From A to B

It has been a process for Dani and I to figure out how to get places here in Scotland.  The trains were our first hurdle to jump, and thank the Lord it was a pretty small hurdle.  After a few trips on the train we were sold on the quickest and most efficient way to get to the City Center of Glasgow. Also, because of how "awesome" our bank is here in Glasgow, we got the opportunity to be in the City Center maybe more than we would have liked in the first month, but on the plus side we got to explore a little bit and figure out our way around the area.

The infamous bus system, however, still seems to be our Glaswegian nemesis. Because of this, we rarely take it upon ourselves to venture onto a bus.  As a matter of fact, I can count the number of times I have been on a bus since I have been here! Need an example? Ok!

Dani and I decided to go on a lovely date to Silverburn Shopping Centre, but we knew that the only way to get there was on a bus. So we attempted to look up the bus times on the internet, then ventured over to the spot where we were suppose to be, and times were different on the schedule at the stop...the bus never came! So we decided to start walking back and just as we were walking back lo and behold...there she was, laughing at us as she drove by! So we decided in a last ditch effort to circle around and wait for another. Finally another bus came, and we made sure to ask the bus driver if it was the right bus, and sure enough...IT WAS!

Some of you may have seen the highlight of our date night on Facebook, but I thought I would share it again for those of you who missed it the first time!

We were finishing up our date at Starbucks where Dani was ordering a drink. I remembered that Dani's hands were swollen and she has not been able to wear her wedding ring, so I took the opportunity to work on my "pick up lines."

I proceeded to walk up to her and say "I see you're not betrothed and have a bump!"

Meanwhile there was a dude in the line who could barely keep from laughing because he not only heard me use the "pick up line" but also saw the slap proceeding the comment... #classicbenmove

Another highlight of our date night which I did not mention was the amazing burgers that we had! Best is Glasgow so far!

I had a yummy BBQ bacon burger

As you have probably read in a previous post, we live in Shawlands, which is part of Glasgow.  After being her a couple months now, we have our immediate area down really well and know how to get from A to B in the confines of our small area.  However, once outside of Shawlands, we tend to get a wee bit lost! I'm excited to share with you that I finally purchased a bike helmet for the bike that was lent to me by one of our church members! 

Today was actually my first adventure out on my bike to go to the grand opening of the new gym that I joined.  Biking on busy main roads in Glasgow was quite the experience. I will definitely have to get use to cars driving VERY close to me while I'm biking!  I even went down the wrong way on a one way street today...go me!  Anyway, the bike will help with getting out of Shawlands a bit more and will help me get more comfortable with more of my surroundings here in Glasgow! Excited!  It its going to be very helpful, seeing as my new gym is 2 miles away!

Ready for the road!

Ready to build relationships and build muscle!

 As Always...YOU ARE LOVED!

What's the Difference?

I thought in this post I would highlight some of the major differences between living in Scotland compared to living in America (well at least Rochester). Hope this gives you guys a better picture of what life is like here! Honestly there are many similarities, but at the same time so much is different.

Let's start with transportation...

a. They drive on the wrong side of the road

b. All the cars are manual 

c. Their cars are so small, very rarely will you see someone driving a van and I have never seen someone in a truck.

d. The roads are pretty narrow and you can park on either side of the road facing whichever direction you would like.

Food

a. Going to the grocery store here is very different than America. There are no Super Targets or Wal-Marts where you can get anything you want and have about 50 options of each thing. Stores are much smaller here with less options.

b. Peanut butter is not great here

c. They don't eat much Mexican food here, so if you know Ben that is a bit devastating. We went to one Mexican restaurant ran by a man from the middle-east. The food definitely had a unique flavor-not Mexican.

d. Fruit and veggies are cheap here (about the only thing) and you can get 4 avocados for 1-2 pounds which is about $1-2 super cheap:)

5. People drink tea all day long, but only black tea. They would never think of making tea in the microwave.

Health Care

a. The NHS offers free health care to all UK citizens, including us!

b. However the down side you have to wait forever to see a doctor. My first appointment was supposed to be at Noon and we were not seen until 3:30!

c. However people don't seem to worry about their health here or going to the doctor because they know they won't end up paying a fortune because they get sick.

d. They are pretty optimistic about their health care.

Weather

a. The sun never shines...NOT, we have actually had great weather since we have been here, although people seem to complain about the weather a lot. It beats 12 inches of snow in May in MN though!

b. Our summer is pretty much over. 70 degrees is really hot and that is pretty rare. Maybe for 2 weeks the whole year.

c. There will be a lot of rain in winter, but it will never get below 30 degrees! 

Sports

a. Soccer or should I say football is everywhere.

b. The most unique sport I've seen is called bowling. I think it is for a bunch of rich old people. It's kind of like bocce ball but I haven't figured out all the rules yet.

c. People don't play  much basketball here and we had to order a basketball online just to get one. Kid's use the basketball courts to play soccer and it sure is funny to watch people play basketball when they do.

