Marthe Cohn - An Unlikely WWII Allied Spy

By Mary Dodge Allen

Who would have believed it? She was a French-born Jewish refugee, age 25, under five feet in height - and yet she worked as a spy behind German lines. 

But Marthe had courage, a quick mind, and she spoke fluent German and French. She also had a fierce determination to do anything she could to help the Allies defeat the Nazis.

Marthe Hoffnung, circa 1945 (Public Domain)

Early Life:

Marthe was born in Metz, France on April 13, 1920 to Regine and Fischel Hoffnung. They were an Orthodox Jewish family, and her grandfather was a prominent rabbi. Marthe had six siblings, but she was the only one who resembled their mother - fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes.

Metz, France is located in the area of Alsace-Lorraine, only a few miles from the German border. Germany annexed this area in 1870 and held it nearly fifty years, until it was returned to France after WWI. While under German control, the residents of Alsace-Lorraine were only allowed to speak German.

By the time Marthe was born, Alsace-Lorraine was once again part of France, and French could be freely spoken, as well as German. As a result, she grew up bilingual, speaking German to her parents and French with friends and in school.

Kristallnacht - The Night of Broken Glass:

During November 9-10, 1938, the Nazi government staged a barrage of violence against German and Austrian Jews, arresting and beating them, while destroying their property.

In one German city, a Jewish teenager was brutally thrown out of a three-story window. He broke both legs as he landed on the broken and burning household furniture belonging to his family and others.

Jewish Synagogue destroyed during Kristallnacht (Public Domain)

Marthe's family and others in their Jewish community resolved to help the Jewish families who were fleeing Germany by crossing into France. They provided shelter, food and money so they could travel on to reach relatives in safer areas.

WWII Begins:

France declared war on Nazi Germany in September 1939, after the invasion of Poland. Marthe's oldest brother Fred enlisted in the French Army and was sent to the Maginot Line. Metz city officials advised Jewish families to move further into France, away from the German border.

Marthe and her siblings. Front row, L-R: Arthur, Stephanie, Fred

Back row, L-R: Rosy, Marthe, Helene (not pictured: Celine)

Marthe's large family packed as much as they could in suitcases and left behind their home and business to resettle in the town of Poitiers, southwest of Paris, where Marthe's Uncle Benoit lived.

The Nazis Occupy France:

During May - June 1940, the German military conducted a 'Blitzkreig' (lightning war), conquering France and its neighboring countries. The Maginot Line fell quickly. Marthe's brother Fred was taken prisoner, but he escaped and briefly rejoined the family in Poitiers. Then he left to join the Resistance movement.

Marthe Hoffnung after arriving in Poitiers, circa 1940 (Public Domain)

In the summer of 1940, Marthe, age 20, got a job to help support her family. She was hired to work as a French/German interpreter at Poitiers town hall. Her blonde hair, blue eyes and German surname 'Hoffnung' convinced Nazi officials she was 'Aryan.' Working as a Jew under the supervision of the enemy wasn't easy, but she learned to handle the pressure.

Beginning in the autumn of 1940, the Nazis ordered Jewish residents to receive new identity papers with JUIV or JUIVE in bold red letters. More edicts followed, banning Jews from many occupations, taking over businesses, enacting strict curfews, and confiscating radios, telephones and typewriters.

In April 1941, Marthe hosted a small party to celebrate her twenty-first birthday. Of all her siblings, Marthe was closest to her sister Stephanie, who was studying to become a doctor. Stephanie came to the party with some of her fellow medical students. One of them, Jacques Delaunay, soon became engaged to Marthe.

Persecution Intensifies:

In August 1941, Nazi officials discovered Marthe was Jewish, and she was fired from her job at the town hall. Three months later, she began nursing training at a Red Cross nursing college. It was run by a kind French woman, who defied Nazi rules by allowing Marthe to enroll, knowing she was Jewish. The woman declared, "There's no prejudice here."

