Rating: 
Summary: THE OLIVE TREES THAT STAND IN SILENCE-N. Shemer
Review: THE POWER OF DARKNESS-Luke 22:52-53Christ's words at His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane: "Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: BUT THIS IS YOUR HOUR, AND THE POWER OF DARKNESS." Corrie Ten Boom has a tree planted in her name along the avenue of the Righteous of the Nations at Yad Vashem, Israel's Shoah Memorial. The avenue and trees are all dedicated to non-jews who saved jewish lives during the Nazi regime. Holland was invaded by Hitler's troops on May 10, 1940. The Ten Boom family lived in Haarlem and spent several years hiding jews, working to get them safely out of Hitler's occupied territory. Her sister Betsie urged her sister before dying at Ravensbruke "...must tell people what we have learned here...They will listen to us because we have been here." Let's hope that those who still refuse to listen, will reconsider the testimonies of these silent trees.
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Summary: The Perfect Hiding Place
Review: The ultimate "Hiding Place" is within God. Such a short and simple statement, that holds great power. This simple fact was divinely revealed during the Holocaust for Corrie Ten Boom and her family, and in this book, HIDING PLACE, she shares what happened.
Corrie, a native of Holland in her early 50's, became involved in the underground movement to hide Jews and others persecuted by the Germans. Holland was invaded by the Germans which made it very difficult to hide the refugees, as well as hide Corrie's role in their protection. While hiding several refugees in a false room in her bedroom, Corrie and her sister Betsy, as well as their aged father are taken prisoner by the Germans.
Corrie is ill, while Betsy has suffered from an ailment since childhood and has always been frail. They are separated and do not see each other for quite some time.
While being moved to another prison, the sisters are reunited and Betsy, by example only, helps Corrie cement her faith in God as well as learn to rely on him and trust solely in him.
Again and again, Corrie is able to hide her small bible that a kindly nurse was able to slip to her. She hid it through numerous, supervised showers and naked inspections. God's Hiding Place was in action.
Fleas that disgusted the guards became another thing to thank God for, as they created a "Hiding Place" for Corrie and Betsy as they revealed God's word to other captives and were able to give new life and hope in God.
The sisters endure many humiliations and hardships that no human being should ever have to even dream about. Throughout all, their faith in God is strengthened and the book gives example after example of how this faith is met by God.
I wept while reading this book, and I was ashamed that I complain about small things: Whether or not my neck hurts today, or I'm put out because my favorite TV show isn't on. I fear that I would have died a very bitter person if I were in that circumstance. If I am faced with tribulation, I hope that I would not, but that I would instead remember and be inspired by Corrie's story.
Recommended
Yes
Pros
Honestly and humbly, reveals God's power in the worst of circumstances.
Cons
None
The Bottom Line
Get this book and read it. Buy multiple copies and give them to everyone. We should all be so humble and take refuge in the Hiding Place.
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Summary: A Lesson in Christ's Unbounded Forgiveness
Review: This classic work touches on so many feelings and thoughts. For me, the most interesting part was the one where she came across the SS man who had been at Ravensbruck (p. 238). Hatred and revenge came to Corrie's heart. She could not bring herself to shake his hand. She realized that she could not forgive him in her own power, and so she prayerfully asked for the Lord's forgiveness to flow through her. At once, her hatred melted away and was replaced by overwhelming love. She realized that the Lord, who commands us to love our enemies, also gives us the means to do this.
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Summary: Amazing story of a family's resistance against the Nazis
Review: This is an amaizing story of the Ten Boom family's participation in helping Jewish refugees during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Corrie wrote many books after this one, but this is by far the most famous. Billy Graham's organization made a movie out of this story during the 1970's with the same title. This is the story of a family of devout Christians who did all they could to help those in need when they were facing the terrible occupation of their country during World War Two. There are many memorable parts of the book, but one of my favorites is when a prison Lieutenant is discussing with Corrie the value of mentally retarded children. Corrie and her sister had done work with retarded children as part of their church work. The Lieutenant told her that surely God did not value a "half-wit as much as a normal person." The response by Corrie was, "How would I know if God does not value a half-wit more than he does a watchmaker (Corrie's profession). Or, even a Lieutenant." That response by Corrie ended their conversation. That is one of the passages that has stuck with me, along with many others. This book brings to mind that there are many people right now, that are suffering, or imprisoned, for their religious beliefs, and makes that fact more real.
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