. Upon graduating with a degree in Psychology, he started a career in youth ministry, a 13-year season during which he earned a Master's degree in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. After a shift in church philosophy, he began serving as the preaching pastor of a family-integrated church, a ministry which lasted seven years. During that time a persistent alcohol problem slowly arose and Jay moved out of "professional ministry." 2018 was the first massive climactic crisis, a drug problem and the loss of his oldest daughter to health problems. Jay was then separated from his wife and his other nine children (yes, nine!), and started picking up the pieces, until 2021 saw the next crisis: a pending divorce and subsequent time of drug use, virtual homelessness, and a finalized divorce. Jay's drug use ended that same year, with him...going to jail. Next Jay restarted his work life, found a loving and powerful house church, received prayer ministry through Journey U, and went through the Trace Modeling curriculum to graduation. Jay has been wonderfully restored to Jesus, identifying the lies he once believed and seeing those lies destroyed in his life by the truth of God's word. Jay is now heavily involved in his church, in which prayer ministry is a strong, effective, and crucial part of the culture. He serves in a ministry to the homeless and disadvantaged people of his community, and would love to tell you not only the other ways God has redeemed his colored past, but also of his faith in God's ability and desire to bring continual redemption and restoration.

 

Niambi Carriere 

JOURNEY COACH

Niambi is a Texas State University graduate with an eclectic professional background. She has worn many hats—author, educator, designer, and virtual assistant. Beyond her career, she has a deep passion for supporting caregivers, by helping them prepare for the unexpected moments life may bring.

Around 2018, Niambi was introduced to a life-changing ministry, formerly known as Refreshing Springs, now Journey U. Through its courses and prayer counseling, she found strength and support during some of the most challenging seasons of her life. With their guidance, Niambi was able to navigate grief, loss, and other personal struggles.

Journey U has become a meaningful part of Niambi’s restoration journey. Because of the transformation she experienced, Niambi is committed to helping others discover the same freedom and healing that can come from choosing to walk the path of restoration with the support of this ministry.

 

The Four Biblical Principles

Our mission is to heal and equip the body of Christ. We do that through prayer ministry, Journey U curriculum, and strategic partnerships.

We all struggle with life stuff. This stuff prevents us from fully experiencing God’s love and negatively affects our relationships with others. We help people recognize BOTH life patterns and negative behaviors and how they keep us stuck in life. We use key Biblical principles to help bring healing to every part of the being; body, soul, and spirit.

There are four spiritual principles that effect every relationship. Spiritual principles are like natural laws; whether you believe them are not or whether you know them or not, they are in effect.

We help people identify the patterns (or fruit) in their life that are the results of these biblical spiritual principles and give them practical ways to work through the bad and to increase the good. Just like understanding the law of gravity allowed the Wright brothers to design an airplane that uses gravity to our benefit, our clients will discover how to do the same with these 4 principles.

SOWING AND REAPING

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please the flesh, will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:7–9

JUDGEMENT

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and to the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1–2

HONORING FATHER AND MOTHER

"Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you." Deuteronomy 5:16

FORGIVENESS

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14–15

 

statement of faith

 

  • We believe that all Scripture is inspired by God and that both the Old and New Testaments are inerrant in the original writings and are the supreme and final authority for faith and life. (2 Tim. 3:15–16)
  • We believe that the Godhead exists in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that these three Persons are one God. (Matt. 28:19)
  • We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and His eternal existence as God; His incarnation and virgin birth; His death on the cross and the substitutionary atonement for sin; His literal bodily resurrection from the dead; and His present ministry of intercession in heaven. (Luke 1:34–38; I Peter 3:18; Heb. 2:9; Romans 5:9; Acts. 2:23–24; Heb. 8:1; Matt. 26:64)
  • We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, convicts men of sin and regenerates, baptizes, indwells, seals, and sets apart believers unto a holy life. We believe that the Holy Spirit also keeps and empowers believers day by day and that He is the teacher of the Word of God and the guide for daily living. We believe that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Scripture are available for use by the church today.
    (John 14:15–18, John 16:13; Acts 1:8; John 16:7–11; Romans 12:48, Eph. 4:11; I Cor. 12:1–31: 14:1–40)
  • We believe that man was created innocent and pure and Adam fell through the sin of disobedience. Therefore, all men are corrupted in body, soul, and spirit and all men need to be born again. (Rom. 3:23)
  • We believe that salvation is by grace, a free gift of God apart from works. Salvation is through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His blood shed on the cross for our sins. All who receive Jesus Christ are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become children of God. True salvation will be manifested by a changed life. (I Cor. 15:20–13; John 3:35–36)
  • We believe in the personal, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ to the earth; the bodily resurrection of the just to the eternal abode in the glory of God’s presence; and the bodily resurrection of the unjust to judgment and everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. (Heb. 10:37; Luke 21:27; Titus 2:11–14)
  • We believe marriage is a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman. (Gen. 2:22–24; Matt. 19:4–6; Mark 10:6–9)