November News and Prayer requests from Dernier Publishing

Welcome to the November 2014

Dernier Publishing newsletter!

We are creators!

We are children of a creator God, and I’m a firm believer in being creative – it’s part of the awesome privilege we have of being made in His image. If we have been given a gift I believe we should use it to honour God who gave us this ability. Some people love creating a garden, others a website. Others love to sew, paint, stick, make things from wood, make music or delicious meals. Others love to write. All these things are wonderful gifts from God that we can use to serve others. But we have to learn our craft. If we want to produce pretty much anything of value, we need someone to show us how to do it, people to encourage us (even our first feeble efforts!) and we need to stick at it and not give up when the going gets tough. (The photo is of a friend from DR Congo – I showed her how to make English cakes!)

This isn't the first time I have mentioned Write for a Reason – a course I set up for Christian writers who write, or want to write, fiction for 8-14s. There are also lots of free writing tips on the Write for a Reason website! Why not take a look, or point a writer friend there? What greater joy could there be than for us to point the way to Jesus through our gift of writing? Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. We can be workers in this harvest with our writing. Books change lives . . . More details here: Write for a Reason

If you're not a writer, what is your creative gift? Are you using it to bless others? :-)

Sad figures

I found this statistic recently and jotted it down (sorry I have forgotten where I found it): “Between 1990 and 2020 the UK church is predicted to have lost 1.1 million children from congregations.” If true, this is an alarming statistic. 1.1 million children lost from church! Here's another really sad statistic tweeted by the NSPCC a couple of weeks ago: "We are receiving more calls than ever before to ChildLine from children who are feeling suicidal." Doesn't that make your heart ache?

Jesus said, “I will build my church.” Nothing will stand against him, but in some incredible way He wants us to do our bit.

Do you know a child who might be finding life tough? Could you buy them a Christian book? Or perhaps you could organise to buy books for all your Sunday School or Kids Club this Christmas – children who seem to be walking the right path also need encouragement to stay on it! Or could you offer two or three books as raffle prizes for a village or church Christmas fete, give gifts to neighbours' children, sponsored kids abroad . . . The message of Jesus brings hope, life and light, even in the deepest darkness. Let's spread that hope, light and life this Christmas, because we can, and because it is our responsibility to do so. Imagine a life changed, through a book you gave. That's awesome.

 

Fabulous initiative 1: please pray!

I had a lovely email from Mary Weeks Millard a few days ago. She says, “The churches in Weymouth are presenting an event called ‘Silent Night’ on Dec 4th; carols in the local football stadium to remember the WW1 Christmas Truce. Taking part will be a choir from years 5 and 6 in the local primary schools. At the moment 6 schools have opted to take part and the special school will also be taking about 6 children. It will be about another week before numbers of participants are known; it could be 100+. The Lord has really put it on my heart that it would be good to give each child taking part a copy of ‘A Pennyworth of Peppermints’. The celebration is right, the location and the also the age group of the children. I feel that I should go ahead in faith - the organizer, Rev. Anni Douglas is thrilled with the idea as is the choir mistress (who attends our church). I am hoping that maybe church members in the town would feel they could sponsor a book.”

Please do pray for this initiative and the children who will receive this book with its message of God's love and forgiveness. If you are organising an event and would like to buy a quantity of books please let me know; firstly as I can offer quantity discounts (as can most local Christian bookshops), and also so we can back you in prayer. I look forward to hearing from you!

Fabulous initiative 2: please pray!

A teacher at a local primary school is going to start up a book club at her school with books that have Christian characters! How wonderful is that! Please pray for new children to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus through these books. Thank you!

Christmas online catalogue

This is the link to our online Christmas catalogue:

Christmas Catalogue

Please do take a look yourself and forward it now to as many people you can think of who just might be interested, because it might be exactly what they are looking for, for a grandchild, nephew, niece, Sunday School or children's friends. Thank you very much for your help!

Next year

I have so many plans for next year, and want to make it the best ever, but I need your help. More than anything else I ask for your prayers for Dernier. I would like to bring out five books next year – some in paperback, some in digital format. More news in January in about that, but please would you start praying now, as I begin to get organised? I would appreciate that more than you know. If you join us on facebook, you can keep in touch with news as it happens: Dernier Publishing's Facebook Page. Hope to see you there!

Right, lots to do, I'd better get on with it – may the Lord bless you and keep you.

Kindest regards,

Janet

PS Don't forget to check out our online catalogue :-) http://www.flipgorilla.com/p/23735439970010745/show

Dernier Online Catalogue!

We have a new online catalogue! It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord has had his hand on Dernier, ever since the beginning. Now we have an incredible thirteen books, and have begun selling eBooks, to reach the growing generation of children who are now reading on their i-pads and kindles at an ever-younger age.

Click here to see the catalogue!

If you are looking for children's books for prizes, presentations, giveaways at children's clubs and holiday camps and to send to English-speaking schools you support abroad . . . look no further! Oh, and of course you might need books for your own children :-) (Hint: pass the catalogue on to grandparents!) Do take a look and pass on to your local Christian bookshop, church minister and children's workers, your local Christian school, and anywhere there are children! All books have as their aim to encourage and inspire. Whole families have been touched through our books . . . words are powerful and the Lord is at work :-)

Do take a look and tell me what you think!

