Pray! Pray! Pray!

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." - Is. 43:19.

Wow - so many new things are going on that I'm at a loss of how to put them all down. It seems like things have been cold and sluggish here for so long, and then all of a sudden, the sun is out and everything is happening at once. Thank God! I'm so excited I can hardly sleep at night!

New opportunities, new visions, new faces popping out at me every time I turn around. Thank You, God, for making a way in this desert, for doing a "new thing" in my life here!

I need your prayers so much as things are happening faster than I can keep up!

Will you pray with me for the following things:

* The Katsuis - I met with the Katsui family last Monday again, and when I walked in Mrs. Katsui had her sewing box out. "Jenny-san," she said with her usual bright enthusiasm, "I need to take your measurements. I'm making you a yukatta." (A yukatta is a loose-fitting robe-type thing Japanese sometimes wear when relaxing, similar to a kimono but made of cotton instead of silk. They're beautiful! And to have one hand-made?!) Mrs. Katsui and I studied John 3:16-17. When I went upstairs to teach Yui and Tochi, they both pulled out their fat children's Bibles and excitedly showed me how far they'd read (separately, individually) - WAY past our story of Jacob and Esau and into the life of Christ - about two-thirds of the way through the book! Pray that the stories will grip the children's hearts (I became a believer as a child) and that Mrs. Katsui will hunger after the word of God and UNDERSTAND what she reads! Pray for blessings to pour down on this family who has been so kind to me!

* English club - Tomorrow is my first day with the new group of English club students at a local secular university. The department head, Mr. Takeuchi, invited me back for another year of helping with the club (a great sign!). Pray that God will give the students and me good rapport and that we will build relationships for HIS kingdom. Pray for blessings on Mr. Takeuchi (who paid for us to go to a gospel concert last Christmas!)

* Aki - I meet with Aki each week, usually on Wednesday nights, and lately we have had less time to talk about personal things. In fact, last week a horrible TV special about mediums and contacting the dead was on, and her family watched with interest for TWO HOURS. When Aki and I dropped by her friend's house, she had THE SAME show on! We never did get to talk about life and anything important. Please pray for God to give us time to talk again, and for Aki to totally turn her life over to Him. I love her so much! Pray pray for this girl!

* Yuriko - In two hours I'm meeting my non-Christian friend Yuriko for coffee downtown. She was interested in coming to church at one time, but at the last minute she backed out and asked me not to invite her again. She refused the Bible I had for her. But we have maintained contact since last fall, and she wants to meet today. Please pray for Yuriko to open her heart to Him!

* Mariko - My good friend Mariko from my university days in North Carolina has shown an incredible interest in the Bible - asking to come to a Christmas service with me, taking all the Bibles and Japanese-language resources I gave her around Christmas. But since then she has not said a word about it, and she seems reluctant (or too busy?) to talk about it again. Pray that the seed will not fall on bad soil or be snatched away "by the cares of the world"! I love Mariko, and I pray she will come to know Christ soon!

More to come... please pray for His work to be done in me! I love you all and cannot do this without you!

in Christ,

jenny