Corrie Ten Boom’s book Tramp for the Lord tells of her life after being released from Ravensbruck, a German concentration camp during WWII. Corrie’s lifestyle is one that humbly displays her great faith in God as she traveled all over the world telling everyone she met about His amazing love and what He was doing in her life. Her story begins humbly as she was nearly destitute wandering around New York City. In the world’s eyes she was not doing anything worthwhile there, and should have stayed in Europe. However, Corrie knew she was obeying what God wanted her to do and so she persevered, even when others scorned her for it. In God’s timing, she found other believers there who were excited to hear her story and fully supported her. This opened doors for Corrie to travel all over the world including Washington D.C., Ruanda, Uganda, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Colorado, Russia, Canada, Korea, Indonesia, New Zealand, India, as well as East Berlin among many other places. Wherever she traveled, Corrie was not afraid to be transparent with the people with what God was teaching her. This attitude of humility and honesty is what allowed her to speak personally into the lives of those who heard her. From checkpoint guards, and death row prisoners, to fellow missionaries, Corrie spoke to everyone she met about the love of God. The love of God is what allowed Corrie to persevere through every situation she faced. The key lessons Corrie learned and shared with others were ones on forgiveness and God’s love. By the grace of God, Corrie was able to forgive even the German guard from Ravensbruck. Yet she still struggled with forgiving her good friends who caused her pain. Corrie’s perseverance is displayed even in this as she always came to the point of humbleness before God by asking forgiveness of her selfishness and pride in not forgiving others. After coming to this point, Corrie was always blessed by the Lord with the strength to forgive those she needed to. After one such occasion in chapter twenty-five, Corrie explained it this way, “As God’s love—the fruit of the Holy Spirit—was poured into my heart I set out again on my journeys—a tramp for the Lord. What a great joy it was to experience the love of God, who gave me rivers of living water for the thirsty world of Africa, America, and Eastern Europe.” (p. 152) Corrie’s life is an example of Romans 5:3-5 lived out. She experienced many sufferings in her life, but they built her endurance which shaped her character. This is what gave her hope, because God’s love was poured out into her heart through the Holy Spirit within her. This love is what enabled Corrie to truly be obedient to God and it is for Him that she lived “a tramp for the Lord.”Romans 5:3-5Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
A must read. Encouraging, wonderful, full of God's wisdom. Corrie, was sent (along with her family) to a concentration camp, for hiding Jews in her residence, from Nazi occupied Holland. This book address the years following her release from the camp. Years in which she traveled the world, giving her message of God's love & hope for eternal life, as well as what God taught her in prison & how He continued to work in her life." Looking back across the years of my life, I can see the working of a divine pattern which is the way of God with His children. When I was in a prison camp in Holland during the war, I often prayed, "Lord, never let the enemy put me in a German concentration camp." God answered "no" to that prayer. Yet, in the German camp, with all it's horror, I found many prisoners who had never heard of Jesus Christ. If God had not used my sister Betsie & me to bring them to Him, they would never have heard nor known Him. Many died, or were killed, but many died with the name of Jesus on their lips."I have read this book several times over the years since first discovering it. It never grows old.
What do You think about Tramp For The Lord (1986)?
I did not like the sequel to The Hiding Place. While I found Corrie lovable in her faith and humility during the war, after it I found her preachy and overbearing to the point of self-righteousness. The breaking point for me was when she chastised a woman who tried to give her money for her work helping those displaced by the war, upset that the woman had not being moved by the Christian part of her speech and then criticized the woman for taking offense.Maybe it has something to do with her elderly age, but as the book progressed I became more irritated by her determination and dare I say her faith? I think it's wonderful that she dedicated her life to serving the Lord in whatever capacity He required, but I think she gave too much credit to her life being lead in ever instance that or may not have been divine intervention to the point of it deterring from her message of faith instead of adding to it. Almost too childish in her faith where me, a believer, was trying hard to still grasp onto her miracle and believe instead of discount. I'm sounding harsh. She was a wonderful woman and I'm sure her passage to heaven was won many times over with many there to welcome her with open arms. I just didn't like how she wrote about it in her book.
—Annalisa
Another life changer! A sequel to "The Hiding Place", this is a wonderful story full of miracles and love. The book does reflect somewhat on Corrie's time of imprisonment in the Nazi concentration camp. But, it goes beyond that to a time of healing and restoration in Europe and Corrie's role in helping both sides cope with the horrors faced in the war. Then Corrie starts her mission work world-wide and I just found myself cheering for this Child of God as she proved the impossible, possible with her Faith. This book highlights Corrie's travels as she tells her and Betsy's story and introduces people to "her friend Jesus". As a Christian book, I also recommend it to people of all faiths as Corrie professes her faith throughout the world in an honest, kind and unimposing way. I just love this stubborn old Dutch woman!
—Rileyrugrat
What an encouraging woman! To think that in 1970 she came to my town to speak. Would that I were I alive to hear her! This book is a must read for long time and new Christians alike. Corrie never beats people over the head, she gently comes along side to teach the Lord's lessons. A few chapters towards the end really struck home and I felt as though she were talking directly to me. It is also refreshing the way she deals with her own sin, in that she doesn't sugar coat her life to make it seem she is the perfect Christian. She is open and honest and humble, a rarity in today's society. I only wish I would have read this sooner (Sorry I didn't listen to my mother's kind persistence that this is a book I needed to read), but I'm sure it came at the right time. I highly recommend this to everyone.
—Madelyne