Marthe Hoffnung, Nursing School photo, 1941 (Public Domain)

Weeks later, Marthe was approached in the street by a French clerk she had worked with at the town hall. He offered to make forged identity papers for her and her family (without the red JUIV stamp). The clerk refused payment, even though he risked being arrested and killed if Nazi officials caught him.

Marthe was overwhelmed at his kindness and asked why he would take this risk. He said: 

"If I can help one family escape from the Germans, then I will. I can't just stand by and watch what is happening."

She hid these forged papers in a safe place, waiting for the right time for her family to escape from Nazi-occupied France to the relative freedom of the '"unoccupied zone" (the area of southern France controlled by the puppet 'Vichy' government.)

The Noose Tightens:

During 1942, the Nazis began requiring Jews to wear a garish yellow cloth star on their clothing, and the random arrest and imprisonment of Jews became more commonplace. Marthe's family helped Jewish families to escape, by enlisting the help of patriotic French farmers whose land bordered the unoccupied zone.

One day, her sister Stephanie forgot to use an alias and signed her real name on a coded letter to one of the farmers. The Gestapo intercepted the letter, saw it was suspicious and arrested her. They ruthlessly interrogated her, but Stephanie refused to reveal any names. Every week, on visiting day, Marthe brought Stephanie food and clothing, and they prayed together for her release from jail.

After Stephanie's arrest, the Gestapo kept a close watch on Marthe's family. Every night they pounded on the door at curfew, to make sure all members were present. 

Marthe and fiance Jacques Delaunay (family photo)

Marthe's fiance Jacques - who wasn't Jewish - knew the time would soon come for them to part. He said, "I'll write every day, and when the war's over, we'll be together all the time."

The Escape:

One night after curfew, one of Marthe's nursing classmates came to their door and warned them there was going to be a 'rafle' (police roundup of Jews) later that night. She urged them to spend the night at her house. Marthe protested that her friend was putting her life in danger. But her friend insisted.

Marthe had already begun preparations for a quick getaway, sewing several thousand francs inside the lining of her clothes. Her large family took what they could carry and made their way through the dark streets to her friend's house.

They left her house at first light, splitting into small groups to avoid attracting attention. They traveled by different routes to the border, where they hoped to walk across, aided by their forged documents. 

Marthe's group was the last to attempt the crossing. It was dusk when she and her mother walked on the rural road beside her squeaking bike, while steadying her frail grandmother, who was riding on the handlebars.

Nazi officials had plastered posters everywhere near the border, offering 25,000 francs (a year's income) to farmers who prevented Jews from crossing. As the small group walked past rural farmhouses on their way to the border, people stared at them. Marthe whispered a prayer, "Dear God, protect us now."

Then a farmer bowed his head and dropped to one knee. His wife kneeled next to him and made the sign of the cross. One by one, others bowed their heads and clasped their hands in prayer as they passed. Tears ran down Marthe's cheeks as she nodded a silent thanks to them. They crossed the border safely.

After reaching the unoccupied zone, Marthe's family still faced the danger of arrest. They reunited with her brother Fred, who was now active in the Resistance. He moved the older family members to a safer place in a remote mountainous area of southern France.

Shattered Hopes:

Marthe settled in Marseille and enrolled in nursing school to finish her degree. A year later, in October 1943, she completed her nursing exams. At this time, she also received terrible news. Her fiance Jacques had been executed by the Gestapo for his acts of sabotage with the Resistance. Marthe was devastated.

Weeks earlier, she'd heard that Stephanie had been moved out of Poitiers jail. Marthe feared that her sister had been sent to a concentration camp. Her anger burned against the Nazis, for taking away those she loved.

Heartbroken, Marthe moved to Paris to live with her older sister Celine, and she soon got a job as a private nurse for a wealthy Catholic woman.

New Role as an Allied Spy:

Paris was liberated by the Allies in August 1944. but fighting still raged, as the Allies pushed on toward Germany. More than ever, Marthe wanted to do her part to defeat the Nazis.

