BrianIngraham.com | ASPIRE

I must confess I am thoroughly enjoying my time in the States. The first week we arrived we spent a few days recovering from jetlag and then we were off to Portland for the weekend followed by a week at the ocean. Several rounds of golf, and playing at the beach, as well as important times with supporters, future teammates, and the in-laws made those days fantastic.

Week three found us at my favorite place on earth, Lakeside Bible Camp. The week was perfect. I had tons of fun with my kids and tons of great Spiritual input. Not only did I ski, but I was able to sit under excellent teaching by Dr. Arturo Azurdia III, author of Spirit Empowered Preaching. I was able to spend some extra time with him asking a wide rage of questions that I have pondered and wrestled with these past three years leading and teaching at Re:Hope. I left that week encouraged and pleasantly worn out from all the fun.

Week four I spent in New Mexico with my mother. Yes, it is true, I am now a mighty scorpion slayer…

Sunday, just before 5 in the morning, I left her weeping at the airport as we flew back to Seattle. The night before leaving I lay in bed thinking that it will be a few years before I see her again. It definitely doesn’t get easier to say good bye. The first time you leave your family there is sadness but it is also a time of facing the exciting unknown. Five years later I know how long a two years feel like, I know all the changes that take place with the kids and in life. The one consolation, the thing that keeps me going is the certainty that I am doing exactly what God wants me to be doing, where he wants me to be doing it, even though the cost feels high at moments like that. I realize I am not the only one to pay a high cost for us serving as missionaries in Scotland. Moms, dads, and grandparents all pay the high price of grief every time we board the airplane.

Now, near the beginning of week five, I have been doing some CRM stuff and writing a message to preach this Sunday. It has been a while since I spoke last, and the message writing time had me thinking a bunch about Glasgow and my church there. I am definitely going to enjoy every moment in the States but I also now feel that tug of excitement when I think about all God has done in these past few years in Glasgow. I find myself pondering what obstacles will need to be overcome, what breakthroughs will we experience… who knows? What I do know is that I have a fantastic church, a fantastic team, and a God who is still intervening and calling our church into existence.

What is God going to use us all to accomplish for His Kingdom this next year? I am just thrilled to be apart of it.

I have two recurring nightmares that pop up from time to time, both of them I find quite ironic. One of my reoccurring nightmares has to do with public speaking. Usually I find myself, the day of a message having not yet prepared. Sometimes it is a Sunday message but more often it is a one-off event like a wedding, funeral, or speaking at a different group. The second of my reoccurring nightmares deals with missing an airline flight, either showing up with out my passport or being delayed in some unusual way. These nightmares seem ironic because God has appointed me to be an international missionary church planter.

For the last month or more I have been plagued with an unusual amount of nightmares in these two themes. I would ask you to pray for me as I continue teaching and for spiritual protection for my family as we prepare to fly out to the states for a few weeks this summer.

I am asking for prayer because the only explanation I have for our family’s unusual health, and safety is the diligent prayer cover we have received from people around the world. Thank you for interceding on my/our behalf.

PS. Feel free to pray other prayers for us as well:-)

Our kids were invited to the neighbours birthday party this afternoon. The dress up theme was ‘Ancient Egypt’. Most of the girls looked like Cleopatra wanna-be’s…

Like good missionaries we sent our kids lightly dressed up as Hebrew Slaves…

(I thought it was funny…)

(our tree)

This weekend Kellie set up our Christmas tree. It looks amazing. Seeing the tree reminds me of my childhood surrounded by family and grandparents. The tree for me has also been an acute reminder of the cost of our obedience.

In the bible the cross was referred to as a tree when it says, ‘cursed is every man hung on a tree’ referring to Jesus’ death on the cross. I read the book of Mark today and came across the passage which says if anyone would come after me they must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Elsewhere it talks about those who give up home and parents etc. for the kingdom… I was reminded that God’s people are always called to obey at a personal cost to themselves. Blessed are those who persevere in obedience no matter the cost.

Earlier I was getting weighed down for being thousands of miles away from my extended family this Christmas, knowing I will see no one. But after a good dose of the book of Mark, and a bit of Acts, I really feel thankful that Jesus would count us worthy of ‘suffering’ in this little way for the advancement of his kingdom.

I am thankful for my calling. I love our church. I love my team, and I can’t picture doing anything else, anywhere else, with anyone else. God has been so good to us by bringing us here, surrounding us with great friends, and I am thankful.

A special thank you to those who have been extra encouraging to me this last week. Thank you.

(photo:Tim McDonald)
My wife helped coordinate a fantastic missional Thanksgiving. I heard there was almost 70 people in total. A mixture of Americans, people from church and several mom’s who Kellie, Britany and Jaelyn know from School. Around 1:30 or so, people started showing up with loads of food. We had two, 22lb turkeys, a huge ham, bowls of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casseroles, five or so big things of stuffing, cranberry sauce, homemade breads, gravy, pies galore, I know I am forgetting things… tons of food.

Living next door to Tim and Britany allowed us to open our hall doors and people would just flow back and forth. After the meal, in our flat we had NFL Football on the Nintendo Wii going, next door the ‘Apples to Apples’ game was a hit. Around 6:15 more people showed up and we had some ‘left overs.’ Being almost comatose by this time, we popped in a movie and ‘vegged’ for the rest of the evening while others played more Wii.

Living in Scotland, thousands of miles from my family, it is great to see how true God’s word is, when it says, “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”

I am particularly thankful this year to how faithful God has been to carve out for us a great family in our adopted homeland. God, You have done great things for us and we are filled with thankfulness and joy.

