the hiding place

i have finished my first book of 2012, so i am well on my way to accomplishing my new years resolution of one book a month. january- check! next task: the entire chronicles of narnia.

the book i read was "the hiding place". if you've never read it, i beg you to go and get it and read it. it's less than 250 pages and it is an absolutely incredible story. in case you have never read it, allow me to share a brief summary.

it is the true story of corrie ten boom, a dutch Christian fighting against the nazi's during WWII. her world changes when she is arrested and then imprisoned, but her faith does not. she suffers and experiences the absolute worst things imaginable and some, unimaginable; she lives in fleas and lice; she works back breaking labor while in her 50's at the concentration camp; she sees men and women killed before her and then, sees how they dispose of the bodies; her father, sister, and nephew are all killed; she lives off basically nothing; she sleeps on a wood slat with 4 other women and no blanket, and yet through all of this and so much more, she and her sister, betsie, live every day for Christ and are missionaries to everyone they meet. they pray for those beating them, they pray for those suffering with them. they reach out to anyone who needs them in any way they can. they share everything they have, even though they had practically nothing. they are constantly led by the Spirit and she lives to tell their tale.

this story is a story of faith- unyielding, undying, and true faith. it is hard to read some of the things she went though, it almost seems impossible. but what does seem more than possible, but truly amazing, and what relieves you of the terrible tragedies of her life, are the absolute miracles she experiences. if you don't believe in modern miracles, read this book. it is full of them. again, allow me to briefly summarize one:

the first night they (corrie and betsie) arrived in the concentration camp, they were forced to strip down and undergo and thorough medical inspection. they had been hiding a small bible around a string, hanging down their back, through the prison and the prison camp but now, they were unsure what to do. she prayed "Dear God, You have given us this precious Book; You have kept it hidden through checkpoints and inspections; You have used it for so many" and at that moment her sister became faint. the guards told corrie to take betsie into the bathoom, there, they found a hiding place for their bible. after their inspections, they went into that same bathroom to put on their new "clothes" (which were more like horrible and disgusting rags). corrie put the bible again around her neck, although now the clothes were so thin, and she too was so thin, that she was terrified it would be found, but she carried it anyway. everyone was receiving a pat down on their way out of the bathroom; the lady in front of her was pat down 3 times, betsie, behind her, was pat down, but she was not. they kept that bible the entire time they were in the camp. when corrie was released, she gave it to another lady in the camp.

this book inspired me. it made me want to be more faithful, more committed to what i know to be true, that Christ lives! and that through Him, we all have the chance to live eternally with our Heavenly Father.

i would like to just share a few of the quotes from the book that i found particularly inspiring. again, if you have not read this book go to the library or to a book store and get it. it's worth every second you will spend reading it.


“Dear Jesus...how foolish of me to have called for human help when You are here.”


“This is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.” 


“Even as the angry vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him....Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness....And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives along with the command, the love itself.”