The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom

Synopsis from Borders.com: Corrie Ten Boom stood naked with her older sister Betsie, watching a concentration camp matron beating a prisoner."Oh, the poor woman," Corrie cried."Yes. May God forgive her," Betsie replied. And, once again, Corrie realized that it was for the souls of the brutal Nazi guards that her sister prayed.


Here is a book aglow with the glory of God and the courage of a quiet Christian spinster whose life was transformed by it. A story of Christ's message and the courageous woman who listened and lived to pass it along -- with joy and triumph!

The Hiding Place has been my most recent read in Holocaust literature. And how refreshing it has been. Yes, the book deals with some of the atrocities of the Holocaust – the imprisonment, the invasions, the deaths. However, this book is different from the others I’ve read. For in this book there is also hope. And there is love. Love for your fellow human being. Hope from God. And it gives me hope for my life. I have faced nothing as dreadful as a prison or an extermination camp. I have never slept with fleas or been so surrounded by death and despair. However, in the midst of those things – even in the depths of dehumanization – God was there. His grace. His love. His mercy. People clung to Him. Sought Him. And He was found. On this earth and in the world to come. And therein lies the hope for me: God is forever with me, even in this.

I appreciated Mr. ten Boom’s explanation to Corrie’s hard question as a child. He responded that some knowledge is too heavy for children to carry. When they are older and stronger, they can bear to carry it. But for now they should trust their parent to carry it for them. The same is true for our heavenly father. I might not have all the answers – all the whys and wherefores for what happens in this world. But God does. And I need to trust Him with that knowledge until he sees fit to entrust me with it.

I appreciated how when Corrie ten Boom turned things over to God, she left them there in His more than capable hands.

Another scene stuck in my mind moment was when Mr. ten Boom was offered his freedom if he would just behave himself. Mr. ten Boom’s profound response was simply: “If I stay behind, I will open my door to anyone who knocks for help.”

This book was real and courageous. Corrie was not perfect and felt anger and dread. And she lets us see all of that – her most human sides. Yet continues to point us back to a God who is bigger than it all.

Wear This, Toss That! - Amy E. Goodman

Synopsis from Borders.com: From the shopping expert of NBC's "Today" comes an accessible fashion guide for every woman that offers advice on fashion and beauty swaps that can save her looks, her budget, and her time.


I enjoyed reading this book. It was easy to read and to even find the particular area or clothing category you wanted more information about. The pictures were great, and I was entertained by the fact that in a lot of the “toss” pictures for pants, skirts, dresses, etc., the models were wearing the exact same “don’t wear” shoes. Guess it took them a lot to get the message. :)

My only hesitation about the book is that there were some things that seemed contradictory to each other. So then I was confused. Also, I definitely think it should be used more as a reference book rather than reading straight through like I did. I was pretty done with it all by the time I got to makeup and hair products.

Still, worth checking out and heeding the advice off. Especially if you like What Not to Wear but can’t get anyone to nominate you for it.

The Cause Within You - Matthew Barnett

Synopsis from Borders.com: You were created for something amazing—and it’s time to discover what it is! Matthew Barnett, son of a well-known megachurch pastor, discovered his own cause in life when he relinquished his dream of building a big, successful church like his father’s and began listening for God’s dream for his life instead. Sensing that God was calling him to serve the poor and powerless of Los Angeles, Matthew founded the Dream Center, a beacon of hope for homeless families, drug addicts, abused women and children, victims of human trafficking, teen runaways, gang members, and many others whose lives were filled with brokenness. If you are hungry for a life full of passion instead of apathy; if you are ready to use your specific gifts and abilities to make a mark on the world; if you need to be reminded that God loves you and has a plan for your life—The Cause within You is the book that can change everything.


I have taken teens on a mission trip to serve at the L.A. Dream Center, and I have heard Pastor Matthew speak. So I was very interested in reading his first book.

I enjoyed and found very informative the stories about how the Dream Center began and the lives it has touched. However, I don’t feel that I’m necessarily any closer to finding and living my cause out (I thought for years I knew what it was but now am not so sure). So from that perspective, it didn’t really deliver for me. Other than to say serve where and when you can. Which, you know, don’t all of our causes boil down to that.

And I appreciated this take on prayer from Pastor Matthew. He is talking about how he takes snatches of times and moments to pray instead of a set half hour or so a day.

          “For years, I thought such an approach was wrong – maybe even blasphemous. After all, you have  
           to be in a secluded, quiet place to pray, don’t you? Sadly, my relationship with God suffered because
           of all the rules and limitations that colored my view of prayer and my understanding of what a
           relationship with God is all about. Once I realized that God is portable, flexible, and that He is in the
           ordinary circumstances and everyday occurrences of my life, having a dynamic relationship with Him
           became much easier – and a whole lot more fun and practical.”

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Synopsis from Borders.com: Set during World War II in Germany, Zusaks groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing, encounters something she can’t resist: books.


This book was recommended to me via an eighth grader’s parents at parent/teacher conferences the end of last month. And it was a good recommendation indeed.

I can’t really say that I “enjoyed” reading the book, because it’s not the kind of book one enjoys even though it is exceptionally good. The topic just doesn’t lend itself to enjoyment. It did take me a bit to get into it as the narrator of the tale is “Death.” However, in the end I don’t believe it could have been written from any other perspective.

I enjoyed the characters and the fleshing out of Liesel’s relationships with the people she encounters: her foster parents, the boy next door, a Jew, the mayor’s wife. They are all multifaceted characters who you grow attached to as you walk through the pages with them.

I definitely recommend.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

Book club book for April


The paths of journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Sanders cross…and unite. They couldn’t be more different, but they must work together to solve the disappearance of Harriet Vanger – a case that is now forty years old.

I really enjoyed the story line. A lot. I enjoyed the character detail and the plot itself.

The fact that it was set in Sweden was a bit confusing at times, just because references were occasionally made that I couldn’t quite understand. However, that in no way hindered my enjoyment of the book.

I could have done without the language and graphicness of parts. I would like to read the following two books as I’m certain the stories will be well told. However, I’m not sure I want to subject my mind to more of the same. So we’ll see.

Leaving - Karen Kingsbury

As always, I enjoy reading what Karen Kingsbury has to put down on paper.


In this story, we are once again with the Flanigan family. Leaving is the first book in the Bailey Flanigan series. Doors are opening and shutting for Bailey in her life. Will she pursue the stage on Broadway, acting in LA, or remain to be a light in her hometown of Bloomington. And what about those boys in her life. Cody has disappeared again while heart-throb actor, Brandon, is wooing and pursuing. Bailey learns that her constants in life are her family and her faith and following of God.

Of course, we also get to see glimpses of the Baxter family - which I thoroughly enjoy.

I like the idea that she is writing a novel that parallels the season she is going through and that Bailey is patterned after her daughter. It inspires me to want to work toward having a family and raising my step-daughters to that level of grace and relationship with God. Because clearly it is not an unattainable goal.

I am looking forward to reading Bailey’s continued story in Learning coming out this summer.

The Boy in the Strped Pajamas - John Boyne

I read this book because my students asked me if we were going to watch the movie as a part of our Holocaust unit.


The author, John Boyne, describes his tale as a fable – an allegorical narrative written to make a point. And I believe the story is just that. I grew attached to Bruno and his nine-year-old naievity. It was different to view the events through his eyes.

I did not anticipate the ending until it was coming to a close. But I don’t see how it could have ended any other way.

I really don’t want to give too much away, as that would spoil YOUR reading of it.