After several attempts, Marthe was finally accepted into the French Army, and was assigned to the 151st Infantry Regiment, a former Resistance unit. Many officers dismissed her as a weak, petite girl. She had volunteered to work as a nurse, and instead was given an unimportant social worker position.

Marthe in French Army uniform, circa 1945 (Public Domain)

One day, she was sent to answer phones for a high ranking officer. As soon as he found out she could speak fluent French and German, he asked her if she was willing to work for the French Army's Intelligence Service. She said yes!

Marthe endured rigorous training in handling weapons, reading maps, signaling in Morse code and recognizing Nazi uniform insignia. She was the only woman in the training, and she excelled. Her trainers gave her the nickname: 'Chichinette' which means 'fussy girl' because of her stubbornness.

Marthe with her French Army Infantry Regiment (Public Domain)

Her 'Aryan' appearance made her a perfect spy. Under the cover name, "Marthe Ulrich," she would enter enemy territory and pose as a German nurse looking for her missing fiance - a German soldier. This 'search' cover story would help her to approach German officers and gather information on troop placements.

With her photographic memory, Marthe gathered key details of troop movements and sent coded messages back to headquarters. She even warned them of an entire German Infantry Division hiding in the Black Forest, waiting to ambush Allied troops.

After the War:

Marthe in Poitiers, circa 1950 (family photo)

Marthe resumed work as a nurse, eventually moving to Switzerland. She searched through detailed records of concentration camp inmates and discovered that her sister Stephanie had been killed at Auschwitz. 

Marthe and Major Cohn on their wedding day, 1958 (family photo)

In 1956, Marthe met an American medical student named Major Cohn. By 1958, they were married and living in New York City. They had two sons, Stephan Jacques (named for Stephanie) and Remi Benjamin.

Marthe Cohn holding baby Remi, with Stephan riding the carousel horse (family photo)

For her courageous wartime service, Marthe received several medals, including the French Croix de Guerre in 1945 and France's highest honor, the Medaille Militaire in 1999.

Later Life:

Marthe never forgot her wartime experiences and often suffered from bad dreams. She didn't share her story - not even with her sons - until the mid-1990s, when she began traveling around the world, giving talks promoting peace and equality.

In 2002, with the help of another writer, Marthe wrote about her life and experiences, in a book called, Behind Enemy Lines. 

Marthe Cohn in later life. (Public Domain)

Her wartime experiences were harrowing and tragic, but in her talks Marthe spoke with wit and optimism, captivating her audiences. She once said, "Why wouldn't I be an optimist when so many people risked their lives to save me?"

Marthe continued traveling and sharing her story until her death on May 20, 2025, at the age of 105. I wish I had known her.

_________________

Mary Dodge Allen is currently finishing her sequel to Hunt for a Hometown Killer. She's won a Christian Indie Award, an Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers. 

Website: www.marydodgeallen.com

Recent release, anthology devotional: El Jireh, The God Who Provides

Mary's story, entitled: A Mother's Desperate Prayer, describes her struggle with guilt and despair after her young son is badly burned in a kitchen accident. When we are at the end of all we have, El Jireh provides what we need. 

Click the link below to purchase on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/El-Jireh-God-Who-Provides/dp/1963611608

Mary's novel: Hunt for a Hometown Killer won the 2022 Christian Indie Award, First Place - Mystery/Suspense; and the 2022 Angel Book Award - Mystery/Suspense.

Click the link below to buy Hunt for a Hometown Killer at Amazon.com:

Hunt For A Hometown Killer: A Novel: Allen, Mary Dodge: 9781952369704: Amazon.com: Books

Link to Mary's Spotlight Interview:   Mary Dodge Allen Author Spotlight EA Book

Why It's Important to Celebrate Our Freedoms and Remember Our Fallen Dead

By Donna Wichelman

Today is Independence Day in the United States of America, marking the 250th anniversary of the formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

Declaration of Independence and Flag with Thirteen Stars: iStock

While many colonists in the original thirteen colonies would have preferred to remain British subjects, the Founding Fathers believed the British government had violated their rights by imposing taxes and trade controls without their consent after the French and Indian War. Students of colonial history will remember the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, and the Tea Act, which colonists considered intolerable. Perhaps if King George III had granted them representative seats in Parliament, we’d still be subjects of Britain today.

