Richard and Josi Ingram

If you had no fear, what would you do for God? That was one of the questions asked during training with Pioneer Bible Translators in January. If you had no fear… But how can we live without fear? We have fear of failure. Fear of consequences. Fear of the unknown

I’ll tell you right now, Josi and I don’t live in fear. Even though things are really tight, even though our house has not sold, even though we have been arguing about stuff, even though we don’t have the money for this month’s house payment, still we don’t live in fear. However, we are being attacked by fear. It is something we struggle with all the time.

Instead, we live in God’s grace. We live in His promise to provide. We don’t understand how His provision works, but it does. Every blessing He has given us, we turn to praise. In all things we praise Him and worship Him. Even now, when we don’t know how to make ends meet, we trust Him. He will provide-He always has and He always will.

1. We really need your prayers. We need prayers for our finances.
2. We just mailed out information packets to some churches in northern Arizona asking them to partner with us, both in prayer and financially. Pray that these will be received openly and will bear fruit. We will be sending more out next week. Pray that we choose the right churches to send them to and that they, too, will bear fruit.
3. Pray that God will sell our house.
4. We may need to get part-time jobs to help our financial needs. Pray for wisdom and discernment that this would be in God’s will.
5. Josi’s cousin Diane is still recovering and her aunt Laura is traveling. Pray for continued healing and travel mercies.
6. Praise! Bill’s doctor gave him a clean bill of health! He just needs to continue resting while he heals. Also, Richard’s niece got through her exams and feels confident.
7. Praise God for bringing us a couple of new supporters. Pray for more to come alongside us in our ministry with Pioneer Bible Translators.
8. Continue praying for PBT-the missionaries, interns and teams that are in the field. Their safety and health are always of concern. Pray for their continued work in spreading the Gospel to Bible-less people.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please send us a note.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

Still, we wait. We wait upon the Lord’s timing. Do we trust that God has good reasons for making us wait? It is easy to forget that He works in us while we wait. This is just as important as what we are waiting for. Even though we don’t understand, we understand that He knows what He is doing.

 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.         
2 Peter 1: 3-8 (ESV)

We wait because we trust in the Lord. We wait for Him to prepare us for what He wants us to do. We wait until He says “Go!”

It’s hard to wait. But while we do, we go on with the tasks that we have at hand. Last week, we removed a big chunk of concrete that was on one side of the house. It looked really ugly and was not level (tilted away from the house at about 30 degrees, or so). As the concrete came apart, a layer of flagstone appeared underneath it. Some of the stones are really nice ones, but they were covered up with cheap concrete. The tilting was from a root that ran along the side of the house, stretching from the tree out front to the back of the house.

This past weekend (July 26) we removed the patio in the back yard. It was broken and tipped away from the house. It didn’t have a root under it, but it was poured on top of an old concrete walkway that went along the back of the house. It extended several feet past the edge of the walkway. There was nothing to support the concrete beyond that, so it cracked and began tipping away from the house. 

These both showed problems that are reflected in our Christian life. A small root had gotten underneath and grew, unseen, until it put the walk out of kilter. Proper preparation had not been made before laying the slab for the patio and its own weight brought it down. A little sin can enter our lives, unnoticed, and grow until we are knocked out of kilter with our Christian walk. A proper foundation of prayer, bible study and Christian fellowship can support us when we have replaced our old walk with our new Christian walk. 

We are diligently working to be steadfast in our waiting upon the Lord. We are trusting in His provisions for our finances-but it is very hard. We are at the lowest point of our finances since joining Pioneer Bible Translators. We have faith in His leading that PBT is where He wants us. We have faith that, in His timing, our house will be sold soon. Pray for us to keep that faith. To remain steadfast. To be one, together, with the Lord. 

Here are some other things for you to lift in prayer: 

1. Pray for us as we are under attack from the enemy. We need protection, understanding, patience, and renewal.
2. Pray for wisdom and discernment. There are still decisions to be made about the house, including the price.
3. Pray for our finances. We are finishing mailings for contacting new Partners that we hope will prayerfully and financially support our work with Pioneer Bible Translators.  
4. Praise for a work situation that has completely turned around for a friend in Albuquerque. He faithfully waited on the Lord and is now being blessed with a new job.
5. Continue praying for PBT-the missionaries, interns and teams that are in the field. Their safety and health are always of concern. Pray for their continued work in spreading the Gospel to Bible-less people.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please send us a note.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

Sadly, we are rejecting the current offer to buy our house. The buyer will not meet our bottom-line price. God has put peace in our hearts to let the offer go and seek another buyer. The timing and price of the sale is still in God’s hands. We will be packing up the house, putting our belongings into storage. We will be heading to Dallas as soon as possible and are waiting on confirmation for the home where we will be house-sitting.Here are some other things to lift in prayer:

