Chambers Biddy - Mrs. Oswald Chambers: the woman behind the worlds bestselling devotional

Writing Mrs. Oswald Chambers has been a joy, delight, and honor. Ive been led by God from the very beginning and Im astounded at the help I received along the wayoften from strangers. It has been a walk of faith, as Ive prayed a daily reminder, This is your book, Lord; I am your hands, fingers, and mind. Use it to your glory. People who prayed for me have been of great encouragement.

I begin my thanks with David McCasland and his biography Oswald Chambers: Abandoned for God , the reading of which started me on this journey. He has been gracious, helpful, and encouraging throughout the years Ive been immersed in the life and work of Oswald and Biddy Chambers.

My quest began on a day my agent and I planned to discuss what I should write next. Before we got to that conversation, an editor called asking for an inspirational novel set in World War I. I said, What about the Oswald Chambers story? He led a revival in Egypt during WWI. The idea changed the course of my writing and personal life. Janet Kobobel Grant, my agent and friend, provided wise counsel and encouragement from that day on. I could not have produced this book without her.

Wheaton Colleges Special Collections Library holds the Oswald Chambers papersmany of which are McCaslands research from writing Abandoned for God . Archivist Keith Call has been a source of generous support and help throughout. His colleagues also assisted me and stood byperhaps prayingwhen, after two straight days of scanning documents, my scanner died and this technology-challenged writer had to buy and set up a new one!

With typical spiritual acumen, author Robin Jones Gunn introduced me to her friend Nicholas Graywho was only available for lunch on the one full day I spent in Scotland researching the aforementioned novel. A member of the Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Nicholas suggested I might someday write a biography of Biddy Chambers. I laughed, but the idea burrowed into my soul. He was the first person to suggest I needed prayer supportwhich was true. Im grateful for his encouragement.

Peter Wenham of Australia sent me an email the day after I wrote about Oswald Chamberss death in my novel. His subject line: looking for information about Oswald Chambers in Egypt. His grandfather had attended Oswalds burial service, and he had photos we had never seen before. He and his wife, Meredith, also sent me ninety-seven pages of information from their visit to the Cadbury Research Librarys Special Collections at the University of Birmingham in the UKwhich proved invaluable in the writing of Mrs. Oswald Chambers . Thank you, Peter and Meredith; thank you, also, Cadbury Research Library and Ken Montgomery of the YMCA, UK.

Thanks to Dr. Ken Boa and the good folks at Breakpoint.com who provided the Great Books CD series. We have listened to Themes in My Utmost for His Highest countless times.

It took a while to track down Brother Andrew, one of the few people still alive who had known Biddy Chambers. My thanks to him and to Os Guinness for answering questions.

A surprise interview with Eva Spink Pulfords grandson Reverend Christopher Pulford at the very end blessed me tremendously. Christopher hunted up photos and set up an interview with his father, Evas son Canon Ian Pulfordwho met Biddy as a child. I thought the book was done and then I had the opportunity to talk with someone who had met Biddy!

Im astonished at the primary source material available on Ancestry.com and the willingness of family members both to talk to a biographer and to share photos and correspondence: Keith Moore, Judy Bolter-Smith, and Audrey DonnithorneGladyss daughter.

And who can forget Google?

Others who deserve nods for information, advice, or beta reading include Amanda Sorenson, Linda Livingstone, Jo Miller, Rachel Durham, Wendy Hinman, Marianne Campbell, Cathy LaGrow, Jed Macosko, Mary and Brian Keeley, Rachel Kent, Wendy Lawton, Rachelle Gardner, and all my Wandering View friends.

This biography wouldnt be in your hands without the Baker Books staff, primarily my editor Rebekah Guzman, as well as Lindsey Spoolstra, Michelle Bardin, Collette Kischner, Patti Brinks, and Abby Van Wormer. Additional thanks to Jamie Clarke Chavez and my writer friends at Books & Such Literary Agency. Acknowledgment goes to Glenn Gohr, my fifth cousin twice removed and genealogy colleague, who twenty years ago admonished me, Youre a fine researcher and writer, Michelle, but you need to document your work. He was right.