Amyzing: Ode to the BSU

Not sure if this ever posted! It is a very old draft of not. Trying again:
The end is near. Dan and I are preparing for our transition out of Norman to Texas so we can go to Seminary and prepare for a life of Ministry.

I couldn't go without an ode to my favorite place on earth! The OU Baptist Student Union.

I know it is just an old building but this is the place that shaped my life as a young believer. Here's the story.

It's my second day on campus in August of 1999. I moved into my dorm and my family left me. I only knew one person on campus: my roommate.

I joined the hoopla on the dorm lawn where a hundred campus organizations were gathered. I saw a sign through the hubub: Baptist Student Union. Then I saw a friendly face! It was Jen Kelsey, to whom I declared like and idiot, "I'm as Baptist as they come!"

She said "Alright! Let me introduce you to some of my friends." She walked me around and introduced me to the staff. I got a flier for the Pizza Bash and joined everyone in the BSU parking lot. The rest is a total blur. But a few days later Tami Hunt invited me to lunch and started asking me about my life and my walk with Jesus. I was impressed. Jen showed up a few days later just to see my dorm room and chat it up with me for a few minutes.

I liked the people I met but with so many options I still wasn't hooked. Then came OU/Texas weekend. At the very last minute I decided to go with a group from Couch down to Ft. Worth. I met a ton of Freshmen and upperclassmen. We had a blast and everyone loved on me all weekend. I also met Holly Kimbrough whom I clicked with immediately. We started meeting one on one the next week. She has now become (almost 8 years later!) a great heart friend.

The rest is history.

During my time at the BSU I was part of:
7 Spring Break Trips
7 Spring Banquets
7 Bible Studies
6 Ministry Teams
5 One on One with God groups
3 Summer Training Programs
2 Discipleship Teams
1 Focus Trip

I had four wonderful mentors: Holly Kimbrough, Amy Crawford, Nancy Jaques and Jen Kelsey. I was under the teaching and leadership of 3 Ministry Team leaders: John Crawford, Dick Jaques and John Kelsey.They poured their lives into me and changed the way I live my own life! What greater gift is there?

I got exposed to the greatest people and I believe the greatest training available for college students in this country. I have rubbed shoulders with people who give their everything to Jesus every day! They love the unloved and they take the gospel to the nations.

The BSU gave me a chance to grow in ministry in a safe place. They gave me leadership opportunities when I didn't deserve them, letting me try and fail and then try and succeed. They taught me how to get the Word into my heart.

I always joked to Jen that I wanted to be her when I grew up. My first staff meeting for the BSU was a great day for me. I feel like I had made it partway there. It was a great privilege for me to be a part of the staff for a year.

Neil Walker said once in a workshop that a person who thinks culturally can be dropped anywhere in the world and have a ministry. After my time here and experiences I feel like that could be true of me.

How do you even begin to say goodbye to a place that has been your home for 8 years? I can't. I am slightly in denial! If you see me a mess a Spring Banquet you'll know why.

Thank you to the staff, previous and present, who poured your life out to undeserving students like me. This will always be the place that I learned how to fly.

Amy Hay