Continental Congress Signing of the Declaration of Independence: Wikiimages

Unfortunately, the king refused to grant any concessions to the colonists. So, believing the British government had become too tyrannical, they chose the only path they believed open to them to secure their freedoms and independence: war. Thus, the Founding Fathers boldly moved to create a new and independent nation they called the United States of America.

But there was a time when Britain and the United States worked together to defeat a common enemy, a more fearsome tyrant whose ideology and ultimate goal was to reshape Europe into a German-dominated, racially-oriented empire. Adolf Hitler wanted supreme power, ruling over conquered nations that supplied him with food and other resources, and exterminating those whom he considered undesirables. These people were not just the Jews, though they were the most visibly targeted group and resulted in the Holocaust. He also wanted to destroy the weak, the sick, the Gypsies, and the homosexuals, among others.

Nazi Flag on Town hall of Libourne, France During the Occupation in June 1940: Care of the Libourne City Archives

Jewish Man Made to Wear a Fabric Star in France

Actual Star of David owned by Josette Melinon, a Jewish Survivor 

from World War Two

Long before the United States entered the war, Britain had already declared war on Germany in September 1939. But badly in need of ships, weapons, fuel, and money by 1940, Winston Churchill approached President Franklin D. Roosevelt for aid. Though originally neutral, Roosevelt created the Lend-Lease Act of March 1941, enabling the United States to send Britain military supplies.

In August 1941, President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill met aboard a naval vessel in Placentia Bay, off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, to create a joint statement—a set of principles they envisioned for the postwar world. They laid out eight shared goals and summarized them in a statement on August 14, 1941.

“. . . After final destruction of the Nazi tyranny, [we] hope to see established a peace which will afford to all nations the means of dwelling in safety within their own boundaries, and which will afford assurance that all men in all lands may live out their lives in freedom from fear and want. . . . [S]uch a peace should enable all men to traverse the high seas and oceans without hindrance.” See more on the Atlantic Charter.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States and Britain cooperated militarily. It became a coordinated strategy through the Combined Chiefs of Staff, which gave a priority to defeating Nazi Germany. Several major campaigns emerged from the combined forces, the most well-known being Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944.

American General Dwight D. Eisenhower served as Supreme Allied Commander. British, American, Canadian, and other Allied forces landed in Normandy, and the liberation of France and the rest of Europe began.

Map of the Combined Allied Invasion--British, American, Canadian, and 

French of Normandy, France, June 6 1944

Picture of French Citizens Celebrating the Liberation of France in Normandy

During the war, the British and Americans cooperated in numerous ways.
· Strategic bombing efforts;
· Intelligence gathering, particularly breaking German codes, i.e., Enigma, which enabled the Allies to track German vessels and military strategies;

Actual Enigma Machine, Normandy Museum: Donna's Gallery, May 2026

· Technology and weapons development, such as radar, sonar, code breaking machines, aircraft technology, and atomic research.

While US and British leaders didn’t always agree, and tensions sometimes ran high (e.g., over the timing of D-Day), ultimately, cooperation between the two nations enabled the Allies to win the war and defeat the tyranny Hitler sought to impose on the world.

I happened to be in Libourne, France on VE-Day this past May 8, 2026, eighty-two years after the Liberation of France. All over France, they still celebrate the day, remembering the great cost paid for their freedoms against a tyrannical maniac and giving honor to those who fell in action. On D-Day itself, all totaled, 10,300 British, American, and Canadian forces perished, sacrificing their lives, so that France and all of Europe might live in freedom without fear.

VE-Day, Libourne, France: May 2026, Donna's Gallery

What is the cost for our freedoms in the United States? That's a question we all must ask ourselves. No, we haven't always done it right, and it's appropriate for us to have those discussions. But in a world where there are still despots and dictators, what sacrifice are we willing to make to ensure our freedoms still survive for all time?