1. Pray for wisdom and discernment. We need to relist the house, possibly at a new price. We also need to finish the painting and a couple of other items. We will be leaving as soon as we are packed—probably in the next week or so. Our July 4 date was a bit too optimistic.
2. We should house-sitting in Dallas this summer. This will give us a chance to be in Dallas and do some work with PBT while our house is being sold.
3. Pray for the increase of Partners that will prayerfully and financially support our work with Pioneer Bible Translators. Currently we are running a really tight ship and need extra help with things like postage for our newsletters, and some of the expenses moving.
4. Praises for successful surgeries and procedures for Rick and Ken. Continue lifting Becky, Kathy, Jean, Frances, Bill, and others as they are still facing health issues or upcoming surgeries.
5. Continue praying for PBT—the missionaries, interns and teams that are in the field. Their safety and health are always of concern. Pray for their continued work in spreading the Gospel to bible-less people.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please send us a note.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

Sadly, we are rejecting the current offer to buy our house. The buyer will not meet our bottom-line price. God has put peace in our hearts to let the offer go and seek another buyer. The timing and price of the sale is still in God’s hands. We will be packing up the house, putting our belongings into storage. We will be heading to Dallas as soon as possible and are waiting on confirmation for the home where we will be house-sitting.Here are some other things to lift in prayer:

1. Pray for wisdom and discernment. We need to relist the house, possibly at a new price. We also need to finish the painting and a couple of other items. We will be leaving as soon as we are packed—probably in the next week or so. Our July 4 date was a bit too optimistic.
2. We should house-sitting in Dallas this summer. This will give us a chance to be in Dallas and do some work with PBT while our house is being sold.
3. Pray for the increase of Partners that will prayerfully and financially support our work with Pioneer Bible Translators. Currently we are running a really tight ship and need extra help with things like postage for our newsletters, and some of the expenses moving.
4. Praises for successful surgeries and procedures for Rick and Ken. Continue lifting Becky, Kathy, Jean, Frances, Bill, and others as they are still facing health issues or upcoming surgeries.
5. Continue praying for PBT—the missionaries, interns and teams that are in the field. Their safety and health are always of concern. Pray for their continued work in spreading the Gospel to bible-less people.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please send us a note.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

Sadly, we are rejecting the current offer to buy our house. The buyer will not meet our bottom-line price. God has put peace in our hearts to let the offer go and seek another buyer. The timing and price of the sale is still in God’s hands. We will be packing up the house, putting our belongings into storage. We will be heading to Dallas as soon as possible and are waiting on confirmation for the home where we will be house-sitting.Here are some other things to lift in prayer:

1. Pray for wisdom and discernment. We need to relist the house, possibly at a new price. We also need to finish the painting and a couple of other items. We will be leaving as soon as we are packed—probably in the next week or so. Our July 4 date was a bit too optimistic.
2. We should house-sitting in Dallas this summer. This will give us a chance to be in Dallas and do some work with PBT while our house is being sold.
3. Pray for the increase of Partners that will prayerfully and financially support our work with Pioneer Bible Translators. Currently we are running a really tight ship and need extra help with things like postage for our newsletters, and some of the expenses moving.
4. Praises for successful surgeries and procedures for Rick and Ken. Continue lifting Becky, Kathy, Jean, Frances, Bill, and others as they are still facing health issues or upcoming surgeries.
5. Continue praying for PBT—the missionaries, interns and teams that are in the field. Their safety and health are always of concern. Pray for their continued work in spreading the Gospel to bible-less people.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please send us a note.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

At 9:00 a.m. on June 30, we will be negotiating the selling price with a buyer for our house. Please pray for wisdom and discernment that we recognize the price God wants us to accept. The offer is $20,000 below our asking price, so there is quite a bit of room to work in. Pray that the price accepted is what God wants both of us to be at. Our hearts will sing with God’s glory when the correct price is reached.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

Good grief! It seems the work will never end. We have begun some recommended work on the house to (hopefully) increase its “curb appeal.” We’ve been painting and are getting ready to remove an old concrete patio. We’re also tiling the front bathroom. Anybody care to come over for a day to help? Pray for us to get the work done in a timely manner. Here are some other things to lift in prayer:

1. Pray for the outreach of Pioneer Bible Translators as it touches lives in many areas of the world. Some interns are in West Africa and Papua New Guinea. Keep them in prayer for their safety and the incredible learning experiences they are encountering.
2. Pray for the leaders and missionaries, those on the field and those that are in support roles, including us.
3. Pray for the increase of Partners that will prayerfully and financially support our work with Pioneer Bible Translators. Currently we are running a really tight ship and need extra help with things like postage for our newsletters, and some of the expenses to work on the house.
4. Pray for God to bring the one person or family to buy our house in Globe, Arizona. We really want to move to Dallas—but His timing is best. There is a house in Dallas that God has in store for us, as well.
5. Pray for healing. We both have family members that are struggling with health issues. Lift Becky, Diane, Laura, Sally, and Shannon, especially in your prayers. There are also friends, Jean, Bill, Ken, Frances, Bob, Earl, Maryann, and others to lift in prayer, as well.
6. Pray for wisdom and discernment. We have opportunities to housesit in Dallas this summer. This will give us a chance to be in Dallas and do some work with PBT while our house is being sold. We need to finish the work on the house and pack a bunch of stuff into storage. We could be leaving as early as July 4.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please send us a note.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

Wow. We just got back home from Dallas last night after two days on the road. We’re bushed. Today we have begun working to incorporate all that we learned while in Dallas. One of the things we learned is sharing the “big picture.” Jesus commanded the church in Matthew 28 to make disciples of “all nations.” It takes more than just translators to go out and translate God’s Word for all of the Bible-less people that are out there. It takes people like me and Josi to help bring the church alongside Pioneer Bible Translators to more effectively reach those that are desperately hungry for the Bread of Life.

