The one I missed the most

I missed Henry's voice like crazy while I was gone. Checking in with my girlfriends and my sister this week feels like I haven't seen them in a year. Hanging out with Tim and getting that dry sense of humor tossed my way is a welcome return. But the one I missed the most was Jesus.
I loved and admired the faithfulness of the Egyptian people. The Muslims and the Coptic Christians that I spoke with are truly devoted and disciplined. There is something wonderful about hearing prayers pulsing overhead 5 times a day.
I didn't bring my bible with me on the trip but I don't know that that would have helped really. It was the face to face with grace. The words spoken about the blood and the wine, the body and the bread. The expression of the sacrifice. The poured out passion for my sin. The face of the risen Lord. The presence of Jesus felt in Word and in Church, His body. I missed His Body terribly. I missed His presence and the overflow of grace all around me, underneath me.
I wasn't without Him on my trip, He was certainly there. But along with Him and me was the dust of the Sahara, the obedience and the discipline of the covered head, the millennium of other gods carved into limestone, granite and marble. And I missed His powerful presence in the worship of His Bride.

In Shallah

I am at JFK waiting my next flight, having been up since 4am Cairo time, and it is now 2am Cairo time. And, in shallah, I'll be arriving in Orlando 11pm EST.
In shallah is a phrase we were taught almost immediately on arriving in Cairo. And once you experience Cairo traffic, you'll know the weight of it. The general translation is 'God Willing' but it is more like 'as God wills it'. One of our guides used it incessently, almost every sentence and I have to say, it really feels good. In shallah, I will have work this week. In shallah, I'll be home. And in shallah, I will be posting pictures and notes taken on my trip. I traveled with a big group, and one of the sub-groups was several couples who were Chinese-Americans related through marriage I think. They played mad mah jong in the evenings and I enjoyed hearing Arabic, English and Chinese on all our tours. Anyway, one of those ladies begged me to publish the notes I was taking. And so you will get the benefit/boredom of seeing pictures and reading the notes I took throughout the trip, since she asked so sweetly.

To Egypt, Be heb Masir. I love you Egypt. I love your land, your culture, your faithfulness and the prayers in the air. I love your river and your desert and mostly I love your warm, passionate people.

Egypt

The land of the Pharaohs. The land of Moses.
A place we are not to return to. A place we are to seek refuge in. A place I will be for the next few weeks.
See you on the other side of the Nile.

Finally

Thank goodness that's over.