the hiding place

A few weeks ago I finished reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. It is a true story of a Christian woman and her family in the midst of World War II in the Dutch town of Harlem. Because of the strong Christian beliefs of the ten Boom family, they are obligated and devotedly help their Jewish friends in any way possible. While they struggled daily to keep the Jews safe, the ten Boom family risked their own lives and safety. The inevitable happens as they are discovered by the Gestapo and suffer the consequences of helping Jewish people. This book tells their whole story.

I don't know exactly why but I have always loved reading of the accounts of World War II. It is such a grim and low time in history but yet, such a reminder of the sanctity of human life and of choice. The Hiding Place gave me a new outlook and challenge my own faith in ways. Would I have the strength to do what these women (main characters and sisters Corrie and Bestie) had to do? Would I have their faith in every little thing in their times of desperation and seemingly hopeless times? I honestly do not think I would be able to stand as strong as these women did.

This book was one that brought me strength in knowing that there are genuinely good people out there who are trying their best. It reaffirmed my knowledge that God loves me and is aware of me. It humbled me. It helped me remember that bad things DO happen to good people. Terrible and unimaginable things happen in this world. But God is over all, and he cares for us. Most of the time He will not take away the agency of His children even if they are choosing to use their agency in bad ways. That was his greatest gift of all to us all. That is all that we truly own in this life, our agency, and it made me reflect on am I using my ability to choose in the best ways? As I read through the pages of this book I enjoyed learning more about myself as I reflected on these things.

There were so many great quotes from this book that I loved. I'll paste in a few of them (this ended up being harder than I expected... I just love so many of the quotes!). But if you have not read this book already, it is a MUST read. With so many great messages and such a great hope, there is not a single person who would not benefit from this book, regardless of your religious background or situation. We all need to remember that there is hope and that we are loved.



"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength"

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

“If God has shown us bad times ahead, it's enough for me that He knows about them. That's why He sometimes shows us things, you know - to tell us that this too is in His hands.” 

“And for all these people alike, the key to healing turned out to be the same. Each had a hurt he had to forgive.”

“All through the short afternoon they kept coming, the people who counted themselves Father's friends. Young and old, poor and rich, scholarly gentlemen and illiterate servant girls—only to Father did it seem that they were all alike. That was Father's secret: not that he overlooked the differences in people; that he didn't know they were there.”

“Surely there is no more wretched sight that the human body unloved and uncared for.” 

"Happiness isn't something that depends on our surroundings, Corrie. It's something we make inside ourselves.”

“Do you know what hurts so very much? It's love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked that means pain. There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill that love so that it stops hurting. But then of course part of us dies, too. Or we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.”