Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

This year, 2026, marks the 55th anniversary of the publishing of the hiding place by Corey Tim Boone.

Anyone who's in need of another resolution for this new year would do well to read or reread

this biographical account

of a Christian family in the Netherlands who were arrested by the Gestapo during World War II

for hiding Jews in their home. Corey and her sister Betsy were eventually taken to Ravensbrook

in northern Germany one of the most devastating concentration camps. There the two endured horrific

conditions but also met the miraculous hand of God. Page after page of the most devastating concentration camps. There, the two endured horrific conditions,

but also met the miraculous hand of God. Page after page of the hiding place shows how faith

can become fearful trembling and how God can turn it all for his glory. For example, Corey and

Betsy immediately noticed something terrible about Barracks 28 where they were placed. Besides the damp decaying

room with backed up plumbing and single beds piled with several women apiece, there were fleas everywhere.

At her breaking point, Corey asked her sister, Betsy, how can we live in such a place? Betsy told

Corey to pick up her Bible, which had slipped miraculously past the guard's attention, and to read from 1st

Cessalonians 5. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of Jesus Christ.

Corey read that out loud. That's it, Corey. That's his answer, Betsy said. We can start right now

for thanking God for every single thing about this barracks. So Betsy convinced an indignant,

Corey, to thank God for the room

assignment, for the Bible in her hand, for the cram stuffed packed suffocating crowds, because

that meant that more women would hear the word of God in their darkest hours. And then Betsy went on

serenely, thank you for the fleas. For the fleas, that was just too much. Betsy, there's no way God can make me

...