Happy Thanksgiving All!

Mike Libolt and I have been putting together our church’s first ever Bible Study Methods Class. Here are some pictures of our first night.

—

BTW- Pray for my son Owen, he has hand-foot-mouth disease. Not a big deal, but he is pretty miserable. To read about it you can click HERE.

Walking down Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, looking to kill some time with my three kids, we walked past a videogame store with an eye-catching sign. The sign read, “Wii Sports Bowling Competition 10-2.” I knew I had no chance in such a competition but then I looked down at my 6-year-old son Ethan and wondered how he would do.

Walking in, we saw Mario greeting people, Nintendo Rep’s everywhere, and multiple TV’s playing ‘Wii Sports Bowling’. After watching some others try their hand at the competition, I asked if they would let Ethan have a go, I had my doubts they would let him play since the next youngest person was about 22. They said sure and told him if he got over 175 he would win some sort of gift, if he beat the high score he would win a prize and if he got the highest score of the weekend… a free Wii game.

Ethan stepped up and the Nintendo Rep asked if he knew how to play. Ethan nodded and they helped him strap on the Wiimote Controller. First throw…Strike! Second throw Split…Oh no. Unphased, Ethan unleashes 3 strikes in a row with a growing crowd watching this 6-year-old light things up. A few Spares followed by a Strike. At this point Ethan’s Score is poised to exceed the 175 mark and Nintendo Reps start converging. One of the Nintendo guys pulls out a video camera for Ethan’s last few throws… Finishing off with 5 strikes in a row found every Nintendo Rep as well as the store manager and most employees stunned in disbelief and chuckling.

Beating the current high score by 31 pins found Ethan walking out with this mega cool Wii Bag, a free DS Mug, a Wii notebook, 2 pens, his name entered into a Wii prize drawing, and the chance of winning a free game or two…

I’m all smiles. So proud of my ‘Wii’ Son.

I have no idea how I found such a fantastic wife. I have thought about it long and hard and I can only conclude that God sovereignly moved to bring us together, because I would need her throughout the entirety of my life.

I took her away from Seattle, her family and friends, across the world to start a church in a city she had never been to, in a country she had never visited. How did I get so lucky to have a wife who will leave everything to follow God’s leadings with me? A bride who will pursue God’s promptings with me into the completely unknown? Her faith amazes me.

I appreciate Kellie’s constant encouragements, her consistent companionship, and her caring heart. I prize her work ethic as she pours herself into our family, leading bible studies, hosting meetings, our church, often at personal sacrifice. I see her prepare for meetings by making cookies and preparing treats. I see her preparing for leading bible studies and discipling women in Glasgow. I have the highest respect for Kellie as a woman who loves God, who loves me, and who is with me heart and soul.

I am so thankful for her commitment to walk this road with me. When I read about the Godly men in times past I see the co-commitments their wives make. George Muller’s wife accepted the conscious relinquishment of salary. Robert Moffet’s wife accepted years of isolation in a difficult mission field with her husband instead of a huge inheritance from her family. Rees Howells wife was committed to the provision of God when nothing looked possible. I cherish the knowledge that Kellie is part of that special sisterhood.

Father, thank you for bring Kellie and I together. You have shown me your goodness by blessing me with her. Continue to fill us with faith and love. In the name of Jesus…

My son received his football (US – Soccer) shirt yesterday just before practice. After practice he ran up and told me, “Only the fast boys get football shirts because we are fast.” I thought it funny how after just 1 hour of having his jersey he thinks he earned it because of how fast he is.

How quickly we can become askew in our thinking. How quickly we begin to assume that the best things in our life have been earned and not given from heaven. And so I ask myself are their things in my life that have been gifts from God that I have come to believe I have earned?

I have had the most terrific week with my aunt and uncle in London. We followed my family motto, which is, “Do the most stuff, in the least amount of time.” While on the London Eye you can see two amazing church buildings, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abby. A few things struck me funny at the time but after processing a bit I feel a little better about them. Here are some random reflections.

1. The buildings were lavishly beautiful.

• On the one hand, they truly do testify to the greatness and supremeness of God by their beauty and quality.
• On the other hand, there is a sense of waste. The money could have been used for other things.
• Jesus says, ‘The poor you will always have with me.’ And says the woman who poured the very expensive perfume on his feet did a beautiful thing.
• Solomon and David spared no expense on the temple and its treasuries.

2. You had to pay to go into the churches. (Westminster £10; St. Paul’s £9)

• At first it seemed odd to pay money to go into a church.
• Apparently the money went for ‘upkeep.’
• They aren’t charging people to worship just to visit when the church would normally be closed…
• I doubt that the worshipping congregations would be able to finance the upkeep for their buildings and would need to sell, and yet this allows them to stay open and worship is such a beautiful place.

3. Hourly 'Lords Prayer' at St. Paul’s.

• One thing that did strike me about St. Paul’s was the prayerful ambiance.
• Every hour a pastor led the visitors in a moment of silent prayer, saying the ‘Lords Prayer,’ and then was available for answering questions about Christianity and Spirituality. I really liked this…

4. No photography out of respect for a place of worship.

• On the one hand, getting your picture taken while praying could be distracting.
• On the other hand, people are paying £9-£10 to get in and then if they want any pictures they have to buy them??? Hmmm, that sounds like…

Overall, I still don’t know what I think yet, what do you think?