“If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.” She experienced immense amounts of pain and heartache while also changing history. She was born a slave in New York State. She had five children, at least three of whom were sold away from her. She was driven by her deep faith and was six feet tall, and a voice well suited for speaking to crowds. She fought for the freedom of slaves and rights for women. She escaped slavery in 1827. She settled, after speaking and traveling in our very own Battle Creek, Michigan! She preached cleanliness and godliness among freedpeople. She even challenged Fredrick Douglass on one occasion and met with president Lincoln on another seeking the relief of the newly freed African Americans. She never let the pain of her severed family, or the ...
I first read about Corrie Ten Boom in the book 7 Women by Erik Metaxis. This was just a chapter description of her life but I was struck with the impact that this woman had. Her tenacity began when she was 22 and after some trial in her life she decided to become a watchmaker, making her the first woman watchmaker in holland. It was in her homeland of the Netherlands that the Nazis invaded in 1940. In their passion to save people the Ten Booms began housing Jews that were being hunted by the Gestapo. They built a hidden small room with brick and a built in bookshelf in order to hide at least six people at a time. The disguise of the watch shop quickly made this a safe house for many Jewish people. It is said that the Ten Booms saved about 800s Jews during the Nazi occupation. It was only one a fellow Dutch neighbor gave away the operation that they were then captured and taken to a concentration camp. She lost her father shortly after and her sister only a month before the camp was freed. On top of this when she met a Nazi soldier later in her life that was positioned at her camp she shook his hand and openly forgave him. In her bravery and obedience this woman who began as a watchmaker, turned into a hero of the 20th century. It was out of her conviction of the love God has for her and his people that she was compelled to show the same sacrificial love. If she can do this out her own obedience, what would our own obedience look like when it comes to loving our neighbor as ourself?
I wanted to thank you for your blog. You've introduced me to a few women I really should have known! I really have to admire Ten Boom's willingness to put others before herself. When I Googled her name, my result set included many inspirational quotes. I decided I needed to learn more about Ten Boom, especially since I'm not always the first one to offer forgiveness.
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