Too Good to be True??

I started this blog one week ago but kept getting interrupted so I just kept adding but here it is. I just totally need to give God some glory right now!!!!! I have amazing roommates who love the Lord and I am so thankful for them. Jenna has spoken so much truth in my life and consistently encourages me. Today she texted me to let me know how she loved me and how close God is to me. It made me happy but at the same time it reminded me about how much i wish I had friends on my campus. Not living at the dorms has created a HUGE barrier between me and my university. It is almost unheard of to be a study abroad student and not live on campus. So today I had a mini break down and spent some much needed time with God- partly because I have no other choice lol He is my only friend at my school! hahaha It is a good thing though because in my weakness I was humbled enough to beg God for just ONE Christian friend at my school. As I was praying a girl from my class entered and we started to talk a little bit. She asked me where I lived and I told her I lived with some girls from my church in Maadi. She was like “oh my gosh you go to a church?!" and before I knew it we were gushing about how hard it is to not have fellowship here and how she has been praying for fellowship and a church, then another girl walked in and heard us and was like “there is a church here?!” and I told her about it too and she wants to come now also! When I was walking out of the class I bumped into a girl who looked familiar and I thought I saw her at church so I asked her if she went to MCC and she said no, but the guy she was standing with jumped in our conversations and said that he has been going there. He introduced himself and the other girl he was standing with. Her name is Steph and she leads a worship night at AUC!!!! I was baffled. She let me know that something was going on the normal day they worship so instead they were going to worship in a couple hours! Needless to say- worship was amazing. About 15 people came out to the “garden” area and we praised our Father together and then broke into group and prayed for Egypt and our fellow students. I met like 7 really solid Christian girls and many other people there. So basically once I let my pride tear me down to nothing and I humbled myself before God and asked him for one friend he gives me a herd. You know at first I was like “oh my goodness I cannot believe this!!” But then I thought about it and remembered I should be exceedingly thankful for what God has done for me, but not exceedingly shocked. This is my God! A God who loves me beyond natural bounds, who holds me in the palm of his hand, who loves me more then I could try to love him, and who cares when I am hurting- (even if it is only hurt because I do not have a lunch buddy). I am learning that God is not a pusher, he is a waiter- he knocks on our doors not kicks them in- and thank goodness he is a patient God huh?? This week has also been really good because I had a few days off and was able to rest a lot and recover from last week’s craziness. I was also able to skype with my family for the first time since I have been in Cairo. It was right before my Grandpa’s funeral so the entire family was there, even my little Bubby Connor! He is so dang smart!!! I have 3 words- Harvard. Get. Ready. He is sounding out words now all by himself! My roommate Jenna and I finally had one of the same days off together so we went to a shopping center (which is a new thing to Egypt) and went shopping for a dress and go grocery shopping at a real grocery store called “Carrfour”. It was nice because even though we are both so far away from out home and friends and family it was still a little bit of familiarity  I am used to buying clothes for little to nothing in the states because I mainly shop at thrift stores or 75% off racks in Target but I did find a few dresses for about 35 gineeh (6 bucks) and a nice dress for our adventure the next night. After shopping we went to the grocery store which was equally exciting! I stocked up on my tuna fish and bought a few Egyptian groceries for nights when I am feeling oriental (not asian oriental but Egyptian oriental). The thing is- I am ALL about trying new things and ALL about experiencing Egypt and all of its foods and stuff, and I honestly love the food here- but I will not be able to fit on the dang airplane if I continue to eat Egyptian food! To conclude our day we watched Muppet Treasure Island at our church with the Middle School and ate cupcakes and popcorn. The next day we went with a large group of people to the Opera House in Downtown and watched “Step Afrika”! It was so much fun to get all dressed up and to go out and everyone had a good time. It may or may not be because shirtless chocolate men were onstage dancing…just being honest…As of right now I am pretty excited about my future here in Cairo. My school here is going really well, Arabic is starting to click, I’m making some friends who are inviting me to travel with them, I found a secret place in the back of campus that has a few trees and some green grass that I can escape to and spend some time with God, I am starting to learn my way around this city, becoming a pro at the metro, communicating with taxi drivers, knowing what is appropriate to say, what is ok to wear and where it is ok to go. I constantly have to rely on God to get me through my tough monuments and constantly thank God for blessing me with the amazing ones. He is too good to be true- but he is true indeed. El Hamdulallah