Fleas

The first time I heard this story by Corrie Ten Boom, it stole my breath. For those who don’t know, Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were held at the Ravensbruck concentration camp during WWII.

You can (and should) read this amazing story in Corrie’s own words here. The longer version is in her book, The Hiding Place.

Here’s a quick summary:

The conditions at Ravensbruck were…awful seems far too nice. But Betsie insisted they give thanks.

For everything.

Including the fleas that infested their bunks.

Corrie thought her sister was nuts. Who in their right mind would be thankful for fleas?!

Later, Corrie and Betsie found out why the Nazi guards never intruded on their secret prayer sessions.

You guessed it.

The fleas.


I think we’ve all experienced a few “fleas” in writing and in life. Those little frustrations that won’t go away, the delays just when we feel like we’re about to break through, the backslides when something else rears its head as a priority. We grumble. We cry.
But if we take a deep breath and have faith, we might just find that they’re blessings in disguise after all.

 

Happy Easter week, everyone!