| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I have been blessed to have many people make
valuable contributions to this book. First and
foremost, my wife, Thelma, who helped to select
appropriate scripture for every chapter. She is
a fountain of knowledge and wisdom on the Word
of God. She was my inspiration throughout the
writing of this book. I thank God every day for
giving me Thelma, my lifetime partner and soul
mate.
I am blessed to have Bob Shook as my collaborator
on this book. I admire his perseverance, work
ethic, and passion. During the past year, we formed
an endearing friendship, one that we both cherish.
Hence, this book represents the first of several
collaborations as well as the beginning of a lifelong
relationship. I am indebted to his wife, Elinor,
for having shared Bob's time with me so he could
devote long hours on this book so we could meet
our publishing deadline.
I am very grateful to the members of our Business
by the Book Sunday school class that meets every
Sunday morning at the Union Memorial United Methodist
Church. The class was the catalyst that inspired
the idea for this book. I am thankful to Ray Burrows
and Art Kimbrough, who initiated this project.
And it was Ray who served as a liaison between
Bob and me in the beginning.
Ray, along with Art Kimbrough, Chris Kiersch,
Ken Jones, David Nicklaus, and Nick Barris are
members of our marketing team, a committee dedicated
to assure wide distribution so the book can accomplish
our mission to ``spread the Word.'' Ray, Art,
Chris, Ken, and David, along with Thelma, were
our biggest cheerleaders from start to finish.
Any success that this book enjoys will be a direct
result of their combined talents and commitment.
I am grateful to Patti DeSoto Carr, my executive
assistant, who took on additional responsibilities
along with her normal workload to schedule and
coordinate interviews between Bob and me so we
could work long-distance between St. Louis and
Columbus, Ohio. Her assistance made an otherwise
difficult task seem effortless. Bob joins me in
acknowledging Patti for her outstanding work.
A special thank you goes to my good friend George
H. ``Bert'' Walker for introducing our manuscript
to President George H.W. Bush, who graciously
wrote the foreword to this book.
We thank Debbie Watts, who transcribed hundreds
of hours of recorded interviews; and Maggie Abel,
Bob's able assistant, who helped to prepare the
manuscript. Debbie and Maggie excel in their work.
Bob and I are grateful to have Al Zuckerman, founder
and president of Writers House, represent us as
our agent. We acknowledge Al as a man of high
integrity, talent, and creativity. Thank you,
Al, for taking us to Hyperion, the perfect publisher
for this book. Last, but by no means least, we
were blessed to have a sensational editor, Mary
Ellen O'Neill. (MEO--you instantaneously won our
hearts at that very first meeting in Hyperion's
conference room.) We marvel at Mary Ellen's enthusiasm
and skill--her commitment and support are greatly
appreciated.
May God bless all of these outstanding people.
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