I always assumed the Hiding Place referred to the secret room. When I reread this I saw in the preface the authors had quoted Isaiah 32:2
And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest...the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
That started me thinking that Corrie's faith in Christ was her hiding place from the tempest she was experiencing.
Several things always strike me as inspirational:
First, her father was given the opportunity to leave prison. He stated straight out that he would help anyone who came his way. What a strong man.
Second, her sister's prayer about being 'thankful for the fleas'. I always laugh at that part. And yet, it was because of the fleas that the guards left them alone. What are the 'fleas' in our live that seem to be annoyances and yet may be blessings?
Third, her father's fantastic way to explain grief to her. How we as parents give our little children their train tickets just before they need them to get on the train. Also, our Heavenly Father gives us what we need just in time when we need to face our grief and fears.
I love this book. It is a grim topic and yet I always come away with peace and uplifted at such a woman was able to help and heal so many. Our trials make us who we are, and hopefully we are able to find a way to be better because of them.
Can't wait to read your reviews. post them here! now!
For some reason I have never wanted to read this book. I think it was because I remember mom always telling me that I should read it and that it was a good book. I must have been a young rebel at the time since I still had an unwelcome feeling about the book, even as a began reading. Strange, since I really knew nothing about it!!
Needless to say, I am a dope. I really loved the book more than I could have imagined. I took it everywhere, couldn’t put it down when I should have and stayed up ‘til 2am one night reading. It is such an amazing story of faith, courage and strength that I found truly inspiring.
Corrie and her sister gave me a deeper insight into faith. They lived by faith daily. When they were in a difficult situation where they needed strength or any help they immediately prayed and expected the solution right then. They were doing the Lord’s work and so they assumed he would guide them to get it done. I loved how they would just put it into his hands when there was nothing they could do. They also accepted things that happened to them with very little complaining and much gratitude for some pretty awful stuff. The first example that comes to mind is gratitude for fleas. Of course that seemed just crazy but when they realized the awful fleas kept the guards out, the fleas did end up to be a great blessing.
Well, I just read Emily’s well written post and it was much more eloquent than my unfinished ramblings. I agree with everything she said!! Corrie’s dad was an incredible father. I do feel Heavenly Father holds the tickets until we need them. I am also now satisfied and glad that I don’t always knowing where I am going. Jonah getting diabetes was not where I wanted to go but we are dealing with it and feeling blessed in the process. One blessing that occurred to both me and Vaughn was that Jonah will never be able to serve in the military. That may be a good thing. He is also learning and eating much more healthy than ever before.
How blessed Jonah is to live today. When Corrie’s sister was diagnosed with diabetes it was a determined death sentence. So little could be done. When the liquid turned black that was just the beginning of the end while today she probably would have just gotten a shot.
Another great lesson of parenting was when Corrie asked her father about “sex sin”. Her dad did not act shocked or angry, he just gave a simple little lesson on carrying more than you are able to at the moment. The world seems so determined to pile loads of baggage on children today. Aren’t parents supposed to protect their sweet children as long as possible?
This book has given me a greater desire to really trust in the Lord and believe that our lives truly are in his hands. I don’t want to just say this and hope that it is true but I want to live it deep down and also be grateful for my “fleas”. I want to trust that everything does all end up working for my good in the end and I can still feel joy and happiness throughout the process.
Thank you Emily for such a great book! I love the pictures as well!!
Well, I really enjoyed this book. What a great example of good people really trying to do what Heavenly Father wants them to do. A great example of faith as well. One thing that I thought that was very interesting in the fact that Betsie and Corrie never married. It seemed like their mission in prison and concentration camps was what they were put on this earth to do. I was so impressed with Corrie and how she would view her sister, Betsie, as being better or maybe more righteous that she herself was even thought they were both so good. I thought that Corrie has such faith and hope and, yes, Betsie could even think kindly about all those terrible people. That was amazing. One story that I really loved was the part when Betsie thanked God for the fleas. Corrie wrote she thought that Betsie was wrong to give thanks for that. Betsie said that the scriptures said to be thankful in ALL things not just good things but ALL things. Oh, how I struggle to do that, I can’t even fathom how she could do that in their situation. And later, we find out that the fleas really were a blessing because it caused the guards to not come into the hall that Betsie and Corrie were preaching in because the infestation of fleas. To me, that is such an example of faith in God and that He will bless you when the time comes and if you really have faith.