May the Lord bless you and all the children on your heart.

Janet

10 Good Reasons to Buy Christian Fiction for the Children You Love

In the past, Christian fiction has had a bad name for being preachy, boring, badly written and old-fashioned. But now there are some brilliant, engaging, relevant stories that are just waiting to thrill our children! Why should we cough up the cash, though?

10 Reasons to Buy Christian Fiction for the Children You Love

1. Stories with Christian characters can encourage children in their own faith

Church kids are often thrilled to find a Christian hero/heroine in a 'real' story! They can also be inspired to follow their example.

2. We remember stories better than straight information

Jesus told stories for a reason! Not only are stories with a message so much more memorable than a list of bullet points, they are so much more enjoyable. Church and non-church children alike can learn about how valued they are, how the Lord loves them, and that prayer changes things, all through the medium of a great book.

3. It's great to encourage children to read books with Christian values

We are all influenced by what we put into our minds, and there is a lot of ungodly stuff out there filling our children's heads and hearts. In a world that is imperfect, stories written from a Christian perspective can encourage our children to find and stay on the right path. 

 

4. A novel is a non-threatening gift

Books make thoughtful gifts and are generally gratefully received. Why not buy books for children who attend Messy Church, kids clubs and camps?

5. Kids see faith being outworked in a way relevant to their own culture

Bible stories can become over-familiar to church kids . . . but it can be exciting to read about how faith works in every day situations, to children just like them.

6. Children make sense of their world through stories

Children can reflect on subjects such as faith, prayer, justice and forgiveness in the safe place of a story. If you have read the book, you can talk about these issues with them, too.

7. Children can lend books to their friends (at no extra cost!)

Why not buy a load for your own kids then lend them out to all their school friends and their families? Think of the potential! If you get tongue-tied, but would like to pass on the good news to kids going through a rough time, a book can take the message for you. 

 

8. Like to have spiritual input but can't due to distance?

Grandparents/parents/significant others who are separated from their children by distance (or who can't talk about their faith openly), but would still like to have some spiritual input, can do so by sending Christian books, or reading stories over Skype!

9. Like more family time? Reading stories together is great for bonding!

Reading an exciting novel aloud is a great way to spend quality time together. Discussing the plot and the characters' reactions to events is a great way to open communication.

10. Words are powerful – a book may sow seeds that will bear fruit in years to come

We have all read books that have affected the way we have thought about things. Never underestimate the power of a story to change lives.

Www.dernierpublishing.com/aboutus.php

Happy reading :-)

Janet

Sunday School prize-giving

Dernier Publishing

Extra!

Forgive me for bothering you again – but perhaps this might be a great opportunity to get some great Christian stories into the hands of children you love :-)

Does your church do Sunday School prize-giving?

As you know, the aim of Dernier Publishing is to produce books that will encourage and inspire children in their faith, and show non-church kids what they are missing!

If you would like to . . .

• encourage and inspire your Sunday School children in their faith
• reach out to families of your Sunday School children

. . . look no further! I have met so many adults for whom reading Christian books as children made a huge impact on their life, that I am convinced that we must offer our children the same opportunity. Giving a book is such a simple, yet effective way of sowing seeds in children's lives. Here are a few testimonies of how our books are being used, from the children themselves (not that the books are anything in themselves, it is the Lord who touches hearts) . . .

"I love this book and I think it is amazing.”

“I'd really like to read this book again.”

“Another brilliant adventure! I really liked the new characters and stories. It taught me that when I'm feeling down, God is trying to show me how to think about and help others, which will make me feel better again. If we stop to listen to Him, he will show us the way.”

There is a view that children aren't reading, but that just isn't true. Since Harry Potter smashed his way into the book records, children have been reading again in droves, voraciously. Unfortunately, much of what is available now isn't necessarily helpful. There are plenty of novels with an atheistic viewpoint and many stories which have incited interest in the occult and witchcraft, violence, materialism and worldly relationships, but what about books where the Lord is God, where faith in the Lord Jesus Christ matters, where people pray and read the Bible?

We need to make sure that our children have this great alternative!

Whether your church usually offers books for Sunday School prize-giving or not, may we urge you to consider doing so this year? Sow some seeds, while you can. Here are some comments by adults:

“One lady who lives 17 miles away from church, came on Sunday. She came because she had read her son's book.”

“It's now several weeks since we presented the books to our children in Kidz Church. I asked how they were getting on with them. They were very enthusiastic and have been swapping them round when they've finished their own. Most of these kids are reluctant readers, too.”

“My niece, aged 15, not overly academic, read her book right through last night and loved it. I think it's the first time in her life that she's read a whole book from choice!”

As you know, we have mystery adventures for 8-11s, exciting dramas, girlie books for 10-14s, books set in Africa and Canada . . . and more! Some have a very overt message, some more subtle, but all our books have the aim of encouraging and inspiring kids in the Christian faith.

Together we can make a difference.

 Find all our books here:

 www.dernierpublishing.com/youthf.php

or visit your local Christian bookshop!

With many thanks for your support and help,

Janet

P.S. If you don't have any input into children's work at your church yourself, would be kind enough to forward this to your church minister/Sunday School leaders, or print it out and pass it on? Thank you very much.