EASTER!!!

Well, it's FINALLY warming up here. After a surprise snow storm in March, I was beginning to wonder if it would ever happen...but it is! Spring is such a gift. And best of all OUR SAVIOR IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD! YAY for the Easter season!

Here at the Newman Center, we had 26 catechumens enter the Church at the Easter Vigil. I had the privilege of sponsoring one of them, and it was truly a blessing to be able to accompany her on her journey (at least the beginning of it...in many ways the real journey has only just begun!)

Seeing so many enter the Church from such varying backrounds, yet all seeking the same thing, Christ and the fullness of truth that He desires to give us, provided me with a lot to reflect upon. What an incredible gift we have in knowing Our Lord, and in His amazing Church! What a gift that GOD died and rose from the dead to reopen the gates of heaven for us! And how AWESOME will it be to finally get there and spend forever with Him, in the presence of total and complete love! It blows my mind.

So yeah, heaven's going to be a party! In the mean time, it's a great gift to have the opportunity to help other souls encounter Christ so that they too can share in the awesome inheritance He offers. I love my job! : )

Not just at UNL....

FOCUS at UNL has all sorts of great stuff going on all the time! FOCUS Greek, Varsity Catholic, etc….super fabulous! On top of all that's happening at UNL, however, FOCUS is also striving to reach out to other local colleges in the area. One of these schools is Wesleyan University.

Wesleyan is a Methodist school here in Lincoln with about 1,600 students. Many of them are either Catholic or interested in learning more about Catholicism. Additionally, like at any college, the students there are continually tempted to engage in immoral and self-destructive lifestyles. Last year, there was a weekly Bible study sponsored by FOCUS that met every Monday night. An average of around 15-20 students came every week. About 15 Wesleyan students joined us for our SEEK cross-country adventure. They all came back on fire for Christ, and this semester there will be three weekly Bible studies (one for men, one for women, and a co-ed one), a weekly Wesleyan Holy Hour, and a monthly Wesleyan hang-out at the missionary house.

This is my second year as the UNL FOCUS missionary representative at this campus. It's truly a gift to have the opportunity to work with these students, and to see the way that Christ is knocking on the doors of their hearts. Please keep them all in your prayers!

SEEK and you shall find....

As soon as I returned to Nebraska, it was time to head South again! We began the semester by bringing over 300 students to SEEK2013, a national conference held by FOCUS in Orlando, FL. It drew over 6,000 college students from all across the country. The purpose of this conference was to provide an opportunity for these students to encounter Christ and the richness of truth that He offers them in His Church. Here are some testimonies about what the students from UNL experienced:

“I learned so many good things.  We were surrounded by wonderful Catholic speakers.  A quote from speaker Jason Evert really encouraged me.  He said “The fruit of prayer is not always experienced in prayer, but in the rest of your life.”  I know that even if I don’t hear the answers to my questions while in prayer, I will find God’s will by living a life rooted in prayer.”

“My most vivid memory was watching 6000 students line up for confession more eagerly than if they were waiting for a ride at Disney.  This act alone showedhow passionate everyone was about their relationship with God.  I cannot express my gratitude for the lessons I have taken away from SEEK 2013.”

“I went to SEEK hoping to get spiritually hit in the head with a 2x4.  I was hoping God would reveal my vocation or give me a sign about my future.  What I got was so much better.  I got Him.  During adoration and confession Jesus was right there telling me that He was the one I’ve been seeking all this time.  He was the only one I needed.  I’d been trying to fill my life with friends; school and material possessions and He looked straight into my heart and soul and told me that those things could never satisfy me – only Him.”

“This trip changed my life.  My eyes have finally been opened and I truly understand the commitment it takes to be Catholic.  This will be the pivotal point I can talk about years from now.”

“My favorite parts of SEEK2013 turned out to be things I really wasn’t looking forward to.  I learned to see the beauty of Mass.  Confession was also my favorite part and it brought tears to my eyes to see literally thousands of young people standing in line to confess."

“I gained a sense that my peers are actively seeking God.  I am not alone."

These are just a few of the many testimonies that students shared about how God rocked them. Overall, TOTALLY worth all the headaches that went into organizing the trip! Praise God for the opportunity to serve these students for another semester! Thanks so much for your prayers and support!!