Thank You Kansas

Hi Evangelized Kansas!  I am so excited to learn from you.

My name is Olivia Stear. This is my husband Zeke and me.  Zeke goes to the University of Kansas, where we live in Lawrence with our two boys.  We are from a small suburb between LA and Palm Springs called Redlands, California.

My personality, gifts, talents and mission are best described by three facts:

1.  My father sells insurance

2.  My mother sells real estate

3.  And my grandmother was a protestant tent revival evangelist.

How I was Evangelized

My grandmother taught me to pray at the age of 6… after I asked her how to pray.  She said “talk to Jesus like you talk to me.”  And I did.

Then I turned 14 and asked God, “take me to your church!”  And He did.  I received my first communion and confirmation when I turned 16.

Sr. Ignatius befriended me at the University of San Francisco, and thereby re-evangelized me after I got seriously lost in the big city.  She also introduced me to FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.  At the FOCUS conference I encountered Jesus Christ in confession in a whole new way. 

FOCUS taught me so much.  And I was a missionary for 7 years and retired.  

How I was Evangelized by Kansas

When I found you, Kansas, I thought my testimony was over.  I thought my mission was over.  I wanted to sink into your cozy Catholic Jacuzzi, but you wouldn’t let me.  First, you picked me up when I was struggling in married life.  You encouraged me and empowered me and supported me to be the best wife and mother I could be.  Then, you inspired me to give back.  You taught me that an adult faith is one where you are fed, when you feed others.  You taught me to stop thinking of myself and start serving.  That God wasn’t done with me yet. 

The Experiment

Kansas, thank you so much.  My gift back to you is to share with you my little mission.  As a FOCUS Parish Researcher, I am a little Guinea Pig.  I am taking all my FOCUS experience and applying it to my life as wife, mother, friend and parishioner.  It’s a journey.  I hope I can share with you my best and worst practices.  I hope I can continue to learn more from you.

Olivia