Hi! My name is Robert Barrow and I'm studying a BA Hon's degree in Marketing at UWE Bristol. I'm now in my second year and really want to share my first year experiences with you.

I was born in Barnstaple (North Devon) in 1982 and brought up by a 'normal family' i.e. they weren't Christians! But that all changed during my younger teenage years and God opened my (and my families) eyes and I gave myself to the Lord in 1997, with my Baptism at South Street Evangelical Church. If you want to hear more about that testimony then please feel free to contact me.

I came to University as a Christian. I knew Jesus was my Lord, God and Saviour and I thought I had an alright relationship with Him. But I was just kidding myself! I was living a duel life! Many Christian's struggle with this, especially in the early years. I knew God existed but I also believed that that could run along-side getting wrecked up at the weekends and doing the usual socially accepted things.

My first year accommodation was at Cabot Court in Filton: This meant sharing a flat with two other people. I got on with one of my flat mates really-well (Infact I live with him this year) but not so well with my other flatmate: We just did different things and had no things in common. Cabot Court has about 18 flats with 3 people in each flat and there were no other Christians there (as far as I'm aware!). But I made friends with several people, and I started to settle in to Uni life. All was going as expected, I was incontrol of shopping (tasty!), I had my own room space, no not space, 'area' (very cramped room)! Had my car to cruise around in and I was free from boring North Devon! Life was going well. But wait…what about God? No worries! There was a church just around the corner, a role out of bed job! Infact in my first month at Uni I went to church every week. It wasn't like my church back home, but it sounded ok, the people were really friendly and it was nice and convenient! The problem with the church was that it had no youth! Yeah it had the usual noisy kids, but no students, no like-minded people! But I thought I could work on that, don't ask how, but I thought it would be cool and things would work themselves out.

Before I came to Uni I was told that there would be a Christian Union (CU) and that I would be wise to check it out. After a few weeks I started to go to CU. It was quite enjoyable, although I didn't go with anyone; I didn't make many friends (through lack of effort! I got bored and just wanted to get back home to go out with my flatmates and/or Champions league. Either way I'd come up with an excuse to leave early!) And I didn't go for the right reasons. I went for myself, not to go and praise God. The CU was welcoming, offering loads and loads of stuff to do and get involved in; but it all seemed like too much effort! I was told about the CU football team, but I'd already got through trials for a different team and didn't see the advantages for playing for a CU team. After about four visits to the CU I decided that it wasn't for me. The new 'Uni me' found going out with my non-Christian football mates, flatmates and coursemates far more interesting. Every night soon became a drink frenzy, taking full advantage of the ludicrous drink prices! £1 a pint, 50pence Vodka and so on. Soon we were smoking pot on regular occasions thanks to a coursemate of mine who basically lived with a drug dealer. After a while I gave up going to the convenient Church and God was put on a back burner. For several months I lived a life I thought I had grown out of in my teenage years! God didn't seem important; I convinced myself I didn't need Him, I walked alone.

It wasn't until Easter that things started to change. During a visit back home, God really moved me. I started going to Church while I was back home, thanks to the Holy Spirit. God soon provided me with some good Christian friends. One Sunday, after an evening service I was invited back to a friend's house. On the way to his house one of my friends was asking me about Uni and how God was in my life. We had a great conversation and I said to him that I just wanted to change: The Spirit was really breaking my heart and convicting me, praise be to God. The four of us arrived at my friend's house and after a chat, one of my mates asked if we could pray for his leg. Two of my friends prayed for him as I sat there with my eyes tightly shut half praying for him and half worrying about my spiritual state: I was even unsure whether I should pray for my friend. After my friends had prayed, the Spirit led me in prayer, then my friends asked if they could pray for me. They prayed I could find a good church at Uni and also get some good Christian friends. Thank you Father. Thankyou Dan, Paul and Jamie.

From that night onwards I started to rebuild my relationship with God. When I returned to Uni after the Easter break, I had made many friends at the CU and had started going to a new Church (Ebenezer Church). I cut back on drinking and stopped getting drunk. God changed me and got me back on track.

I had let myself get lost, led astray by the enemy. God showed me how dependent I am on Him and that I need to walk with Him in EVERYTHING! Turn to God, always. Never go it alone. And remember 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

God Bless you.

• 1 Corinthians 15v33-34- we need Christian fellowship- like-minded people, God fearing, Spirit thinking people.
• Philippians 1v6: More than one testimony. The good works of Christ are continuous/ongoing- Don't limit God in anything, especially in our own lives. God is constantly changing us, preparing us for our new home. So expect to have many testimonies, not just one!
• Ephesians 6v10-12: We're in a spiritual battle: That's why we're so dependent on God.
• 1 John 4v4: We are God's children! God is victorious, so are we.
• Galatians 5v16-18: Live. Living is by the Spirit

Do you want to know more?
Do you want to know more about the God who transforms lives, then why not join the Alpha Course, that we run at Ebe. Fill in the contact form on this website or telephone the church office on 0117 9791399, and we will send you an Alpha invitation.