How important a name is! Parents carefully choose a name for their offspring; names are given to roads and streets often in honour of someone; and names are given to trophies and institutions to remember a person by.

When the Diamond Books project started, it had no name. A few of us gathered to pray to ascertain what God wanted to call his project. As we waited together, a Scripture came to mind from Revelation 4:1 (John, the closest disciple to Jesus speaking) “After this I looked, and there before me was an open door in heaven.” Someone had a picture of lots of little diamonds coming out of the open door of heaven onto the earth where they found settings. The diamonds represented books and the settings children’s hearts. So we simply called the project ‘Diamond Books’. So each of the books in this project is like a diamond of many sides, intending to reflect the many facets of God’s character..

The work began in earnest in an attic room of my shared home that God had wonderfully provided with a Mum (Denise) and her little son (Tom) who I had not even met when I moved in while they were on holiday. God had made it very clear that faith was now to be very central to my life as I had burnt my boats behind me having given in my teaching notice and launching to London with no regular paid job. We agreed that I would pay half of whatever God gave to me into Denise’s budget. We didn’t lack a thing. God was beginning to prove himself in this area of trust. I can remember my Grandmother suddenly dying and money becoming available through her will. Somehow, God did wonderful things in the two years I stayed there.

Then God provided a flat nearby and then later another flat further away. My best friend, Ruth, got the call to come to London as a headmistress of a Christian school, ‘The Dolphin School’ in south west London so we were able to meet up and encourage one another regularly – another provision.

All the time, God was putting his stamp and mark on ‘Diamond Books’. I had opportunities to travel to the states with the late Angus Hudson, a reputable man in the publishing world even visiting Hawaii and Texas but that is another story.

With 987 days left to complete the writing of ‘Diamond Books’, the name still has huge significance and keeps us on track to present to children the wonders of the great God we serve and know. As we endeavour to make ‘Diamond Books’ a household name throughout the world we trust that children of every colour and creed and ability and race and size will seize hold of the diamonds and put them into the settings of their hearts as they read for themselves what God came to do. Then, one day they can pass through the open door right into heaven to be welcomed by their Creator and Lover of their souls.

PS Above the name of ‘Diamond Books’ is of course Jesus Christ, the Name above all names who has inspired and continues to show us what to do in the writing and producing of these books.