Episode 18

Michelle Ule

The Story Behind The Most Popular Devotional

Michelle Ule is the author of Mrs. Oswald Chambers, the story behind the world's most popular devotional, My Utmost For His Highest. She joins me to talk about the Chambers' story, writing, and biographies.
Michelle Ule is the author of Mrs. Oswald Chambers, the story behind the world's most popular devotional, My Utmost For His Highest. She joins me to talk about the Chambers' story, writing, and biographies.
00:00 42:59

Show Notes:18. Michelle Ule — The Story Behind The Most Popular Devotional

Michelle Ule is the biographer of Mrs. Oswald Chambers: The Woman Behind the World’s Bestselling Devotional, an essayist for Utmost Ongoing: Reflections on the Legacy of Oswald Chambers and a bestselling author of inspirational historical novellas. 

She became interested in the Chambers family after using My Utmost for His Highest as a devotional for many years and then writing an as-yet-unpublished World War I novel in which Oswald and Biddy Chambers appeared as “marquee characters.”

Michelle writes an “Utmost Response” to each day’s reading on her Michelle Ule, writer Facebook page–for all those folks who seek insight into what that day’s My Utmost for His Highest means!

A 35 year Bible study teacher in a variety of Christian settings and denominations, she studied English Literature at UCLA and trained as a reporter. Michelle’s also an amateur genealogist.

Long married to a retired naval officer, Michelle and her family live in Northern California.

You can learn more about her and read her 90+ blog posts about Biddy, Oswald and My Utmost for His Highest at www.michelleule.com

