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 that they'll see the goodness of obeying God in this part of their lives.

Thanks again for supporting us in prayer while we're here. Shannon and the kids send their love.