What a difference their lives were because they had hope. And because they shared that hope, things changed. Not their situation and, most of the time, not the guards but in the other prisoners. Like at night, instead of fighting and cursing from the prison women, like it was in the beginning, there was kindness and thoughtfulness.
I think that is would be so difficult to have faith and stay believing in the situations that they were in. Emotionally and physically stressed like that in unimaginable. I would guess it would be like that tense feeling you get when something bad happens to you but constantly: like a tight stomach and edgy body. That feeling doesn’t go away just because you leave the bad situation. It lingers. So what a great plan that Corrie and Betsie had to have recovery homes for those people that did survive.
I think this book is also a lesson in believing in miracles even when everything is so horrible and seems so completely hopeless and when people are so terrible and evil. Little things would frequently happen just when they were needed. And Corrie also really relied on the Spirit to let her know who would help them and what to say to people.
I would have put more quotes and stuff in here but I let a friend of mine borrow the book because it was so good. Thanks for picking this book, Emily. It really cleared my mind of what having faith is really supposed to be.
I love the comments so far. Very interesting! You guys are much more elequent than I am. I can't believe that Corrie was let out on a clerical error! What a miracle! Thanks again, Emily, for picking the book!
8 comments:
A quick review from me-
I always assumed the Hiding Place referred to the secret room. When I reread this I saw in the preface the authors had quoted Isaiah 32:2
And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest...the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
That started me thinking that Corrie's faith in Christ was her hiding place from the tempest she was experiencing.
Several things always strike me as inspirational:
First, her father was given the opportunity to leave prison. He stated straight out that he would help anyone who came his way. What a strong man.
Second, her sister's prayer about being 'thankful for the fleas'. I always laugh at that part. And yet, it was because of the fleas that the guards left them alone. What are the 'fleas' in our live that seem to be annoyances and yet may be blessings?
Third, her father's fantastic way to explain grief to her. How we as parents give our little children their train tickets just before they need them to get on the train. Also, our Heavenly Father gives us what we need just in time when we need to face our grief and fears.
I love this book. It is a grim topic and yet I always come away with peace and uplifted at such a woman was able to help and heal so many. Our trials make us who we are, and hopefully we are able to find a way to be better because of them.
Can't wait to read your reviews. post them here! now!
peace- emily
what a great review, emily! thanks!
i'm still working on mine. i don't think i'll be done until this weekend, ok?
For some reason I have never wanted to read this book. I think it was because I remember mom always telling me that I should read it and that it was a good book. I must have been a young rebel at the time since I still had an unwelcome feeling about the book, even as a began reading. Strange, since I really knew nothing about it!!
Needless to say, I am a dope. I really loved the book more than I could have imagined. I took it everywhere, couldn’t put it down when I should have and stayed up ‘til 2am one night reading. It is such an amazing story of faith, courage and strength that I found truly inspiring.
Corrie and her sister gave me a deeper insight into faith. They lived by faith daily. When they were in a difficult situation where they needed strength or any help they immediately prayed and expected the solution right then. They were doing the Lord’s work and so they assumed he would guide them to get it done. I loved how they would just put it into his hands when there was nothing they could do. They also accepted things that happened to them with very little complaining and much gratitude for some pretty awful stuff. The first example that comes to mind is gratitude for fleas. Of course that seemed just crazy but when they realized the awful fleas kept the guards out, the fleas did end up to be a great blessing.
