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What's New?
3/16/05:
This week has been incredible. Coming
back to school after Spring Break was very hard, but also exciting. I had just about finished reading Dan Hayes’ Fireseeds
of Spiritual Awakening, and could not wait to take action and step up my commitment to pray for revival at Wagner. I was also
anxious to challenge my peers to be excited about revival as well.
Sunday evening’s Harp & Bowl:
Wagner Christian Fellowship meeting was the climax of the weekend. A group from North Carolina (students and their collegiate pastor)
joined us. They are up here for the week to evangelize at Park and Ride places around Staten Island
and the Staten Island Ferry. But they also committed to helping Christians at Wagner and the College of Staten Island (CSI).
So, Sunday’s meeting was spent praying for the campus and for God’s spirit and love to invade. We also prayed
for Tuesday.
When Laura (Harp & Bowl president)
asked me to organize something for the NC kids to do the Tuesday they would be here, I was excited, but wasn’t quite
sure what to do. I eventually decided to have a 30-second survey printed up. I figured we could pass out surveys to students
and give them candy for filling out the survey. The survey asked what a student believes the identity of Jesus Christ is (a
prophet, a good man, God or a myth); if the students believe there are any absolute truths; if the student would be willing
to hear the basic principles of Christianity; and whether or not they would be interested in a Bible Study.
Columbia University had done a similar event
towards the beginning of the semester and got 60 responses. My hopes were not very high for Wagner (thinking of the responses
proportionally), so I ordered 100 copies of the survey to be made.
Going back to Sunday evening: when
the H&B meeting rolled around, I was beginning to get anxious about Tuesday. However, after the meeting, was totally psyched
to spend the day Tuesday handing out surveys. It was such an encouraging evening. So as the NC kids left, they promised to
buy the candy we were going to use as “rewards” for students who completed the survey.
On Monday, a friend, Crescendo, was
concerned that we would not have enough surveys to last the day. I didn’t share in his concern (remembering Columbia), but I let him print up 200 more copies anyway. I figured we
could save the extras.
Well, Tuesday, after Microeconomics,
I headed to the Union to get set up. A half-an-hour later, there was still no sign of the
NC kids. I didn’t allow myself to panic, but almost accepted defeat. 10 minutes later, they came trooping in carrying
dozens of huge bags of candy. We started handing out surveys at 12pm and by 1, we were out of copies. Boy, was I glad Crescendo
had more copies made! Except, we used his 200 copies as well. So Brad, the NC team leader, got 600 copies made – some
for Wagner and others to hand out at CSI. When the day was over, we had 332 surveys completed. Yay God! And many students
are interested in learning more.
God is moving in big ways on this campus.
We are now mostly concerned with forming Bible Studies for interested students based on the last question of the survey: Assuming
God does exist, what is one question you would ask him?
So much for putting God in a box and
only printing 100 surveys! I am so thankful for what he has done and the ways he is moving. I am also so thankful for the
NC team who is so encouraging and a great group of new friends. Also, thank you to those of you praying for Wagner. We have
only just begun!
~Becky
“Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers
to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey the laws my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to
the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth;
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything
written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified;
do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:6-9
3/1/05;
Saturday 2/26: Last night was the best Wagner men's basketball game ever! We we played St Francis (New York) and
it was neck and neck all night long. Luckily, it was televised on ESPN locally, so there were lots of fans, and it was senior
night, so there was lots of spirit! It was so fun. It was a victory for the Seahawks  60-54!!!
Also, last night I finally watched Return of the King for the first time. Please don't hold this against
me, I was sick when it was in theaters and, to my knowledge, the G family has not yet purchased it. But oh, was that a great
movie! All of those movies are just so thrilling and funny and just all around well done! Two of my favorite quotes:
"Imminent death? Little chance of success? What are we waiting for?" ~Gimli
"Let's find you some clothes, Mr Frodo. You can't go about in naught but your skin." ~Samwise Gamgee
I totally forgot Dean Martin had his own variety show! One of those super long infomercial type things is on about
it where they show scenes from it. Ha! How cool! And i had no idea Dean Martine used to be partner with Jerry Lewis...or
maybe I did? My day is complete.
The History Channel rocks! There's showing a special on the Medici family in Renaissance Florence!!
