Few college students take the time to go to church, and most of them can’t even fathom the idea. This was a foreign concept to me because I’ve spent my entire life in the Methodist church. My parents woke me up every Sunday morning to go to Sunday school at 9am, my small town friends all spent their Sundays occupied with worship, and I was part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes throughout high school. So when my dad stopped by the religious ministries table on my college visit to pick up some information, it didn’t surprise me at all because that’s what I’ve always known. By the time my first Wednesday on campus rolled around, I realized it was time to go to Merge even though no one else seemed to share my willingness to try it. I walked in feeling alone and timid, but left feeling hooked. I learned many names that were soon forgotten, saw a smile anywhere I turned, and joined in a little small talk here and there, but more than anything I sensed God’s presence in a way that made me feel at home. The service was not unlike many other contemporary services I had been to, but something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on was happening in that gym that gave me the idea that I would be spending a lot more time there over the next four years. The rest of my first semester flew by in a whirlwind of ups and downs. I was stressed, exited, scared, and having fun trying new things. However, I could always count on that one brief hour that brought me back down to earth on Wednesday nights at 9, and during the weeks that I missed it, I felt as if I was living in chaos. As I continued to grow in the ministry, I met more amazing people. I soon found that Jennie was just like a friend, wrapped inside a pastor, wrapped inside a blessing, and each week she seemed to speak directly to me. Going to worship was no longer enough. There was so much to get involved in through Merge, and I tried to tell myself that I was only a freshman but God wouldn’t accept that. First He pushed me to join a bible study that was amazing, and then He tested me with the 24-7 prayer room that opened my eyes again. Still He wasn’t satisfied, so He put the Miami Habitat for Humanity spring break trip right in front of me and wouldn’t take no for an answer no matter how much I debated. I reluctantly got into a van in which I knew less than a third of the people and embarked on a 26 hour journey to Miami that changed my life. I came back a changed person with dozens of incredible new friends and an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world and I haven’t looked back since. College is still a whirlwind that shows me something unexpected every day, but now I find peace not only in that weekly hour but also every time I grab lunch or watch a movie with a friend from Merge or study in the basement of the church. The Wesley Foundation is no longer just my church; it is my home. There are few days I don’t spend time within its doors or surrounded by the students of the ministry, and for this I feel truly blessed because I know despite whatever college throws my way I am growing as person each and every day with an amazing family by my side. Now I only hope that I can continue to help this ministry grow as much as it has helped me. In Christ, Mary Becker