There are lots of things to pray about. Here are some:

1. Pray for the outreach of Pioneer Bible Translators as it touches lives in many areas of the world. As Greg Pruett, President of PBT, says, “We are doing whatever is needed to translate the Bible into the languages of Bible-less peoples and to equip them to use scripture to transform their own lives and communities, laying the foundation for church planting movements.”
2. Pray for the leaders and missionaries, those on the field and those that are in support roles, including us.
3. Pray for the increase of Partners that will prayerfully and financially support our work with Pioneer Bible Translators.
4. Pray for God to bring the one person or family to buy our house in Globe, Arizona. We really want to move to Dallas—but His timing is best. There is a house in Dallas that God has in store for us, as well.
5. Pray for healing. We both have family members that are struggling with health issues. Lift Becky, Diane, Laura, Sally, and Shannon, especially in your prayers. There are also friends, Jean, Bill, Ken, Frances, Bob, Earl, Maryann, and others to lift in prayer, as well.
6. Praise for safe travel for our journey to Dallas and back. Praise also for getting back together with our “old” friends, Rusty and Carol Howard. We were blessed by them, and look forward to sharing our lives with them again. Oh, yeah, when I say “old” I really mean “old”—Rusty was Richard’s youth minister and he married us 31 years ago.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please send us a note.

 In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

This past Tuesday, June 10, Pioneer Bible Translators debuted a new video designed to be shown at all of the Christ in Youth (CIY) conferences across the country. Thousands of young people will see the video each week this summer and it is our prayer that many of them will be motivated to pursue a college and career path that will include PBT. You can view the video at http://www.youtube.com/pioneerbible. The video title is “American Dream.”

Please pray about these things:

1. Pray, as always, that God sell our house. We are confident in His timing.
2. We are continuing to look at some houses while we are in Dallas. Pray for wisdom and discernment. 
3. Praise! We mentioned last week that a pair of tires were replaced in Albuquerque. More praise this week! Last Thursday, on our way to Dallas, God showed Richard that one of the remaining tires was preparing to separate as we approached Tucumcari, New Mexico. Richard was able to replace the other two tires there (however, we didn’t get the great deal we got in Albuquerque. Ouch!).
4. We will be leaving Dallas on Wednesday, June 18. Pray for continued travel mercies as we head home.
5. Continue to pray for our support. We know your support is part of God’s provision for us, and we praise Him daily for you! 
6. It seems that we are renewing old friendships and relationships on our trips lately. Praise God that we attended church in Fort Worth Sunday at Southwestern Christian Church. This is the church pastored by Rusty Howard, who was Richard’s youth minister. He also married us 31 years ago and he and Carol, his wife, were dorm parents at Pacific Christian College. We are looking forward to seeing them again this Sunday!
7. The training during this trip has been a blessing. We are thankful for the lessons we’re learning.
8. We are in constant prayer for the ministry of Pioneer Bible Translators—especially for the safety of the missionaries, the leaders, and the support staff.
9. Now we add prayers for the many new missionaries leaving over the next weeks for their assignments around the world—may they be led and protected by God’s hand, filled with the Holy Spirit, and live as witnesses of Jesus Christ. Many of them are new friends of ours. All of them are brothers and sisters in Christ.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please feel free to send us a note.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Pioneer Bible Translators

Please pray about these things.

1. Pray, as always, that God sell our house. We know that it will happen in His time.
2. We will be looking at some houses while we are in Dallas. Pray for wisdom and discernment. We really want to find the right new home for us there!
3. Praise! God’s angels are hard at work. We pulled off the freeway Tuesday because a tire was shimmying. Richard found a wheel that had thrown a weight, putting the tire out of balance. We had pulled into a Discount Tire and had them rebalance the wheel. While checking the air, they found another tire that was separating. God’s provision was shown in the two tires they had available for a total of $40 that they put on for us. Travel mercies, indeed! 
4. We are leaving Albuquerque this morning, on the way to Dallas for more training. Pray for continued travel mercies.
5. Praise for the supporters who have helped us with the funds for this trip. May God increase their finances tenfold. 
6. Continue to pray for our support. We know your support is part of God’s provision for us, and we praise Him daily for you! 
7. We are in constant prayer for the ministry of Pioneer Bible Translators—especially for the safety of the missionaries, the leaders, and the support staff.

This list is created weekly, not necessarily on the same day. If you would like us to pray for any of your concerns, please feel free to send us a note.

In Christ’s Service
Richard and Josi Ingram
Missionaries Serving Missionaries
Pioneer Bible Translators