"When in the course of human events ..."

Donna is an Angel Book Award-winning author of Historical Romance for A Song of Deliverance. Book Two in the Silver Singing Mine series, Rhythms of the Heart, was released in November 2025. She is currently working on a World War II slip-time novel, Power of the Thorn.

Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna's love of travel, history, and literature as a young adult while attending an international college in Wales, U.K. She enjoys developing plots that show how God's love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, belonging, and forgiveness.

Donna was a communications professional before becoming a full-time writer. Her short stories and articles have appeared in inspirational publications. She has two indie-published romantic suspense novels, Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor, in her Waldensian Series. 

Donna and her husband of forty-one years participate in ministry at their local church in Colorado. They love spending time with their grandchildren and bike, kayak, and travel whenever possible.

Sarah Winnemucca - Advocate and Author by Nancy J. Farrier

Sarah Winnemucca, daughter of Chief Winnemucca, granddaughter of Chief Truckee (Chief of the whole Piute Nation), spent her adult life making people aware of the plight of her people. During her life, she worked as an educator, military scout and interpreter, and advocate of Native American Rights. Her book, Life Among the Piutes, by Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins, published in 1883, details the treatment of her people at the hands of the government. (For research, I started reading her book and couldn't put it down.)

Born sometime in 1844, Sarah was given the name, Thocmetony, which means shell flower. In her early years in Northern Nevada, the Paiutes and Washos were the only people inhabiting the area. Sarah talks in her book about the spring Festival of the Flowers where all the girls who had flower names would search to see if their flower was in bloom. They would gather the flowers and make wreaths, crowns or scarves to wear as they danced. As they walked, or danced, they would sing to themselves. The young men would often dance alongside them, especially if they were a sweetheart.

Shell Flower

Here is what Sarah would sing: “I, Sarah Winnemucca, am a shell-flower, such as I wear on my dress. My name is Thocmetony. I am so beautiful! Who will come and dance with me while I am so beautiful? Oh, come and be happy with me! I shall be beautiful while the earth lasts. Somebody will always admire me; and who will come and be happy with me in the Spirit-land? I shall be beautiful forever there. Yes, I shall be more beautiful than my shell-flower, my Thocmetony! Then, come, oh come, and dance and be happy with me!” (Life Among the Piutes, pg. 43)
. 

She recalls the time when her grandfather, Chief Truckee, first saw white people entering their land. His excitement can be seen in his recorded words, “My white brothers, — my long-looked for white brothers have come at last!” Chief Truckee’s gestures of peace were ignored and despite trying many times to extend friendship to the white people, he finally gave up, hoping the next party to come through would be friendlier. His hope came true in following years when Captain Fremont and his troops accepted his friendship. Chief Truckee and his men helped fight in the Bear War to defeat the Mexican army and win California for the United States of America.

When Sarah first accompanied her grandfather to California at age six, she was frightened of the new things she encountered: beds, chairs, unusual food, bright-colored dishes. Her grandfather insisted that Sarah and her sister become members of Major Ormsby’s household when Sarah turned thirteen. By fourteen, Sarah had acquired five languages. At sixteen, Sarah and her sister, Elma, attended a convent school in San Jose, CA—a request her grandfather made on his deathbed. The sisters weren’t allowed into the school officially, but Sarah continued to learn. 

Lewis Hopkins, Sarah's Husband

In 1872, Sarah went to Washington D.C. to speak out on behalf of her people, who were suffering injustices at the hand of Indian Agents on the reservation. In 1880, she again pleaded their cause before the Secretary of the Interior and President Rutherford B. Hayes. She gave more than 400 speeches on behalf of her people. 

In her book, Sarah says the following of her grandfather, “I can imagine his feelings, for I have drank deeply from the same cup. When I think of my past life, and the bitter trials I have endured, I can scarcely believe I live, and yet I do ; and, with the help of Him who notes the sparrow's fall, I mean to fight for my down-trodden race while life lasts.” She lived out this desire to the best of her ability.

