Planning BIG, Taking Small Steps
Don’t laugh, but I have taken up running. Actually, feel free to laugh if you wish :-). For a long time I’ve been realising the need to do something to increase my level of fitness. Finally, at the end of July, I bit the bullet and downloaded a ‘Couch to 5K’ app on my smart phone, which takes total beginners through a nine week running programme. The idea is to start small (60 seconds running, 90 seconds walking) for half an hour, and gradually build it up. I’ve reached Week Seven and am running 25 minutes in one go. That would have been impossible a few weeks ago! How did I get this far? One small step at a time.
Planning Big
Running 5k seems like a huge goal, but that’s OK- I’ll give it my best shot! I have big goals/dreams for Dernier, too. I’d like to see Christian fiction for children available to every child in a way that is accessible to them – stories that point to Jesus. Paperbacks, ebooks, kindle books, spoken books, books in other languages, large print books, books in every corner of the word… we are making small steps towards all of these. At times the task seems overwhelming. But we press on, one step at a time, because we have a God for whom nothing is impossible, who loves all the little children of the world, and loves the older children, too.
Stepping Together
Getting books into the hands of young people wouldn’t be possible without you taking some of the steps with us. Whatever your involvement with Dernier, thank you. Because we are working together, children in rural schools in Africa desperate for books have something inspirational to read. Because we are working together, 500 prisoners’ children in the UK will receive one of our books this Christmas. Because we are working together, we have a new book out next month with the potential to touch many young lives. Because we are working together, our books are in bookshops all over the UK. Because of you we have a website that is accessible to people in most countries of the world at the click of a button. Because of you, some of our books are in schools, libraries, churches and homes and maybe children’s hands right now.
There’s almost nothing that can’t be done by taking small steps. Not all of them are easy, and some take a lot of courage, sheer hard work and headaches along the way. But as we step out together, we can shoot for the moon. And if we don’t make it quite that far, at least we’ll have sown some seeds along the way. 🙂
Books for rural schools in Africa
Dr Loise Gichuhi from Education Bridge Africa told me via Skype, “We delivered some of the books to a rural village school today. The books fitted the 13 to 17 ages very well. Very excited.” The school have been requesting story books for a whole year. Not all the children are good readers, so some of the books we might consider to be a bit young for them will actually come in useful. And perhaps, like Shema in I Want to Be an Airline Pilot, readers will be assured they have a Father in heaven who cares for them.
Take Another Step!
At the moment I’m working on updating the website, building up relationships with retailers, making final touches to the new book and working to make it known, updating all our book files so we can go print on demand all over the world, finishing audio versions of the books (nearly there!), planning my talk for Christ Church… and soon I will be taking a week off! 🙂
Here are some steps you could take:
- Buy a book for a child you know from your local Christian bookshop or from our website.
- Donate a book to an African school. We have a donate button on our website now, so you buy a book and we will send it on your behalf – more info here.
- Give out leaflets We have new ones! Contact me if you’d like to give leaflets out in your church or school
- Forward this newsletter to your minister/a friend/youth leader
- Send in a review of one of our books
- Pray for Dernier and all the children who read our books.
Thank you! Every step forward is a step in the right direction!
Christian Resources Together
Last week I was in Derbyshire, at the Christian Resources Together event, meeting up with other people who work in the Christian book trade. It’s always a good time with authors, publishers, distributors and retailers, showcasing our books, worshipping together, and deepening friendships over meals and drinks. I made some potentially good contacts, including interest from a publishing house in the States… if anything transpires I will be sure to let you know! I also had a lovely chat with J John’s wife, Killy, and gave her a copy of The Birthday Shoes for their grandaughter! You can buy your own copy here. 🙂
Speaking
I’m speaking at Christ Church Orpington on Saturday September 29th, at a Ladies Breakfast. If you’d like to book a ticket, I’m sure they’d be able to fit you in! Love to see you there. There’s nothing on their website yet, so contact me if you’d like to come.
Kindle books
All our books are now available on the kindle platform. Just type in the book title in the Amazon search, and you will find the one you are looking for. Enjoy!
A New Me
This fab new book will be launched next month. Author Roy, and his wife, Jane, have got some great ideas for a launch – will give you more details next month!
In the meantime, thanks once again for walking with us, and praying for us. God will make a way where there seems to be no way.
Grace and peace to you all,
Janet