Catholic FOCUS Missionary Grace Varsek
By: Chase Muro
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Every missionary has a story long before they ever step onto a college campus to share the Gospel.
For Grace Varsek, that story began long before she became a missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), a Catholic organization that sends missionaries to college campuses to mentor students, lead Bible studies, and help young adults develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Grace grew up a cradle Catholic in Camas, Washington. She attended Mass with her family, celebrated the traditions of the Church, and even remembers dressing up as Saint Mother Teresa for a school project as a child. Looking back, she smiles at those memories. Faith was always present, but like many who grow up in the Church, she would later discover there is a difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Him.
After graduating from high school, Grace attended the University of Arizona, where she studied communications. Although she continued attending Mass every Sunday, college became a season of searching.
Growing up, she had always viewed the Catholic Church as something she participated in, but as a young adult she began to wrestle with whether it fit the person she believed herself to be.
"I thought the Church was too stifling, too rigid, too traditional," Grace admitted. "I wanted to explore, adventure, and be free. I was kind of a hippie."
She found herself searching for truth and purpose in a variety of places. Was fulfillment found in traveling the world? A successful career? Romantic love? She wasn't sure. Along the way, she explored everything from Stoic philosophy and meditation to some of the more popular forms of modern spirituality.
"I was searching for what was true," she said.
Yet that search slowly led her somewhere unexpected. Rather than pulling her away from Christianity, it brought her closer to Jesus.
At first, she saw Him simply as the perfect example of love. Before long, He became a friend.
One seemingly ordinary moment became unforgettable.
Grace's sister sent her a picture of Jesus holding a beer with the caption, "Never trust a hippie."
"This reminds me of you," her sister joked.
Grace laughed, but she also sensed that Christ was speaking to her through that unexpected image.
She realized that following Jesus did not require her to abandon the personality God had given her. The adventurous spirit that loved to travel, explore, and embrace life was not something Christ wanted to erase. Instead, He was inviting her to become the fullest version of the person He had created her to be.
"It felt like Jesus was telling me, 'I love you exactly how I created you,'" Grace reflected.
That experience marked the end of her sophomore year and became a turning point in her faith.
The following year, Grace studied abroad in southern France, where everything began to deepen.
Being removed from the noise and routines of everyday life gave her the gift of silence. She spent hours praying, writing letters to Jesus, sitting in the garden of her host family's home, and quietly walking to class.
It was there, in that silence, that her relationship with Christ truly blossomed.
"I knew the Father. I knew the Holy Spirit," Grace reflected. "But I didn't really know Jesus."
Looking back now, Grace can see that what felt like wandering was actually God leading her step by step.
She thought she was searching for adventure, purpose, and freedom. In reality, Christ was patiently drawing her toward Himself the entire time.
For the first time, Jesus was no longer simply someone she believed in. He had become someone she knew.
When Grace returned to Arizona for her senior year, she entered into discipleship with her FOCUS missionary, Clare.
Looking back, Grace credits Clare with seeing something in her that she could not yet see in herself.
"She was the one who encouraged me to become a missionary," Grace said. "Without her perseverance, I truly don't think I ever would have applied."
At first, the idea felt almost laughable.
She still identified herself as the adventurous, carefree, "hippie" girl who loved to travel, laugh, and embrace life.
"Catholic missionary?" she joked. "Not cool at all."
But the more she prayed, the more she realized that Christ was never asking her to become someone else.
The lesson she had first glimpsed through that humorous picture of Jesus years earlier continued to unfold. Following Him did not require abandoning her personality or pretending to fit a certain mold. Instead, it meant allowing Him to become more fully the woman He had created her to be.
Rather than taking away her love for adventure, spontaneity, or joy, Christ redeemed those desires and gave them a greater purpose.
Grace surrendered not to a new identity, but to her truest one: a beloved daughter of God.
She eventually answered the call and became a FOCUS missionary.
Today, Grace serves students at Northern Arizona University, where she spends her days building authentic friendships, leading Bible studies, organizing retreats, and walking alongside young adults as they wrestle with life's biggest questions.
One thing she has noticed is that many students are searching for something they cannot quite name.
"They're longing for something deeper," she said.
That longing reminds Grace of the words of Saint Augustine:
"Our hearts are restless until they rest in You."
Today, that same joyful spirit is part of the way she ministers to college students. She hopes they see that Holiness is not about becoming someone you're not. It is about allowing Christ to transform you into the person He created you to be.
Grace's story reminds us that the path to Christ is rarely a straight line. There were seasons of questions, doubts, and searching. There were teachings she struggled to understand and moments when she wondered where she truly belonged.
Yet through it all, Christ remained patient.
He never stopped pursuing her.
Today, Grace confidently proclaims that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and that His Church is the fullness of the truth He established. At the same time, she hopes people know that following Him doesn't erase their personality. It perfects it.
She's still the same woman who loves to travel, laugh with friends, enjoy a good espresso martini, and embrace adventure. The difference is that now, those gifts have become part of the unique way she reflects Christ to the world.
Listening to Grace's story reminded me that many people believe following Christ means becoming less themselves. Grace's life tells the opposite story.
Jesus doesn't erase our personalities. He redeems them.
He doesn't ask us to become someone else. He invites us to become who He created us to be.
If Grace's story has inspired you, there are several meaningful ways you can support her ministry.
First, consider subscribing to her newsletter to receive updates about what God is doing on the campus of Northern Arizona University and how you can pray for the students she serves.
Grace also welcomes prayer requests. Whether you're celebrating a blessing, carrying a burden, or simply seeking someone to pray with you, she would be honored to lift your intentions up to the Lord.
Finally, if you feel called to support her financially, you can make a gift directly to her missionary account through FOCUS. Every donation, no matter the amount, helps Grace continue sharing the Gospel, forming disciples, and walking alongside college students as they encounter the love of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Requests: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14Qso_T6d5ydTyozxESxyX2HBNLRLIOKcLW3I3BksUbc/viewform?edit_requested=true
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Support Grace's Mission: https://focus.org/missionaries/grace-varsek/
Thank you, Grace. I will be praying for you on your mission.