Father Ten Boom, God's Man

by Corrie ten Boom

The author of numerous inspirational works emphasizes the strong influence her father, whose religious fervor served as an inspiration to his entire community, had in shaping her own faith

Genres: Biography, Christian, Nonfiction, Faith

159 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1978

About the author

Corrie ten Boom and her family were Christians who were active in social work in their home town of Haarlem, the Netherlands. During the Nazi occupation, they chose to act out their faith through peaceful resistance to the Nazis by active participation in the Dutch underground. They were hiding, feeding and transporting Jews and underground members hunted by the Gestapo out of the country. It is estimated they were able to save the lives of 800 Jews, in addition to protecting underground workers.

On Feb. 28, 1944, they were betrayed and Corrie and several relatives were arrested. The four Jews and two underground workers in the house at the time of the arrest were not located by the Nazis and were extricated by the underground 47 hours after they fled to the tiny hiding place (located in Corrie's room).

The ten Boom family members were separated and transferred to concentration camps. Corrie was allowed to stay with her precious sister, Betsy. Corrie's father (Casper), her sister (Betsy) and one grandchild (Kik) perished. Corrie was released in December of 1944.

These acts of heroism and sacrifice became the foundation for Corrie ten Boom's global writing and speaking career which began after she was released.

Ten Boom has received numerous awards for her writing and speaking. Notably, she was honored by the State of Israel for her work in aid of the Jewish people by being invited to plant a tree in the famous Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles, at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, near Jerusalem. She was also knighted by the Queen of the Netherlands in recognition of her work during the war, and a museum in the Dutch city of Haarlem is dedicated to her and her family.

Reviews

[Alice]

Read this today while staying home from church with a sick child. After reading The Hiding Place recently, I really enjoyed reading this book that tells of Corrie Ten Boom's progenitors and of her father Casper's life. You can see how the Lord prepared her family from generations before for the work that she and her family would do years later for Jewish people. Her grandfather and father had a great love for the Jewish people and in 1844 her grandfather started weekly prayer meetings in their home to pray for Israel. Exactly one hundred years later his son, 4 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild would be arrested in the same home for hiding Jews. 4 of them would die in concentration camps. An excerpt from the book reads "If we are true intercessors, we must be ready to take part in God's work on behalf of the people for whom we pray...(My family's deaths were) the divine, but incomprehensible answer to my family's prayers for the Jewish people."

[Trace · Rating 5 out of 5]

November 25 2020 update: Finished rereading this gem. Still 5 stars all the way. So inspiring! Since my last reading I was able to track down a copy for my own personal library, for which I am thankful.

******

Yet another book that I need to track down for my personal library! 5 star all the way.
Great account of the godly patriarch of the ten Boom family. Its no wonder that all of his children came to love the Lord... I need to read this over and over!

[Svea Goertzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casper ten Boom was a man of incredible character and wisdom as attested by his daughter, Cori ten Boom.

The book lays out several aspects of his character through vignettes, journal entries, and letters written to and from him.

One passage that struck me described his relationship with his grandchildren as being one where he rarely preached (at them). It is significant to me that his life was so closely bound to his Savior that the natural outpouring of his soul pointed others to Christ.

This is a great companion to The Hiding Place, also by Cori ten Boom, which chronicles the experiences of the ten Booms during German occupation of Haarlem.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed, learned and grown from all of Corrie Ten Boom’s books. This book, written at 85 years of age, was possibly her last book before her first stroke.
I’m so glad she had the chance to search through an old chest for the treasured letters of her Grandfather, Father, Mother, and brother Willem, as well as a few of her own, that make up this book.
Her father spent his life serving, teaching and cherishing those around him. He was arrested and lost his life for sheltering Jewish people in his home during the occupation of Holland during World War 2.
This book is another treasure by Corrie Ten Boom, well worth reading, about the man who raised a family to follow the Lord, no matter what the cost. His perspective on our future with the Lord after death is so helpful and one worth remembering. As he said often to his family, “The Best is Yet to be.”

[Debbie Bratton · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading The Hiding Place a couple years ago, I was so interested in learning more about the ten Boom family. Although this book is primarily about Corrie’s father, it did provide more insight into their family life and the influence Casper ten Boom had on each of them. Reading The Hiding Place it’s easy to think of this family only in terms of what they experienced during the war, but this book helps me see them as people who had full lives prior to their imprisonment. I look forward to reading more of Corrie’s books, I think her writings honor each of their lives.

[Autumn Klepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book…very touching, inspiring, and faith-building. I loved it so much…many underlines/notes. Great book to revisit.

[Dionne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, as I've said of Corrie's other books, anything written by Corrie Ten Boom is well worth reading. This one was particularly fascinating because you got to learn about her family history. Her ancestors prayed for the Jewish people not knowing that many years later Corrie, her father and sister would save Jews from certain death in the very same house that they had prayed in.