I am amazed that such a young girl learned languages so quickly and had such determination. How about you? Do you speak more than one language? Have you ever given a speech or spoken for a cause you felt strongly about?

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats and dog, and spend time with her family. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

Weird Inventions That Saved Lives: The Breeches Buoy

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Breeches Buoy in use 1919
Public Domain Photo

Today we are continuing our series on Weird Inventions That Saved Lives. If you look at this month's featured contraption, it looks downright silly. At first glance, you might think someone hung a giant pair of toddler pants beneath a life ring just for a laugh. But this odd-looking mechanism actually saved thousands of lives from watery graves during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This is a breeches buoy.

Imagine standing on a wooden sailing ship during a violent storm, trapped as the waves thrash your vessel against the shallow sandbars of the coastline. The sea is far too wild for a rescue surfboat to reach you, and swimming to shore would mean certain death.

To solve this heartbreaking dilemma, an English inventor named George William Manby brainstormed a solution in the early 1800s. He invented a mortar that could fire a rope directly over a shipwreck from the shore. Originally, shipwreck victims had to physically hold onto and slide down the rope, which was nearly impossible for those who were injured, terrified, or weak from hypothermia.

Eventually, the breeches buoy was designed to fix this problem. The apparatus consisted of a circular cork lifebuoy with a pair of sturdy canvas "breeches" (shorts) securely sewn into the middle. Thus, the name, breeches buoy. 

However, the system was not a simple one. Each man on the rescue crew had to know exactly what to do and how to do it properly. Timing was everything. So, the rescue teams, such as the U.S. Life-Saving Service had to drill with the apparatus every week. 

Once a line was fired to the ship using a line-throwing gun—frequently a 200-pound Lyle gun in America—the shipwrecked crew would haul the heavy rope out and secure it tightly to the ship's mast. Rescuers on the beach anchored the other end in the sand. The breeches buoy was then hooked onto the rope like a modern zip line.

One by one, a survivor would step into the canvas pants, sit back securely, and be pulled across the crashing waves to the safety of the shore. If the rope happened to dip or snap, the cork lifebuoy ensured the occupant would float rather than sink.

While it looks like a peculiar piece of laundry suspended in midair, the breeches buoy was an absolute miracle for coastal rescue groups like the U.S. Life-Saving Service. It safely brought thousands of souls to shore who otherwise would have been lost to the sea, remaining a primary rescue method until helicopters took over the job in the 1950s.

The Chicamacomico Life-Saving station and historical site still does this drill once a week during the summer. Click here to see a video of this drill.
https://youtu.be/RENMwYoI_Zw?si=N0oPzmgVSSugHAfq

Have you ever heard of a breeches buoy? How would you feel about stepping into a pair of canvas pants to zip-line over a raging ocean storm?

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber (Schamel) Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales. She has a passion for travel, history, books, and her Savior. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/ to connect!

Looking for a July 4th read to celebrate America's 250th birthday? Check out Dawn of Liberty, an award-winning look into Sam Adam's participation in the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Liberty-Short-Story-Collection/dp/0692698485

Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities: Smyrna and Philadelphia

Matthew James Elliott

One of my favorite things about this whole series has been discovering the unique connections each of these ancient cities share with both Scripture and history. Walking through them one by one has brought new life to the biblical text and opened my eyes to details that are shaping The World of Kedoshim in ways I never expected. 

These communities were real.
They faced real pressures. 

And piecing their stories together has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

For July, we’re looking at the only two cities in Revelation that received praise in the book of Revelation—Smyrna and Philadelphia. Their stories are quite similar in many ways, but each one carried its own distinct burdens in Revelation 2 and Revelation 3. For both churches, the central theme is faithfulness under pressure. 

The goal wasn’t about performance.
The goal wasn’t about perfection. 

