SEEK 2015

We went in January. 10,000 people in Nashville. All for Jesus.

FOCUS at UNC had the privilege of bringing 42 students to experience Jesus in a deeper way through talks, Mass, prayer, and a whooooole lot of JOY!

I could share stats with you, but I felt like the best way to sum up the power of your prayer and support, and the beauty of God's love would be to share some students' testimonies with you:

"God demonstrated how he loves me and how I need to let him love me. I am trying to make my own path and I am straying from his in the process. By letting him love me, I can step back and trust that he has a plan and it is better than anything I could think up myself."

"God had really opened up my eyes. I have been really shy about my faith because at my church it's only "older" people. I hadn't realized how many people my age also believed in God. I am no longer as shy and or embarrassed."

"Seek was an amazing experience for me. I went in worried that I wasn't going to get anything out of the Conference. I was excited for the talks and the 10 thousand people I knew would be there but I wasn't sure if I would get anything out of it. I thought I was pretty strong in my faith, I went to mass most days, I participated in bible study, I went to most Bear Catholic events, and overall I was the "perfect Catholic." The first day of the retreat was wonderful and I loved the speakers and I was enjoying the conference. The second day came around I felt a lot of doubt about the Eucharist. I'm a cradle Catholic so I have grown up with the Eucharist and believing in Jesus is in the Eucharist but all of the sudden I had a lot of doubt. I prayed about it the whole day and there were so many talks and different things that showed me that Jesus is truly is in the Eucharist but the main turning point was during Adoration. I was kneeling down during Adoration and I just started praying this prayer just saying the name Jesus. I said Jesus over and over again and all of a sudden I knew that it was Jesus. Jesus truly was in the Eucharist and God was with me. That is mainly my story but just a side note when I was in mass that morning I remember the bishop saying that it was the feast day of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. I never realized how much power the name of Jesus has and whenever I have doubts or I feel the devil attacking I say the name of Jesus and my doubts go away."

"I think SEEK was such a beautiful reminder that we are not alone in our faith journey, not only at UNC but in the world. We have so many brothers and sisters world wide who want to support us in our goal of heaven. Mass and adoration with 10,000 people was literally breathtaking; a sliver of heaven on earth. I think that for me, the biggest personal reminder I got from SEEK is that Jesus is constantly pursuing my heart, but it is my job to pursue him back. I have no reason to have reservations and was able to give my heart to Him fully, for the first time in my life. And to genuinely say, Jesus let my will be your will. I started this semester more motivated to pray daily and grow in knowledge of all of the churches teachings to better share my faith with others on campus. I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the people who helped make this possible, especially those who opened their wallets and donated. We really couldn't have gotten such a large group of UNC students to Nashville for this life changing event with out you!"

"God has renewed my desire for community and discipleship. I am still on a God high that i don't want to come down from! So because of this renewed desire, I have been more intentional in attending daily mass and bible study, as well as giving more attention and care to my disciples and my own discipleship process."

"I experienced God through the confessional and through the presence of the multitudes of the faithful young."

"Throughout all of the talks there was a resounding theme for me: you are not alone. Everyone carries their own cross and although each is different, all of our crosses are a burden to us. You are not alone and the people who are closest to you will (or should) understand and support you through your trials."

"Over SEEK, I really heard Jesus telling me, deep down in my heart, that I am not alone in all the struggles I go through. As I was looking at Him in Adoration, I truly felt Him lifting up my burdens to carry them alongside me. I knew, deep in my heart possibly for the first time, that I did not have to manage those difficult moments on my own. I realized how much those burdens are worth because of God's love for each soul, which I sometimes feel in my heart as well."

Glory be to GOD!

& thank YOU for your prayers and support that makes this all possible

Jorin's letter for you

To Cari and her Mission Partners,

Hello, my name is Jorin. I met Cari Devlin in August of 2014. I went to a BBQ Bear Catholic was hosting and did not know a single person there. Cari came up to me, saving me from every first year’s worst nightmare, and starting speaking to me about various topics. As our conversation progressed, we found out that we are actually from the same town and that we both dance. It was a match made in heaven for me. As the semester progressed, Cari became my friend and mentor. She encouraged me to attend Bear Awakening, a retreat that the Catholic campus ministry holds. That is where my transformation began. I encountered the Holy Spirit on this trip during adoration and truly began the healing process that I was not completely aware I needed. I come from a very irregular upbringing and had many walls and scars built up on my heart. It was time to begin taking the walls down and cleaning out the wounds that had lead me away from God for so long. I needed help and Cari was always there to listen, give me advice, make me laugh when I needed it, and to cry with me when I could not handle the memories any longer. She taught me through example of what Jesus’s kindness and love looks like and how he works through others. I personally had no idea what that love felt like for I did not believe I was worthy to have Jesus’s love. I began to fall back into old habits and drifted back to what was comfortable. Well, Cari was on me in a second.

She took me to dinner one night where I told her exactly how lost, empty, and worthless

I was feeling. She took me to the Chapel and began to pray with me and for me.

The other FOCUS Missionaries came down and began to pray with me as well. I am so grateful to Cari and all the other FOCUS Missionaries for that night because I began to feel alive again. Cari directed me to Father Brady, who had done my confession on Bear Awakening and knew my story. She continually encouraged me to meet up with Father Brady for spiritual direction. Father opened my eyes to where Jesus was in these memories and the feelings that lingered after. He gave me a step by step plan and I have been using this plan ever since. As time passed, I began to feel lighter. I no longer had to carry my past and the weight of the world on my shoulders.

God is more than capable of carry them for me and he had been begging me to let him take them from me for every long but I never cared to listen. I have learned many things in the last months and I want to share them with you.

Firstly, there are no coincidences. I went to that BBQ all alone and scared but

Cari, who is from the same home town as me, was there to welcome me. Every single person is worthy of God’s love no matter how badly they feel about themselves. He is abundantly strong and can handle anything you throw at him. You don’t need to worry he is always there waiting to hear your story. You can tell Jesus how your day was or the deepest, darkest depths of yourself and he will still love you and guide you through it. Listen and wholeheartedly trust in him. I encourage everyone to ask and accept the mercy of God for when you do you will learn forgiveness and how to love again. My life has changed. I am stronger, happier, and far more present in my life today. When you are constantly running from your past, you tend to forget about today and run to the future but eventually time will run out and then there is God. Take the time to let him love you; because once you do your life will fall into perfect place. I found confidence. I found myself in God and I have never been more at peace with past, who I am, and the woman I am becoming. Thank you, Cari, for giving me the opportunity to be complete and happy. Thank you to her mission partners and those who have helped hundreds of young adults find the Lord. If it was not for you, I would have never met Cari or the Lord. This testimony does not even come close to the gratitude I feel towards all of you. 
Thank you truly from the bottom of my heart. 
I will be praying for all of you

-Jorin