Three Peaks in One Week?

It's been a great week, sort of like climbing three peaks in just seven days, in line with our last report and photo below. Only this time, it was three Bible studies in one week instead of three physical mountains.

Two of these Bible studies were "sample lessons" to be used in the introduction to the ("In Quest") Questions in John text. As such, these are really important. Many other lessons have been done for this text (and used in S.S.) over the past year, but these two are special, since they will help introduce the whole set. For months I have struggled with how to do the introduction.* But this week these two special lessons "came together" in a wonderful way and were "tested" in our adult S.S. class and our Friday small TOA group work session. (*Many people don't realize that introductions are one of the last things you write for a book.)

The third Bible study lesson this week was used in a ladies' class on Tuesday, and is part of a series on "True Happiness," started about a year ago. This makes use of our four step "W.A.L.K." Bible study design. Though we have already done many Bible studies and sermons in this set, for the first time we have designed a high quality publishable layout. This is great progress, sort of like coming up with the final overall design for a new car. The W.A.L.K. Bible study "engine" and "frame" has been there for a long time, but now we also have the design for the rest of the "car." The three other pages that go with the worksheet, are coming together around it. So it's not just a great engine and frame anymore.

Of course, they were good meetings on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday, as well. And so there are always several appreciative people in "the car" for the test drive with us, so to speak. All of this is being done, of course, as we minister on the local level, each and every week.

Translation of all this material into Japanese is also progressing. And in the near future sample texts of the English versions will be sent to our publisher in the U.S. (Getting the introduction done, has been a major obstacle to doing that until now.) So we praise the Lord for a great week, as we can now finally begin to see "the summit" of this long pre-publishing climb. Please pardon the mixed metaphors in the above, as a sign of our unmixed excitement and praise.