Well, I just read Emily’s well written post and it was much more eloquent than my unfinished ramblings. I agree with everything she said!! Corrie’s dad was an incredible father. I do feel Heavenly Father holds the tickets until we need them. I am also now satisfied and glad that I don’t always knowing where I am going. Jonah getting diabetes was not where I wanted to go but we are dealing with it and feeling blessed in the process. One blessing that occurred to both me and Vaughn was that Jonah will never be able to serve in the military. That may be a good thing. He is also learning and eating much more healthy than ever before.
How blessed Jonah is to live today. When Corrie’s sister was diagnosed with diabetes it was a determined death sentence. So little could be done. When the liquid turned black that was just the beginning of the end while today she probably would have just gotten a shot.
Another great lesson of parenting was when Corrie asked her father about “sex sin”. Her dad did not act shocked or angry, he just gave a simple little lesson on carrying more than you are able to at the moment. The world seems so determined to pile loads of baggage on children today. Aren’t parents supposed to protect their sweet children as long as possible?
This book has given me a greater desire to really trust in the Lord and believe that our lives truly are in his hands. I don’t want to just say this and hope that it is true but I want to live it deep down and also be grateful for my “fleas”. I want to trust that everything does all end up working for my good in the end and I can still feel joy and happiness throughout the process.
Thank you Emily for such a great book! I love the pictures as well!!
I was looking for more pictures and I found this http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/GALL37R/CTBOOM01.HTM website.
I also found out that Corrie was released from the camp by a clerical error. The rest of the women her age were killed not to long after she left.
Hi everyone,
Well, I really enjoyed this book. What a great example of good people really trying to do what Heavenly Father wants them to do. A great example of faith as well. One thing that I thought that was very interesting in the fact that Betsie and Corrie never married. It seemed like their mission in prison and concentration camps was what they were put on this earth to do. I was so impressed with Corrie and how she would view her sister, Betsie, as being better or maybe more righteous that she herself was even thought they were both so good. I thought that Corrie has such faith and hope and, yes, Betsie could even think kindly about all those terrible people. That was amazing. One story that I really loved was the part when Betsie thanked God for the fleas. Corrie wrote she thought that Betsie was wrong to give thanks for that. Betsie said that the scriptures said to be thankful in ALL things not just good things but ALL things. Oh, how I struggle to do that, I can’t even fathom how she could do that in their situation. And later, we find out that the fleas really were a blessing because it caused the guards to not come into the hall that Betsie and Corrie were preaching in because the infestation of fleas. To me, that is such an example of faith in God and that He will bless you when the time comes and if you really have faith.
What a difference their lives were because they had hope. And because they shared that hope, things changed. Not their situation and, most of the time, not the guards but in the other prisoners. Like at night, instead of fighting and cursing from the prison women, like it was in the beginning, there was kindness and thoughtfulness.
I think that is would be so difficult to have faith and stay believing in the situations that they were in. Emotionally and physically stressed like that in unimaginable. I would guess it would be like that tense feeling you get when something bad happens to you but constantly: like a tight stomach and edgy body. That feeling doesn’t go away just because you leave the bad situation. It lingers. So what a great plan that Corrie and Betsie had to have recovery homes for those people that did survive.
I think this book is also a lesson in believing in miracles even when everything is so horrible and seems so completely hopeless and when people are so terrible and evil. Little things would frequently happen just when they were needed. And Corrie also really relied on the Spirit to let her know who would help them and what to say to people.
I would have put more quotes and stuff in here but I let a friend of mine borrow the book because it was so good. Thanks for picking this book, Emily. It really cleared my mind of what having faith is really supposed to be.
Kathy
I am back on the web. Sorry! Review is forthcoming.
I love the comments so far. Very interesting! You guys are much more elequent than I am. I can't believe that Corrie was let out on a clerical error! What a miracle! Thanks again, Emily, for picking the book!
i haven't written my review yet! ack! i'm ms. loserpants!
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