2006_12_01_archive

Speaking in Tokyo Today

Shannon and I just got off the phone with our pediatrician Dr. Niu

(thank God for this dear man and the way he serves us and so many

others in our church!) Joshua Quinn's cough has gotten pretty bad and

his fever has come back a bit, so we were calling to get advice. We're

going to try and find some Robitussin PE and hope he'll improve before

we get on the plane Sunday afternoon. Please pray for him to get rest

today, and for the plane ride home.

I speak later today here in Tokyo. This is a very exciting

opportunity. When we planned the trip to speak at the homeschool

conference, this event was not scheduled. I mentioned in passing to

Hiro that I'd be happy to speak at any other event he'd like and he

took the suggestion as a challenge! So, his small homeschool

organization decided to do something brand new for them and organize

an event aimed at young adults and singles.

He told me last night that they had been hoping for around 200 people,

but that in the past week they've had 600 register, which is a very

encouraging number for Japan. He says that approximately 40% of those

coming are 25-35 years old. With another 20% teenagers and the rest a

mix of university students and families. He was excited because

they're not people that their organization has ever been in contact

with. He also told me that it seems, to some small extent, that my

books here are being read by non-Christians. So possibly there will be

unbelievers present. Praise God!

Please pray for me as I speak today. It starts at 1:30pm Tokyo time

(that means 11:30pm EST), and I'll give three sessions. The first talk

is called "Rethinking Romance," and is basically a message sharing

some of the principles from Boy Meets Girl. The next two are drawn

from Sex is Not the Problem (Lust Is).

Please pray that God will help me speak clearly, and that nothing will

be lost in interpretation. Hiro Inaba will be translating for me.

Please pray that God will make his work effective.

I'm asking God to use these messages to greatly encourage the

Christians here, and to open the eyes of some to the gospel. Please

join me in praying that many of the singles will hear God's word

calling them to righteousness and purity in their relationships, and