Hello again, and welcome to the final Dernier newsletter of 2016! Thank you all once again for supporting Dernier through another year. 2016 was a challenging year for me, as my mum’s dementia worsened and she passed away in the summer. Thank you for your prayers and all the kind messages; it meant a lot. At the same time, there has still been much to celebrate, because in 2016:
- The City Kid was finally released in print, so we have 15 books! This is an amazing miracle.
- Our books went to more countries around the world than ever before, including Chad and Bhutan.
- Beech Bank Girls 2 became available in Croatian.
- The Torch Trust made more of our books available in large print and Braille, for children with sight loss
- Copies of the Christmas Beech Bank Girls will go to prisoners’ children this Christmas through Angel Tree, part of the Prison Fellowship.
- We sent some of our books to under-resourced schools in Kenya and Zambia.
- We now have a Dernier Publishing Authors page on facebook. (Any Qs or comments for our authors, you can find them here!)
- More writers have been through the Write for a Reason course and joined our monthly programme.
- As books have gone out we have heard of readers riveted and hearts touched.
- This testimony was posted on the Dernier facebook page:
“After reading The Birthday Shoes, (my then) 10yr old daughter said she wanted to know Jesus just like the girl in the story. Two years ago at age 12, she was baptised and confirmed.”
So many wonderful encouragements! Your support has made all these things possible as you have prayed, bought books, lent books, sold books (thank you Christian bookshops), written books, advised, helped and encouraged and in so many ways. You know who you are! Sincere thanks to each and every one of you. Who knows what other seeds have been sown, yet to bear fruit? Exciting times . . .
And 2016 is not over yet! There’s still plenty of time to make this the best Christmas ever!
Please order books for Christmas for all the children you know – friends’ children and grandchildren, Christian Union members, children from kids clubs and uniformed organisations. If you need quantity discounts, to pay in the new year, or if there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know. I always try to help if I can. And don’t forget your local Christian bookshops are always glad to help, too. 🙂
Saving a Sheep!
Last week when Andrew (husband) and I were out for a country walk we heard a sudden loud “baa” just the other side of the hedgerow. Strange, we thought – the sheep were all far away on the other side of the field, so we climbed the bank and saw a sheep with her head caught in a wire fence. We went back to the nearest farm; it wasn’t their field, but the nice farmer set her free. He said we had done the right thing—she probably would have died if we hadn’t done something. It was lovely to see her run off to join the other sheep!
A small thing can make a huge difference – an act of kindness, an encouraging word, an ear to listen . . . these things can save lives. Don’t walk by today.
Many children in the UK have phones, laptops and tablets, games and toys, but little in the way of spiritual input. Most of our books are just £5.99, but you can not over-estimate the value of Christian books. They challenge us, make us think, the stories stay with us . . . yet many of our children do not have the opportunity to hear the good news, and even church children are falling away. If you are reading this, be aware that not everyone sees the need – you may have to do something for the children in your church/neighbourhood, because other people might not. I’ve put up 25 reasons to buy fiction for children and teenagers here – just in case you would like to pass them on!
2017
We have more books in the pipeline. Please pray as we move forward with these.
Also, God willing, next year I’d like to find a way to send books to African schools. So many are desperate for books, but don’t have the resources to buy them. Several schools have already received our books, and they are so, so grateful. Many are Christian-run, so our books are of immense value to them, with educational value and the extra added bonus of a spiritual dimension.
I don’t yet have a plan, but will be working on it. Any ideas, please contact me!
Please would you pass on our Christmas Online Catalogue?
Click the picture to see the catalogue, or visit:
https://www.flipgorilla.com/p/24777847507780673/show
Would you be kind enough to put this link on your facebook page, twitter feed or any of your other social media? And email to anyone you know who might be interested? Particularly Christians who are influential in the world of young people? Thank you very much.
Finally, let’s pray for all the children who will receive our books this Christmas. I was going to say particularly the prisoners’ children, but every child is equally precious. May the Lord touch the hearts of all who read, to find God’s love and grace in Emmanuel, God with us.
And may the Lord bless you too, this Christmas!
Janet
P.S. If you are giving our books away and would like us to pray, please let us know. 🙂