Host: Chase Replogle

Follow: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Resources

Author's Books

  • Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
  • Tomorrow is the official release date of A Sharp Compassion. Thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered it. The pre-ordered copies have been arriving over the last few days. I can’t wait for you to read it. Please share your thoughts and your copies when they arrive.
  • A Sharp Compassion releases in less than one week. “In our desperate search for comfort, the temptation to minimize, neutralize, or distort the cross looms large for Christians navigating the fragility of our own shortcomings. But the cross is offensive. As Chase Replogle reminds us, ‘the cross is the singular offense we must not lose, for it frees us from all other offenses.’ A Sharp Compassion is a timely diagnosis of our contemporary condition, offering a challenging but accessible, difficult but beautiful path forward, away from suffocating fragility, toward a spacious and free life.” Jay Y. Kim, Pastor and Author
  • “Through a careful look at some of Jesus’s most challenging conversations, Chase helps us better understand the trap of offense and how Jesus can rescue us from it. Like a skilled surgeon, Chase uses Jesus’s words to dissect our lives, helping us recognize the insecurity and idolatry that often leads us to envy and offense. Jesus loves us enough to be honest with us. For those willing to listen, his hardest words also turn out to be some of his best. With Chase’s usual mix of history, psychology, and literature, A Sharp Compassion is a fascinating and sober read. For those willing to take the journey, you’ll learn and certainly be changed.” Mark Batterson Lead pastor of National Community Church; New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker
  • A Sharp Compassion is now available for pre-order on audible!
  • I spent the past week with a great writers group in Kentucky. Great good, hospitality, and conversations on writing. And I signed my first copy of A Sharp Compassion.
  • Just wanted to say thanks to those who have been pre-ordering the new book. Fun to see it ranked number three under Christian social issues.
  • Link in bio. A Sharp Compassion is officially online for pre-order. I've got a new episode on the Pastor Writer podcast introducing the book.
  • Link in Bio I think our current debates about the Paris Olympics reflect how little we understand offense and our need for a Christian theology of offense. Of course it was offensive; the real question is what Christians should do with offense.
  • St Louis day trip, art museum and rainy day at the zoo.
Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
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Another weekend another museum. The World War I museum in KC. And we snuck in a used book store.
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
1/10
Tomorrow is the official release date of A Sharp Compassion. Thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered it. The pre-ordered copies have been arriving over the last few days. I can’t wait for you to read it. Please share your thoughts and your copies when they arrive.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
Tomorrow is the official release date of A Sharp Compassion. Thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered it. The pre-ordered copies have been arriving over the last few days. I can’t wait for you to read it. Please share your thoughts and your copies when they arrive.
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
2/10
A Sharp Compassion releases in less than one week. “In our desperate search for comfort, the temptation to minimize, neutralize, or distort the cross looms large for Christians navigating the fragility of our own shortcomings. But the cross is offensive. As Chase Replogle reminds us, ‘the cross is the singular offense we must not lose, for it frees us from all other offenses.’ A Sharp Compassion is a timely diagnosis of our contemporary condition, offering a challenging but accessible, difficult but beautiful path forward, away from suffocating fragility, toward a spacious and free life.” Jay Y. Kim, Pastor and Author
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
A Sharp Compassion releases in less than one week. “In our desperate search for comfort, the temptation to minimize, neutralize, or distort the cross looms large for Christians navigating the fragility of our own shortcomings. But the cross is offensive. As Chase Replogle reminds us, ‘the cross is the singular offense we must not lose, for it frees us from all other offenses.’ A Sharp Compassion is a timely diagnosis of our contemporary condition, offering a challenging but accessible, difficult but beautiful path forward, away from suffocating fragility, toward a spacious and free life.” Jay Y. Kim, Pastor and Author
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
3/10
“Through a careful look at some of Jesus’s most challenging conversations, Chase helps us better understand the trap of offense and how Jesus can rescue us from it. Like a skilled surgeon, Chase uses Jesus’s words to dissect our lives, helping us recognize the insecurity and idolatry that often leads us to envy and offense. Jesus loves us enough to be honest with us. For those willing to listen, his hardest words also turn out to be some of his best. With Chase’s usual mix of history, psychology, and literature, A Sharp Compassion is a fascinating and sober read. For those willing to take the journey, you’ll learn and certainly be changed.” Mark Batterson Lead pastor of National Community Church; New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
“Through a careful look at some of Jesus’s most challenging conversations, Chase helps us better understand the trap of offense and how Jesus can rescue us from it. Like a skilled surgeon, Chase uses Jesus’s words to dissect our lives, helping us recognize the insecurity and idolatry that often leads us to envy and offense. Jesus loves us enough to be honest with us. For those willing to listen, his hardest words also turn out to be some of his best. With Chase’s usual mix of history, psychology, and literature, A Sharp Compassion is a fascinating and sober read. For those willing to take the journey, you’ll learn and certainly be changed.” Mark Batterson Lead pastor of National Community Church; New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
4/10
A Sharp Compassion is now available for pre-order on audible!
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
A Sharp Compassion is now available for pre-order on audible!
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
5/10
I spent the past week with a great writers group in Kentucky. Great good, hospitality, and conversations on writing. And I signed my first copy of A Sharp Compassion.
I spent the past week with a great writers group in Kentucky. Great good, hospitality, and conversations on writing. And I signed my first copy of A Sharp Compassion.
I spent the past week with a great writers group in Kentucky. Great good, hospitality, and conversations on writing. And I signed my first copy of A Sharp Compassion.
I spent the past week with a great writers group in Kentucky. Great good, hospitality, and conversations on writing. And I signed my first copy of A Sharp Compassion.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
I spent the past week with a great writers group in Kentucky. Great good, hospitality, and conversations on writing. And I signed my first copy of A Sharp Compassion.
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
6/10
Just wanted to say thanks to those who have been pre-ordering the new book. Fun to see it ranked number three under Christian social issues.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
Just wanted to say thanks to those who have been pre-ordering the new book. Fun to see it ranked number three under Christian social issues.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
7/10
Link in bio. A Sharp Compassion is officially online for pre-order. I've got a new episode on the Pastor Writer podcast introducing the book.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
Link in bio. A Sharp Compassion is officially online for pre-order. I've got a new episode on the Pastor Writer podcast introducing the book.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
8/10
Link in Bio I think our current debates about the Paris Olympics reflect how little we understand offense and our need for a Christian theology of offense. Of course it was offensive; the real question is what Christians should do with offense.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
Link in Bio I think our current debates about the Paris Olympics reflect how little we understand offense and our need for a Christian theology of offense. Of course it was offensive; the real question is what Christians should do with offense.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
9/10
St Louis day trip, art museum and rainy day at the zoo.
St Louis day trip, art museum and rainy day at the zoo.
St Louis day trip, art museum and rainy day at the zoo.
St Louis day trip, art museum and rainy day at the zoo.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
St Louis day trip, art museum and rainy day at the zoo.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
10/10

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