I enjoyed learning about a different time, culture and lifestyle. It was also amazing to see how much is the same, in that, people will always have financial struggles, problems with relatives, etc...

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

You discover a very important reality regarding corrie ten boom's family. Their heart for God's chosen people began generations before her. This book allows you a deep insight into God preparing this family for a important purpose and a lasting testimony declaring God's faithfulness to His people.

[Mckenna Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read. The best thing about it is that it gives a little insight to her family history. I was impressed and a little jealous at how deep her Christian roots are. Her legacy of Christianity was quite overwhelming, but of course she lived up to it. I think this book was more about her family with a emphasis on her father's life. It was also written when she was 96-- so it's not the best crafted book-- it seems rushed and pulled together, but who can blame her? What this book really made me want to read was a better written, long version of her family history. It seems as if God was preparing her family for WWII all along-- but I would love to know more. Would love to see this idea more developed.

[Ana Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an encouraging book. After reading «The Hiding Place», by Corrie ten Boom, I wanted to know more about the life of her father and what brought him to have such a strong faith.

In this book, his daughter Corrie, dives into letters that different family members wrote throughout the years. With this information we could see the long lineage of people that loved God’s Word and fought to love their neighbors as themselves way before WWII.

I discovered that Father ten Boom was an ordinary man with an ordinary faith. He doubted at times, but he would continue to pursue the Lord and find strength again and again. If you loved “Father” from reading «The Hiding Place», you will love and admire him even more by reading this one (and you will most likely cry a few times) 😍.

[Holly Buxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic read for those who desire to pass a legacy of faith down to their children. Not the type of legacy that gets a person in history books because of a great success, but a legacy of faith that withstands the fire of hardships of this world and keeps a family pointed heavenward for generations after generation.

[Bethany Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so fascinated reading about Corrie Ten Boom’s father and extended family tree. The rich history that their family shared with Jews and the love that they displayed for them was so powerful! Her father seemed quite a Godly example. His story is so engaging and it compels me to do more for the Kingdom of Heaven! I’m very interested to read more about Corrie and her family.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It will be an honor for me, if it is necessary, to die for God's chosen people, the Jews."
Before he died for the hiding Jews, Casper ten Boom lived a highly admirable life for God, his family, and his community.
This is a beautiful, easy-to-read book about an astonishing man. Highly recommend.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not as "action-packed" as "The Hiding Place", but I felt like I got to know the Ten Boom family a lot better in this book. It is very inspiring as a Christian to see the examples set by many members of this family.

[Lucy Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational.

I loved every minute of the strong father leading his family by faith. A faith that never waivers and a family that followed him in his faith. An amazing detailed history of the ten Book family.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book

I loved reading this book and was very inspired by it. Lots of good things to learn in it. Casper ten Boom is a great role model even today. We need more Casper ten Booms now more than ever in this day and age.

[Lauren Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick, anecdotal read. While it jumped around a bit, I so loved reading more stories of the Ten Booms!

[Amy’s-musings · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has great stories about a great man and family and there are lessons to be learned here. But it was very bland to read.

[Paula Moreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic insight into the early family, truly amazing ❤️

[Zenith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corrie succinctly gave a peek into who her father was, effectively providing the background as to how she was able to withstand what happened to her long after her father's death.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful little book that tells about Cories’s grandfather and father. What Christian wisdom.

[Fayera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please, I need this book

[Carlos Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

powerful father

I’ve never known of any father in this world like Casper Ten Boom. What a wonderful man of God. Must read

[Bekah Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice supplement to The Hiding Place, not very much repeated info, lots of new tidbits. Inspiring.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeply moving biography of the man who was an inspiration.

When visitors increased, and food and finances were low, Corrie's brother would express optimistic faith in God's provision, saying, "ENOUGH FOR TODAY, PROMISES FOR TOMORROW." - Corrie ten Boom, “God's Man, Father Ten Boom” (p.108).

“A well-known psychologist once said, 'When a child reaches his third birthday, his parents will have given him half of all that they will ever be able to give him in the way of education.”

“We must be so careful that we do not refuse the cross that the Lord has given us to carry. Let us remember that our present sufferings serve to prepare us for entering into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good! Good perspective on the spiritual heritage and faith of Corrie and Betsie's father, grand-father, and great grand-father that instilled in them a love for all people, and a deep abiding confidence in the sovereignty of God. Trust that truly nothing goes to waste in His economy.
Nothing like cramming for research paper sourcing to get a book read in a day!

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my most favorite books. Corrie shares the history of her family a few generations back, how God had put it into her ancestor's hearts to love and protect the Jewish people from the rising tide of anti-Semitism, even in the church. Beautiful book!

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ein Mann Gottes - Vater ten Boom"
z erschte Buech vor Corrie-ten-Boom-Serie :) I fröiemi!

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

So inspirational! A MUST read just to see what others have overcome through faith. It really encourages you!

[Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent