We don’t know who’s reading our books!
We pray for all of the children who read our books. We don’t know many of them by name, of course, but we know someone who does. 🙂
This year we have sent books to orphans in Nigeria, several boxes to schools and a children’s home in Kenya, and to Scripture Union in Uganda. (We have also sent a box of books to Star School in Rwanda but it hasn’t made it yet – please pray it will find its way there, because it’s overdue!)
Not all our books go on long journeys to sunny places… many stay in the UK! We have no idea what happens to most of them, when they leave us for Christian bookshops, or are sold online. We do know that 500 children of prisoners will be receiving one of our Beech Bank Girls books (via Angel Tree/Prison Fellowship) this Christmas, and another thing we can be sure of – some of our readers will be going through tough times. Some may never have heard the good news of Jesus. Others may be struggling with family, friends, health, poverty… and all sorts of other issues. We can pray for them, because the Lord knows!
Over the last few weeks I’ve been helping out with three children who were taken into emergency care. Having found out I was a publisher, the two older ones asked if they could read the books. They chose A New Me and Revenge of the Flying Carpet.
If you have a minute, would you pray for all our readers? Thank you.
Christian Suppliers and Retailers
Dernier is one of the smaller publishers belonging to the Christian Suppliers Group. I had the privilege of attending a meeting at the HarperCollins offices in London last month. Wow, what a view! (If you can’t see the photos, perhaps because of your mailbox settings, come on over to our website to see them there.) It’s great to be part of a wider network of publishers, all working in the Christian trade.
A couple of weeks ago I popped into our local Christian bookshop to buy Christmas cards – Judith (on duty at the till) had been looking for a book for a niece with no church background and bought A New Me! Also good to see our books on the shelves. 🙂 Do you have a local bookshop? Most of them stock Dernier books!
Encouragement
Every so often we get a gem of an email. This is one of them:
“We had our Sunday Club presentations two weeks ago where the children can choose a book from the bookshop and the cost is met by a kind widow in the congregation in memory of her husband who loved seeing the children. It was good to see a number of Dernier books being chosen, including a Beech Bank one by a girl who had already read one and ‘The Only Way’ by a reluctant 12 year old.
May God continue to bless you in your exciting ministry.”
If you have an encouraging story, please do send it in – it’s always lovely to hear from you!
Quick Advance Notice
Details to be arranged, by I will be running a workshop at the Hand in Hand Children’s Ministry Conference in Eastbourne in February. More details to come.
If you are looking for a speaker for your church or writing group for next year (not long now, folks!), I love sharing the Dernier story, and/or running workshops. Kent/Essex/SE London preferred, but don’t mind travelling a little way!
Last Orders
Christmas is a fun time for most of us, but when the food and drink is gone, and the decorations back in their boxes, a Christian book can continue to bring light, life, hope, faith, peace and joy, long after the festivities.
Who will you buy yours for?
We will keep shipping Dernier books until the bitter end, but if you want to be sure of receiving yours by Christmas, NOW would be a good time to order!
Someone on your heart? Don’t miss out on this year’s opportunity to be a blessing.
Emmanuel, God with Us
Jesus, come to us – that’s good news to share! May this amazing truth fill your heart this Christmas.
With love to you all,
Janet
