Today was a downer that ended up an upper. God just is so beautifully faithful to me, even when things are difficult.

I went to the Regiers next door (yes, that’s right, Regiers) for breakfast this morning. They have 4 kids, Simona, Dorothy, Michael, and Nadia, and they speak no English. So we had fun playing connect 4, and I got to practice my German numbers. It’s funny, when you’re in a country where you don’t speak the language, you start developing your own sort of “noise language.” It goes something like this:

“Ahhhhhh” means, “I’m pretending to know what you just said, and to show you that I am interested even though I don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Oh!” means, “You just sat on me.” (and yes, I used this one yesterday)

“Mhmmhmmm” means, “You’re laughing and so obviously you said something funny, and so I’m laughing and pretending that it’s not so funny that you want to elaborate.”

I’ll share more later.

Anyway, we had English Conversation - a get together for local students, a relational outreach - at Dortmund University at 2 people came. I guess there are usually between 4 and 10. It was okay, but I felt really kind of awkward, and people were asking me the death question of, “So what are you thinking you’re going to do here? So, why ARE you here?” I hate it so much and it immediately sends me into the doldrums. I was telling my mom that I feel that a lot of Christians don’t allow others to be in that position. I’ve heard a few, “Well, don’t let yourself waste your life away by staying in that position too long.” and things like that. I know the mindset there, but as someone on the other side that is really deeply seeking a place, it’s difficult to honestly not know yet, and feel like you have to have an answer. Please don’t ever say things like, “What kind of job can you get with your major anyway?” to people like me. Sometimes God doesn’t work in ABC patterns, and it’s difficult to live outside of such a lifestyle.

So, end of story: the night ended with me beating Jesse, Timothy, Andrew and Michael in poker. That’s right, one girl beat alllll the men.