It was about their willingness to cling to Christ when everything around them pushed toward compromise. I also have a deeply personal connection to the church in Philadelphia. Revelation 3:8 was the last verse my mother used to encourage me before she passed away in 2009:

“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (NIV)

At a time when I had no idea what I was meant to do—or how I was going to navigate the grief of losing her—she gave me this verse. It has changed my life more times than I can count. It taught me that no matter where the struggles show up, the open door is still there. Strength will come. Faithfulness will hold. And that is exactly the message I see woven through the stories of Smyrna and Philadelphia.

~ Smyrna ~

Ruins of Smyrna Agora 

Historically, Smyrna was a major port city—wealthy, influential, and fiercely loyal to Rome. Though the population was largely Jewish, the city held impressive civic power. Its skyline was filled with stadiums, theaters, temples to the gods and emperors, and even its own version of a Greek gymnasium. 

All of this created enormous pressure on believers who could have chosen conformity over conviction. If Christians refused to participate in Rome’s religious expectations, history tells us they were excluded from the trade market and slandered for their faith. Smyrna’s culture demanded emperor worship, and those who refused were branded as disloyal to the empire.

In Revelation 2:8–11, Jesus reminds them that despite their suffering, they are rich in faith (2:9). He encourages them not to fear the trials ahead (2:10). And He promises that those who remain faithful will be victorious (2:11). Smyrna’s story is one of faithfulness in suffering.

~ Philadelphia ~

Philadelphia was another city shaped by hardship—especially earthquakes. If you’ve noticed tremors appearing in more than one of my books, it’s because they were that common. After the devastating quake of AD 17, the city lived in constant fear of aftershocks. Many residents even lived outside the city walls for safety.

St John Church in Alasehir (ancient Philadelphia) 

The city was much smaller than Smyrna or Ephesus. Truthfully, it was more of a frontier outpost than a major metropolis. Its purpose was to spread Greek culture eastward, and under Vespasian, it was even renamed Flavia in honor of the emperor. Once again, believers who stepped away from Rome’s civic expectations lost their protection and had to fend for themselves.

In Revelation 3:7–13, the church is encouraged to hold fast to the promise of Christ’s return (3:11). They are reminded that even when their strength feels small, their faithfulness matters (3:8). And because they patiently endured rather than giving in to Rome, they are promised protection from the trials to come (3:10). Philadelphia’s story is one of faithfulness in weakness.

~ A Legacy Remembered ~

Learning all of this about the cities of Smyrna and Philadelphia has only made the verse my mother gave me more meaningful. It’s a promise, rooted in history, serving as a reminder that God sees us. Even when circumstances feel overwhelming, the inheritance He offers remains secure. As long as we faithfully endure the chaos the world throws at us, we will share in His victory.

Every believer lives in a “Smyrna” or a “Philadelphia.” We face pressures that expose our weaknesses. Faithfulness isn’t easy, but it is worth it. My mother lived that truth in more ways than one, and her legacy—along with the legacy of these two cities—continues to remind me that endurance is never wasted.

See you in the pages, 

MJE

PS (Next month, we head to Pergamum and Thyatira)

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which gave him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is married and has three wonderful children who bring him immense joy and inspiration. One of his favorite things to do with them is to share stories they can someday learn from. When writing a story, he aspires to minister to others with love, equip them with encouragement, and use the gift God has given him as a writer to help readers experience God in a real and meaningful way.

