Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you’ve long heard of Corrie Tenboom, but only from the outside. You’ve seen one or two of her books on yours or your church library’s shelves, but you’ve never taken the time to read one. You kinda sorta know her story of survival in a German death camp, but not really.

Well, if you really are like me and this is the minimal relationship you’ve had with Corrie Ten Boom or her books, I’ve got to tell you: I think it’s time you take a break from life and finally get down to reading something from this fascinating, godly, thought-provoking old woman!

Tramp for the Lord was Ten Boom’s second published book, which she wrote at the age of 77. Following the success of her first book, the memoirs titled The Hiding Place about her internment in the death camp for hiding Jews from the Third Reich, Ten Boom set out on an unplanned tour to tell her story. Arriving in the U.S. with no contacts, no plans, and even less money, she followed the Lord’s leading until He finally introduced her to the right people at the right time. What began as a little testimony service soon turned into a whirlwind tour of lecturing and preaching to all corners of the world. This book traces those years of travel.

Too many of the chapters in this book—snippets and anecdotes that all carry heavy spiritual application—stand out to me to share in a brief review like this. I’ll just focus on a few.

In Chapter 10, she emphasizes the presence of demons and the thick spiritual darkness they carry with them. In one service, the weight of their oppression was so heavy that she stopped abruptly in her testimony in a service and prayed them away, prayed for the cleansing that only the presence of God’s Holy Spirit could accomplish. The oppression abruptly departed, the hearts of the people tenderized, and the pastors present were offended! Reading this account simply made me stop and ponder my own past experiences, recognition of spiritually oppressive places that I’ve simply left or let alone without the conviction or faith to pray it away! How sad it made me, with true regret at my…weakness. I simply had to pray—to confess and to pray for those places, despite the distance that now separates us.

Throughout the book, Tenboom also references the horrors of WWII and the dropping of the Iron Curtain across Europe. Her accounts of suffering and later of ministering to these hateful, broken places made the light of Christ more prominent to me—truly His light shines brighter in the darkness! The sense I got was not of His prominence here today in this open and free society where we take Him so much for granted, but elsewhere, back in those places of limited access where He is lesser known yet loved to a greater degree.

I don’t write that out of some idealist misinterpretation of persecution, please understand. I’m not saying that believers living under oppression are inherently holier than the rest of us, simply because they suffer. I am saying, however, that stories like this reaffirm my conviction that where persecution lacks, apathy grows. Where freedom to worship exists, freedom not to worship becomes all the more appealing. Where freedoms are stripped and true believers are punished, convictions solidify, relationships deepen, and faith becomes sight. This is what I sensed as I read this book.

Tramp for the Lord also reminded me of two important truths. First, honesty in presenting one’s story or ministry is everything. Be real. Don’t set yourself up as anything you’re not, for all you’ll accomplish by embellishing your story or tweaking your truth is a relationship based on deceit, and that won’t get you anywhere good. Tenboom was open and honest about her struggles and her weaknesses, and this only proved to bolster her influence. She identified with Christ in His righteousness as well as in his sufferings, and this served her ministry well. Every minister would do well to learn this lesson from little old Corrie Tenboom.

Second, her relation of Psalm 1:3 was a powerful reminder to me of how much I need the Word. Have you ever noticed that this tree planted by the rivers of water is never dependent upon any outside source of nourishment? It never needs the “luck” of a good rainstorm or the “help” of some person coming by and water it. No, it’s rooted deep into the river itself. Drought could keep the rain clouds away for months or years, yet this tree would still bring forth its fruit in its season, it’s leaf also will not whither, and whatever it does will prosper. What promises those are! And what an example Corrie Ten boom was of these truths in action.

I have something like four of her other books on my shelf right now, as well as brief biography. I’m more inclined now to pick these up and enjoy them as devotionals for all the wisdom she has to share. I’m super happy I picked up this book last week, and I ask you reader again, isn’t it time you finally read something by this precious old saint?

©2021 E.T.

Read More from Corrie Ten Boom:

• Marching Orders for the End Battle (1969)
• The Hiding Place (1971)
• Tramp for the Lord (1971)