Named.

"Forgiveness is an act of the will, 

and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart."

-Corrie Ten Boom

The woman who I was named after is Corrie Ten Boom. Her birthday is on April 15th, three days before mine. I am honored to be named after such an amazing woman.

[Thus, the name for my site - bella10boom. Bella is my nickname from my husband...and 10boom is Corrie's last name.]

Corrie was born in 1892. She was a Dutch Christian who, along with her family, helped to hide Jews from the Nazi's during World War II. The Ten Booms had a hiding place built in Corrie's bedroom in the case of a raid- a small hidden room behind a linen closet. Beginning in 1942, they helped hide several Jewish refugees successfully.

Two years later, in 1944, an informant betrayed the Ten Booms. The Nazi police came and arrested the entire family - Corrie, her father Casper, and her sister Betsie, as well as her other sister Nollie, brother Willem, and nephew Peter. Nollie, Willem, and Peter were all released, but Corrie, Casper, and Betsie were taken to Scheveningen prison. The beloved head of the Ten Boom family, Casper, died 10 days later.

Corrie and Betsie were first sent to the Vught political concentration camp, and then finally to Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany. Betsie survived several months, but died in December of 1944. A few weeks later, Corrie was released, New Years Eve of 1944. She later found out her release was an error, and all the women her age were killed shortly after she left.

After the war, Corrie returned to the Netherlands and set up rehab centers for concentration camp survivors. She traveled the world as a public speaker and wrote many books, the most famous of which is The Hiding Place. That book was also made into a film. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie, I would strongly recommend both. They are extremely moving examples of the love of Christ, which is capable of shining in the darkest of situations.

I will never forget one scene from the movie. Corrie and Betsie are working in the camp, doing manual labor. Betsie is weak and she falls. The overseer beats her and tells her to keep up with her work. As Corrie rushes over to help Betsie back up, you can tell she is furious. Betsie, bloody and weak, looks up into Corrie's face and says, "Corrie, you must forgive them...."

Betsie, though younger than Corrie, provides an amazing picture of Christ-likeness in the book and movie. She constantly astounded me with her words and thoughts. I am more like Corrie....angry and furious at those who abuse my loved ones, ready to strike back in an instant. And yet, I must learn from Betsie.....to love even those who persecute my dearest friends and family.

Ah, now that is a tall order.
To quote Betsie, "There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still."

One of my favorite pictures of Corrie.