As I read the behind-the-scenes stories in this volume, I found myself wondering if these authors asked the same questions about their books. Did Charles Sheldon ever dream that publishers today would still be publishing his thrice-rejected manuscript that has had us asking "What would Jesus do?" for the past century? Biddy Chambers clearly valued her husband's insights, but could she have really imagined that they would represent the best-selling devotional book of the century? Did C. S. Lewis have any idea that fifty years later children and adults alike would still contemplate the adventures of a lion, a witch, and a wardrobe?

My guess is that many of the writers represented in 100 Christian Books had no idea that their work would someday be recognized as a book that "changed the century". But change the century they did. And as we review the list of books compiled by the Petersens, we'll be reminded that our work today may have an impact that reaches beyond our wildest imagination too.