Sunday 2/27: Church was so great this morning! Sunday school was about the new testament church, how it functioned
and how we can be most like them. Pastor Eddie's sermon was part of his series he's been doing on stewardship. He's is just
so great. He stressed how stewardship is not the pastor asking for money, but it is the investment of what God has
given us (talents, money, time, etc). He also stressed how materialism is different than living comfortably. As Christians,
we are not called to give up all our possessions (although my friend the Franciscan monks of Renaissance Italy might say otherwise),
but to use what we have to glorify God. He said 'materialism is the thing keeping America from revival.' How true! We are
all so preoccupied with what we have, how we look, the things we've accomplished, that we forget to constantly thank our Creator
whoh has blessed us.
In April, Harp & Bowl: Wagner Christian Fellowship is participating in the '30-hour Famine.' We will be fasting
for 30 hours as a fundraiser for World Vision. For ever $30 we raise, we will feed one child for an entire month. What an
incredible thing! I would like to ask you in joining me by donating money to this fundraiser. For more information you can
visit www.30hourfamine.org I am really excited about this experience and hope that we'll be able to benefit many children!
NOTE: The two paragraphs directly above are in no relation to each other and just happen to have coincided in the
same part of the email.
On a lighter note, I talked to Morgan (Scott) today. She placed 2nd and 3rd in her horse show yesterday, so will
be going on to Nationals! How exciting!
Tuesday 3/1: March already? Out of control! The snow here is beautiful! I'm definitely ready for warmer weather,
but the snow is just so simple, yet so majestic - if that makes any sense! I went to a lecture by writer/actor Charles Busch.
I had never really heard of him, but he wrote 'The Tale of the Allergists Wife.' The Broadway show that was nominated for
a bunch of Tony awards. It was very interesting, because his style is definitely not my cup of tea.
All classes before 10 were cancelled this morning. It was so wonderful to be able to sleep in and enjoy the morning
(not to mention, not go to Microeconomics).
1 day til Molly's 12! 3 til Spring Break!
Much later: Wow, it seems like forever ago that I woke up! History and choir were good this afternoon...we're continually
preparing for the choral concerts 4/24 and 5/1. I went to Fuel at Salem church tonight...it's a collegiate youth group. Tonight
there were 12 of us (including George, the head of youth missions) and it was such a blast. We talked about how the body of
Christ suffers when one person is struggling. It was very encouraging, because it was a real challenge to be more selfless.
Also, I'm reading this book 'Fireseeds of Spiritual Awakening.' It is about revivals on college campuses across the nation.
The coolest thing is that revival simply means a new passion for God. So simple! I love it!
A shout out to all those who will be around this weekend: I was told there is to be a gathering at the Spruance's
house Saturday night at 7:30...Mrs Spruance told me to spread the word...hope to see you there!!!!
Well, my brain feels like it just hit a brick wall since I just did about an hour and a half of calculus...time
for bed!
2/25/05:
Saturday: I went into the city yesterday to see...'The Gates'...a piece of modern art 30 years in the making (pictures
included). It was soo cold! Morgan and I went to this amazing Cathedral too and a little Hungarian Pastry Shop Kim showed
me up near Columbia. We had a cherry strudel...how wonderful! It was a great afternoon. Today I spent time in the library...I
actually enjoyed myself because I'm working on a paper for my history class. It's pretty much about the formation of the Italian
mafia!!! And I'm working on another one on Claudio Monteverdi...a composer from the Italian Rennaisance...what a brilliant
man! Sadly, this afternoon, I have accomplished nothing, so I'll be working hard the rest of this 3 day weekend. 2 weeks til
spring break!
Thursday: Phew...time is flying by sooo quickly. This week has been good, but rather stressful. Good news...I haven't
missed any appointments (yet) this week! My paper about the Medici family (aka mafia paper) was due today...its soo interesting
all of the politics involved in the early renaissance. I have a meeting with the head of the Study Abroad program tomorrow.
My history professor suggested trying to get into an intensive music program in Rome...that way, she said, I'll be practically
bilingual by the time I come back. So cool!
The moon was gorgeous the other night. I attached a picture, because it was so amazingly beautiful! The snow storm
last night was crazy. The sky was blue until about 3pm when it really started to snow. Now we have snow everywhere and the
sky is perfectly blue again with only one cloud in the sky. How wierd!
