Dear Customers,

Wishing you all a fruitful year ahead in the service of our Lord. We had a good break, but the first day back at work was so energy-sapping hot that I can’t say we were “raring to go”. Now that it has cooled down a bit, we can say, “at your service” and feel fairly confident that we have the energy to get the job done!

Orders: We have had requests for Ferguson’s new book from Banner and Mack’s Life Issues volume 2 from Focus. We will be getting both; they just happened to be released just after our orders from these publishers had already been shipped.

When I ordered all the academic books last year, I ordered extra of what I thought was popular or needed. It feels as if we are stocked to the hilt. Yet in the last three days I have had to apologise to quite a few people for not being able to supply the books they want. I wish I had a 6^th sense about what books are going to be flavor-of-the-month! I can’t tell you how many times it happens that I place an order and then the remaining stock, that I thought was sufficient, is bought for a group study when the order is already on the sea. And, of course, there is always another group that wants the same title for their study… Ordering books for stock is a cross between science, art, insight from experience and a bit of hit-and-miss! I promise you that I do try my best to get what you all need.

So that you are not frustrated when you order books, especially for group studies, let me give some insight into our ordering procedures:

1. We always bring in orders by sea. This keeps the costs down, but the downside is that it takes a long time for the books to arrive.
2. We have to build an order for a publisher before placing. It does not pay shipping-wise to bring in too few books. There are certain fixed shipping costs and it is better to spread these over many books rather than a few. The time that it takes to build an order depends on how quickly current stock sells out. Not an exact science!

The shipping industry is undergoing changes at present. There is not the same amount of printed matter being shipped, so the number of ships carry books and magazines has been reduced. When weather plays havoc with shipping, delays are inevitable. We used to accurately say 5-6 weeks for shipping, but last year it was more like 8-9 weeks. I am hoping that efficiency will improve as new systems with less ships fall into place, but there is no telling if there will be an improvement. The bottom line is that you need to plan well in advance for group-study books. If possible, please order a quarter in advance.

Accounts: Sigh! I spent way too much time last year chasing accounts. We resolved many years ago to be a cash store, i.e. books are paid for before they leave the store. Most of you adhere to this for which I am grateful. The problem comes in with ‘church’ accounts. Pastors or church members select books and say the church will pay, but some don’t. It’s not that they don’t intend paying, but there is a break in communication and payments are only made when I nag. Sometimes, I have been at fault by letting a family member take a customer’s order, thinking that they will pay when they get the books. They forget, and I have to be the nag-bag again. So unpleasant chasing money!

The result is that we are forced to be stricter with accounts. Pastors, if your church pays for your books, you pay before you walk out the door and claim back from your church. Group study leaders, if the church pays for the study books, please order the books and request an invoice. The church can then make the payment and you can come armed with proof of payment when you collect the books. Your co-operation in this matter will be much appreciated.

New from Focus:

• First Love, Embracing a Love that Lasts by Camille Cates and Sue Liljenberg. This is a discipleship manual for young women. A4 format; spiral bound; 277pp with additional online bonus features.; R290.
• Becoming Mr. Right , A Young man’s Guide to God-honouring Relationships by Michael J. Daniels. Ppaerback;134p; R175.

The following books are not new publications, but new to us as we have recently established a trade relationship with Grace & Truth Publications. We instigated this because they have been given printing rights for Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo and Twin Pillars of Christian Character by Wayne Mack, books that were in demand from some of our customers.

• Mighty Men, The Starter’s Guide to Leading your Family by John Crotts. Booklet; 39pp; R40.
• Danger Signs of an Unhealthy Dating Relationship by Lou Priolo. Paperback; 114pp; R110.

• Courtship & Dating: so what’s the difference? By Dennis Gunderson. Paperback; 90pp; R75.
• Your Child’s Profession of Faith by Dennis Gunderson. Paperback; 118pp; R100.

Other new books:                  

• The Satisfied Soul, Showing the Supremacy of God in all of life by John Piper. 120 Daily meditations. Paperback; 417pp; R115.
• Determined to Believe? The Sovereignty of God, Freedom, Faith and Human responsibility by John Lennox. Paperback; 368 pp; R220.

• CSB Outreach Bible. Paperback; 695pp; R20. Only 35 available.
• In Christ Alone Journal. This journal is an ideal gift. It is imitation leather with antique gilt-edged pages, filled with encouraging quotes from the bible and from our fathers in the faith. 240pp; R130.

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