Word Differences

a. boot-trunk

b. nappy-diaper

c. pavement-sidewalk

d. close-hallway

e. lift-elevator

f. flat-apartment

g. aye-yes

h. crabit-grumpy

i. scram-food

j. crisp=chip and chip=fry

You are loved!

Ben, Dani, and Baby A! (only 12 more weeks before Baby makes his appearance:)

Transparent in a Hard Transition

After 2 months I am still in the adjustment process of trying to figure out what it looks like to be doing ministry here in Glasgow, Scotland without a full time vocational job.  Every job I have ever had, previous to this one, has always been hands on, strictly laid out with measurable results.  I am finding it rather difficult to stay motivated and productive at times when I, first, lack measurable results, and second, lack human interaction outside of being with Dani all day.  That brings up another difficult part of the transition. 

While in Rochester, Dani and I started to get into a pretty good routine of seeing each other just enough not to feel deprived, but also not too much to the point where we were perpetually annoyed with each other.  Since we are now working together in ministry here in Glasgow, the latter problem has definitely surfaced in these first 2 months.  It's sort of ironic that in the first year of our marriage we never saw each other.  We had opposite schedules for basically the entire year!  I remember getting pretty frustrated at times that I barely got to see the women I married and love so very much.  Now coming full circle almost 4 years later we are confronted with the exact opposite "problem." Every...waking...hour...we are basically together.

What I am beginning to realize through reading the Word, reading this book called How People Change, and from godly counsel from our pastor here is that, how I am acting in certain situations is just a byproduct of what is already in my heart.  I'm beginning to realize that I don't need to look at my situation as the "problem" but I need to look at myself, my heart, and my motives for why I do what I do.

Even before our arrival here to Scotland, I believed that this year would be an amazing year for my relationship God and my relationship with Dani. There have been moments where I believe spiritual warfare has attacked that belief and tried to bring me down into a spirit of negativity and confusion, but God has always been faithful and will always be faithful. I believe that this year is going to really give us a chance to dig deeper into our relationship and help uproot any sinful behaviors and ways we relate to each other in an unhealthy way. I think I just need to stop resisting where I feel God working!

The Lord has, is, and will going great things in and through me.  Not out of any merit of my own, but the completely undeserving grace of God allows the Holy Spirit to dwell within me as a result of Jesus' death burial and resurrection.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:5-8

PRAY:

• That God would continue to grow me into the man He wants me to be.

• That I would be a better husband to Dani

• That I would prepare diligently for fatherhood

• That I would have supernatural motivation to help the church in whatever way is needed, even if I am not use to the specifics of the job

• That Dani and I would be transparent with each other our struggles and better communicated with each other
  
• That I would not resist God as He chisels me more into His image, even if it hurts

A Call to Prayer

 "Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it-the LORD is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." 

Jeremiah 33:3

If you have been reading our blog from the beginning or know anything about our story and how God brought us to Scotland you will know that Jeremiah 33:3 was the scripture I meditated on and prayed through much before God led us to Glasgow. If you want to know more about our story check out this previous blog post. This past Friday we had an all church meeting where more than 40 regular attenders of the church met at the pastor's house to talk about some key things going on in the church as well as commit to praying for God to move this summer at Harvest Glasgow. We have many plans for the summer, but we would be amiss if we didn't get on our knees and start asking God to move in these plans and work in ways we can't even imagine. So the church was called to prayer and I want to call all of you to pray for us as well. Pray that God would move among his people here and do a great and hidden thing in this city. We long to see this city changed for God's glory and to see many turn from their sin and place their faith in Jesus Christ.

Here are some specific things we are doing this summer that we would like you to lift up in prayer. Our main focus will be on Evangelism, Invitation, and Prayer.

Evangelism

• Bungo in the Back Lanes-community event where we will be serving and using any opportunity to share Jesus and invite others to church.
• Holiday Club-Summer VBS at the church. Hoping to invite many children from the neighborhood who don't know Jesus. Pray whole families will come to know the Lord through this event. 
• Personal Boldness-Pray that as a church we would be bold in sharing the gospel with our unsaved friends, family, and co-workers.

Invitation

• Open House-We will be hosting an Open House for the church on June 18. Pray that many will come and we would be bold in inviting people to come.
• Church Birthday-August 18. Pray we would use this opportunity to invite others to come along to Harvest.
• Flier Drop-Pray the fliers get to the people who need them most. Pray that those who have stopped going to church will pick up a flier and come to Harvest. Pray for those who don't know the Lord as well that this would plant a seed in their hearts and that there would be new birth in Glasgow.

Prayer

• Summer Prayer Groups-We will not be having small groups this summer but prayer groups instead. Pray that these times would be focused on crying out to God and that He would be glorified in our time together. 
• Weekend Warriors/Global Prayer-We are starting two different email prayer newsletters. Global Prayer will be a once a month newsletter for those around the world who would like to know how to specifically lift up Harvest Glasgow and Scotland in their prayers. Weekend Warriors is a weekly prayer email that highlights what will be going on in the service and calls people to be praying specifically for the church service on Sunday. If you would like to receive either of these emails please email prayer@harvestglasgow.org to sign up!

"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16

Thanks for praying!
You are loved!