May Update: Leaving A Legacy and Launching Into The Future

        So... May really flew by! Two weeks of finishing up at Drake, two weeks at a conference in Missouri, and all of a sudden it's June!  I'm excited to share with you some of the great experiences I had with the grace of God and His people this month!

Leaving A Legacy
        During the first two weeks of May, I ended my semester working at Drake as a volunteer staff.  I briefly mentioned in my last update that I had finished June leading worship for the last time at Drake.  It was a bittersweet moment, playing for the last time with two other seniors on the worship team, but finishing with a really fun night of worship and celebration.




        The next week we passed the torch to the two underclassmen who would be taking over leading worship. That was one of the sweetest moments of the semester because it felt really good to see the worship team left in good hands.  I know that we as seniors had left a strong legacy for worship being more than about songs but about freedom and joy in experiencing the Holy Spirit.  I believe that a great leader will not make everyone dependent on him/her but build up others around him so that when he or she leaves the organization continues to go up.  It felt really great to see that kind of legacy left behind me and to rest easy knowing that the Drake InterVarsity worship team will be great for years to come.
        That same night we held a celebration for the graduating seniors known as "The Varsity's," a series of funny/awkward awards in the "Dundees" tradition from the show The Office.  We ended with prayer and a commission for all the Seniors.

My award was a VHS of Pinocchio with a broken nose since, according to simple logic, Pinocchio's nose grows when he lies but, since I love telling the truth so much, I got a broken nose and had it repaired (see April's update).

        Looking back, my time in Drake's InterVarsity was really special.  It was at Drake that I really started to grow up as a Christian and learn how to live and love in community.  I grew as a musician and learned how to lead worship in a way that helps myself and others to experience God.  I grew as a leader in learning how to organize meetings, lead small groups, and influence other people on a personal and relational level.  I gained sisters and brothers that will last me a lifetime.  Fortunately, at Central I will still be able to work closely the Drake chapter and maintain many of those relationships. I am excited and ready for this next chapter but I will be forever grateful for my time at Drake and how it made me into the man of God I am today.

Two Weeks of Crazy Awesome Jesus Stuff
        After ending my time at Drake, I jumped right into learning what it means to be a real staff with InterVarsity.  For a full two weeks during May I was in the Lake of the Ozarks at our regional end-of-the-year conference known as "Catalyst."  For one week at a time, students from all of our region (MO, IA, NE, and KS) came to finish their year by getting away with worship, speakers, bible studies, and more.
        Each week we worked our way through Nehemiah and, although many were skeptical about this random book in the Old Testament, it was amazing what God had to speak to us through this passage!  The biggest takeaway I had from Nehemiah was how after being told the wall in Jerusalem was in disrepair, he spent a full four months in prayer and fasting before he approached the King to ask for help to go rebuild the wall.  As someone who is in the midst of doing a lot of asking for help in MPD (Ministry Partner Development) and on the verge of undergoing a great work (building the wall at Central), this resonated with me a lot.  In response, I am taking very seriously this idea of spiritual preparation and I plan on spending around 5 hours a week in the prayer room at the International House of Prayer Iowa and one day a week fasting.

Leading worship at Catalyst.

        Aside from engaging with Nehemiah and spending time with students from Drake and Central, my job for two weeks was basically worshipping God every night.  Pretty awesome, right?  I led with Amy from Drake and had a full band behind me as we worshipped with all our hearts and saw God move in amazing ways. We played songs in Swahili, Spanish, and Mandarin.  We played really fun songs with dancing and jumping.  We played powerful songs where we felt the presence of God really thick.  We saw people get out of their comfort zones and feel real freedom in worship for the first time.  We saw people get prayer and give their lives to Jesus for the first time.  It was amazing! I love worshipping our God!
        I also got to spend some great time with the students I will be working with in the fall at Central and William Penn. I am continuing to learn about their culture, strengths and weaknesses, and piece together a vision for what God has in store for these campuses.  If this is a glimpse of what God has in store for me in the future with InterVarsity, then the future looks bright.

The Drake crew that came to Catalyst.  We had two people celebrating coming to Jesus in the last year and one while we were at Catalyst!

Looking Forward
        June is already turning out to be a very busy and productive month.  This month above all others so far is my chance to put in both the spiritual preparation and the work to try and raise my support team.  My goal is to reach half way funded by August 27th (the day Central starts classes) and to be fully funded by January 1st.  I am already busy at work setting up meetings as much as possible. Please pray for me as I continue to walk forward in faith that God will provide through His body as I seek His Kingdom first.

Thank you for your time and support!
God bless
Seth