Find Matthew on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

If you're curious about The Hope of Inheritance or any of my books, you can keep up with me on REAMStories or Facebook. The Hope of Inheritance was selected as the book of the month for my Biblical Fiction Facebook Authors Group, so keep your eyes on my Facebook for some fun things this month. You can also read Mysteries in Ephesus, Season 2 of The Ephesus Pages on REAM Right Now!

~~~

In the aftermath of the Great Fire of 64 AD, Rome lies in ruins. Emperor Nero and his ruthless Prefect of the City, Lysias, unleash a wave of persecution that threatens the very existence of the early church.

Nathaniel, a seasoned scribe and longtime companion of Luke, records the journeys that will shape the future of the faith as it was taught by those who walked with Christ. They are known as The Founders.

From the destruction of Colossae to the tribulations in Ephesus… From the Council of Corinth to the shattered streets of Rome… Nathaniel and his brother Zadok witness courage, betrayal, and the final days of two of the greatest founders — Peter and Paul.

Four men are chosen.

Their message will change everything.

Hope will rise again.

HHH June Book Day

 

6 Books You Don't Want to Miss!




A WHOLE NEW PLAN
by Denise M. Colby

California, 1870. Pastor William Baker built his life on steady faith and safe choices, but the arrival of Lydia Spencer upends everything. Independent and outspoken Lydia is unlike any woman he’s ever known. Lydia is a Pinkerton detective, undercover as a schoolteacher while tracking a dangerous crime boss. She’s determined to protect her friends in Washton even if it means keeping her distance from the kind, steadfast pastor who sees too much. But when Will and Lydia are thrown together in a search for truth they find themselves fighting not only for justice, but for a future neither had planned.

FREED BY THE FRONTIER
By Denise Farnsworth, Sherry Shindelar, and Susan Craft 

Three remarkable women find themselves caught between two worlds on the American frontier. A captive of the Comanche must choose between escaping to white society or her growing feelings for a rising war chief in 1850s Texas. A Georgia judge's daughter flees an unwanted betrothal, only to be captured by Creek warriors but protected by a mysterious brave. And in 1754, an English lady traveling the Great Wagon Road to become a teacher discovers her carefully planned future may not survive her attraction to a protective frontiersman.

LISSA AND THE SPY
by Camille Elliot 

In Regency-era London, Miss Lissa Gardinier enters her second Season seeking a marriage in order to escape her mother's constant criticism. So she represses her cheeky remarks behind a quiet, innocent facade. The enigmatic Lord Jeremy Stoude is dismayed when a chance encounter with Miss Gardinier entangles her in his world of secrets and subterfuge. He cannot afford to be distracted by Lissa’s charming smile and unflappable demeanor. As danger stalks them and true feelings come to light, can Lissa and Jeremy navigate the labyrinth of society’s expectations and their own insecurities to find love?

ROSE AMONG THORNES

 by Terrie Todd

RE-RELEASED WITH A NEW COVER AND BONUS MATERIAL!

Rose Onishi is on track to fulfill her lifelong goal of becoming a concert pianist. When forced to leave her beloved home to work on the Thornes’ farm, her dream fades to match the black dirt staining her callused hands. When Rusty Thorne joins the army, he never imagines becoming a Japanese prisoner of war. Though he begs God to help him not hate his brutal captors, Rusty can no longer even hear the Japanese language without revulsion. Only his rare letters from home sustain him—especially the notes from his mother’s helper, which the girl signs simply as “Rose.” 

 

 

SCHOOLED IN LOVE
by Kimberly Keagan

 

Rule-breaking American heiress Beatrice Dennison discovers a rare book in her uncle’s library, and promptly enlists buttoned-up Cambridge academic Lord Henry Tisdale to help translate it. But the centuries‑old text holds more than history—it draws them into long days in the library, whispered discoveries, and a partnership neither expected.

As they work side by side, Tris and Harry must face meddling family, academic rivals, and an attraction that threatens everything they’ve built on opposite sides of the Atlantic. When the truth about the manuscript forces a choice, they must decide whether to cling to their carefully ordered lives—or risk everything for a once‑in‑a‑lifetime love. 

THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTERS Series
By Mary Davis

COURTING HER AMISH HEART ~ A doctor or an Amish wife? Kathleen can choose to be only one… Practicing medicine means sacrifice—no Amish man wants a doctor for a wife.

COURTING HER SECRET HEART ~ Caught between two worlds… Deborah lives a double life as an Amish woman—and a fashion model! Soon she must choose between the Englischer world of modeling and the Amish man she’s come to love.

COURTING HER PRODIGAL HEART ~ Mother-to-Be’s Amish Homecoming. Pregnant and alone, Dori is sure her Amish kin won’t welcome her back into the community—or the child she’s carrying.