Without question, one of the best books I have ever read, The Hiding Place should be required reading for any Christian. This gripping account of the life of Corrie Ten Boom is full of stories of the great power and glory of God, experienced by those who were going through the darkest times of World War II.
One of my fears in picking up this book was that it, like other World War II memoirs of those who were brutalized by the Nazis, would be full of gruesome tales and vivid descriptions. While the reader certainly understands that horrible things took place in the camps, Ten Boom and her coauthors simply do not focus on using horrible events to shock their readers. Instead, in an amazingly Christlike way, Corrie and Betsy looked through the horror of the circumstances to the ways in which God was with them.
Christians who read this book will learn more vividly some of the glorious truths of the Bible. Readers learn how to give thanks to God in all circumstances as they watch Corrie learn to be thankful for fleas and an ant. Christians will learn of the power of God’s word to truly sustain those who rely on it through hardships. Believers will learn of the great hope of heaven which allows us to walk through the hardships of this life. Christians will see self-sacrifice, familial love, and even how to love their enemies in a way that is seldom taught in our world today.
If you are a believer who has not read this text, which looks a little like Little House on the Prairie meets World War II Germany, I cannot urge you strongly enough to set aside a few hours and allow your heart to be touched by this gripping, true tale.
Pastor Travis Peterson 