Widow's Story: Biddy Chambers

“My Utmost for His Highest” is one of the best known daily devotional books in the world. Although Oswald Chambers’ name is on the cover, it was actually compiled by his wife, Biddy, after his death. She was an incredible stenographer and had verbatim notes from his lectures at the Bible college they founded during the first years of their short marriage right before WWI. From her notes, she compiled the 365 devotionals that have impacted countless believers all over the world since uninterrupted publication in 1935.

Gertrude “Biddy” Hobbs and Oswald Chambers met on an ocean voyage to the United States in 1908. They corresponded after that and were married in 1910. They founded the Bible Training College in Clapham, England in 1911; their only child, Kathleen was born in 1913.

Two years later in October of 1915, Oswald Chambers left for Zeitoun, Egypt. This was during WWI and he was commissioned as a YMCA chaplain. Biddy and Kathleen joined him in December. Imagine

--Biddy and the 2 ½ year old Kathleen traveling from England to Egypt during WWI!

In 1917 Oswald Chambers died in Egypt at age 43 from complications of a ruptured appendix. Biddy and Kathleen made their way back to England and continued in written ministry and hospitality the rest of their lives.

A young widow with a 4-year-old daughter, traveling between Egypt and England during WWI, persevering for eighteen years to transcribe and garner devotionals from her husband’s sermons to benefit others . . . WOW!

And Biddy is just one of many examples of amazing widows. Many others read this blog and interact on the Lifeboat, our Facebook support group. Friend me on Facebook today if you'd like to be added to Lifeboat.

Widows are my heroes!

♥ ferree