Everyone here is doing well...Morgan is in a horse show this weekend - the qualification for Nationals!!! Lauren
is home for the next few days, so I get to experience the loveliness of a single! Kevin still only talks about Ralph Lauren
Polo and Econonomics...We started a Bible Study on Wednesday nights. It's so much fun. Thus far, it's been me, Mandy, Kevin
and occasionally Crescendo, Margaret and Meaghan.
I got Alice and Wonderland out of the library to read. I'm so psyched to start it, but have not had a spare moment
to...ah well, I guess I'll get there eventually.
Well, that's just about it for that email...I hope y'all are doing superbly! I'll see most of you in a week! Yay
for spring break!
2/17/05:
Anywho...Tuesday night (2/8) I went to a forum up at Columbia. It was on the theory of Intelligent Design. The two
speakers were great: a seasoned Biologist and Chemist from NYU and an Intelligent Design scientist from Baylor. It wasn't
so much a debate as a presentation of information, but it was so good.
Thursday (2/17): Wowie! This week has flown by!!!! Saturday night I had a Valentines Day party. Soo fun! We had chocolate
chip cookies, lolipops and juice boxes  . We watched The Family Man with Nicholas Cage. One of my favorites!!! Sunday I went to church, talked to Dan Kerwin
about working at Berea this summer and went to Harp & Bowl; a rather regular Sunday.
This week has just been crazy!! Lots of work and tiredness...but I'm alive! Have I ever mentioned how much I love
my Renaissance Italy class????? I do, I do!! We were talking about the politics of Florence in the early 15th century today...soo
fascinating. Soo cool! All my other classes are good too, lots of work, but I'm muddling through (I guess I already made that
point!)
Spring break is coming up! Yay! March 5-14! I can't wait to go home and see all my CT chums!
As for my summer plans, I have three options...
1. Work at Camp Berea all summer (maybe take some time off to go down to Louisiana)
2. Go to Mexico City with Campus Crusade and Louisiana, but stay home to work
3. Go to Florence with Campus Crusade, maybe Louisiana and definitely stay home to work
I hope God will enlighten me of his plans sometime soon!
Opera Workshop is going well! I don't know if I mentioned it before, but we're doing Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte...its
hard, but so much fun. The performance is May 5ish...whatever that Wednesday is...why the middle of the week? I have no clue.
Anybody else a fan of the Apprentice (Mom, put your hand down)...man, we have a regular party every Thursday in my
room...yay!
Ok, I'm kind of starting to ramble now, so I think I'm gonna head to bed!
Adios muchachos!
ps...visitors are always welcome!
2/7/05
Wednesday: Wow, things are getting exciting at Wagner! Last night (this morning) we got to sit in the lounge of one
of the other dorms for 2 HOURS because someone decided to light a fire (yes, intentionally light a fire) on the 10th floor.
Way too much excitement for one day. Did I mention this was all at 5am? As I look out my window I realize it's snowing like
mad. I can't even see the city...which is slightly creepy.
Public Speaking class is so much fun! The professor is really funny and there are quite a few characters in my class.
It makes it very interesting! All my other classes are good too. Renaissance Italy is fascinating, we're disscussing a different
aspect every week and we were discussing gender and class this week. I had a little issue when I realized all the girls in
my class are like way uber feminist, because they were going on and on, but I'm over it now. That class is so much fun! I'm
writing my first paper on the Medici Regime in Florence. I have to find two scholarly journals and compare/contrast and discuss.
Good times.
Friday: I'm so stoked. I met with one of the academic advisement ladies (Dina) yesterday and have everything all
planned out. I'm thinking of going to Rome for study abroad second semester Junior year...I can't wait!!!
I was definitely about to write something about my day...but I don't remember...ha ha, have a good day!
Mission U: What an experience! I don't know how much I've mentioned about this weekend in my last emails...but I
went to a Campus Crusade for Christ conference this weekend up in Providence, Rhode Island. There were college kids there
from schools all throughout New England and New York. We went to seminars and got to meet kids from other schools in our area.
The main meetings were incredible. The praise band was so great and teh speakers were so encouraging. God really convicted
me too. I've never really understood the idea of hearing God's voice, but I do know. I began to get overwhelmed Saturday morning
at the International Mission Trips meeting. I want to go on a trip abroad, but I also have so much else to do: Louisiana,
WORKING, etc. But I just heard God say "No. Forget about all of your plans, this is my summer." Whoa. What a blow. All I could
say was "No, God, this is my summer, I've already made a list..you know what I want to do...now make it work." What a gracious
God that he lets us work these things out on our own.
I spent a lot of time in the prayer room mulling over my plans (first of all, this room was incredible - a representation
of the Old Testament tabernacle). I found Genesis 1:1, 4: "The Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your
father's household and go to the land I will show you.'...So Abram left." That totally knocked the wind out of me. I remembered
Mr Vitale's sermon on Abraham and the fact that he didn't plan, he just left. Wow. I can't even imagine life without a plan.
So I took that big ol' leap o' faith and let go of my plans. I don't know what I'm doing this summer...maybe Louisiana and/or
working and/or a summer project with Campus Crusade. For the first time in my life I can say that I don't have a plan and
I'm okay with that. Phew, that's really hard to admit. But as Vicky said, that's a really good place to be.
Saturday night they held a dance, which was totally fun. The room was packed and everybody was sweaty, but having
a ball...kind of like high school dances all over again, except no pretty dresses, just comfy clothes (but I guess that's
not so bad!). I ended up having to room with girls from another school because we didn't arrive until late. But that was soo
awesome because one of them is a Physics major and another grew up on Staten Island. I didn't really get to know the other
one because she didn't really talk. The speakers were a couple who, for about 20 years, have been in the Missions field with
Campus Crusade. They had some incredible stories. All of us got this DVD with different Bible Studies and stuff on it and
one of the little video things is a parody of an old Super Bowl commercial...its called the 'Evangelism Linebacker.' So throughout,
kids complain about sharing their faith and the Lineback comes through and knocks them down. We were all laughing histerically
when we saw it.
Now for a bit of a commerical: Gordon and Simmons were represented this weekend. Y'all should go next year. It will
revolutionize the way you see the world. Also...there's a winter confrence in Boston next Jan 1-5...we should all go...its
a guaranteed great time...we'll chat about that later.
Yea Patriots! Dad, I still can't believe you routed for the Eagles!
Well, I hope everyone recieves this in relatively good health and has a fantastic week.
Let me know how you are!
1/24/05
Phew! I can not believe that it is already second semester. Last semester ended up real well (I know some of you
got worried when I didn't send an email). I did very nicely on my finals and earned a semester's worth of classes from my
high school AP credits. So now I'm researching my options for having an extra semester.
Classes this semester are great so far. My schedule is crazy though (what else is new?)! Mondays and Wednesdays I
have Ballet and Tap - sooo wonderful - then Calculus and Public Speaking. Calc is good, however, Speech hasn't started yet,
so I don't know how that will be. Tuesdays and Thursdays I have Microeconomics and the History of Renaissance Italy. Both
look promising, but require so much reading. I'm going to look into study abroad one of these days as well. The program that
Wagner partners with has lots of neat places to go to, but there are other places I'm interested in going. The ISE or whatever
its called goes to Milan and Rome in Italy, but I'd really like to go to Naples, so we'll see. Anywho...
I tried out for the Dance Concert. The first act is a bunch of different pieces and the second is a contemporary
interpretation of Cinderella. I did soo super well at the audition and got called back for the Stepmother and the Corps de
Ballet in Cinderella. The tap audition went rather well also. I didn't miss any beats and the audition material was so similar
to the last tap exam I took. However, I saw the cast list today and my name is not on it.  But this means that I will have plenty of time to get the aforesaid reading done for classes and do Opera Workshop again!
So, I can't complain.
Life is good.
Break went quickly, but it was wonderful. I really enjoyed seeing everyone again and reminiscing of old times. Ha
ha, anyways. Umm...I'm trying to think what else has gone on!
Ah, yes! The saga of choosing a major. I'm pretty much settled on majoring in Physics and then going to grad school
for education. But I'm also thinking I'm going to either double major in math or minor in Dance, I'm not sure yet...but I'm
one step closer.
Well, I'm going to be beckoned to dinner shortly, so I had better get suited up to face the outdoors! Eek, there
is SO MUCH SNOW HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It looks great, but it is cold up on this hill.
Adios muchachos! Let me know how you are and when you are coming to visit!!
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