By Sherri Stewart
What would you do if you were drafted into the Nazi army? Such a dilemma happened in 1939 to Franz Hasel, father of three and devout Seventh Day Adventist. A summons from the draft board arrived at his farmhouse to present himself at the recruitment office in Frankfurt the following Monday. Although he was a pacifist and could not carry a gun, Hasel committed himself to follow God no matter what. He requested to be assigned to the medical corps but was assigned to the Pioneer Company 699 that built roads, bridges, and fortifications at the front lines. He knew that either he must obey the regime, or he and his family would be sent to Dachau concentration camp.
As the first weekend approached, Private Hasel asked to speak to his commanding officer and made the following request, “As you know, sir, I am a Christian, I follow the Bible and its teaching and set aside the seventh day of each week as a special day to worship God and strengthen my relationship with Him. I would like to be excused from reporting for duty on God’s day of worship.” His lieutenant’s face turned red. “You must be mad, private!” This is the German Army. This battalion is going to war, and you want Saturday off? It’s just my luck to be saddled with a religious nut!” The angry officer even threatened Hasel with court-martial, but Hasel stood his ground, and the lieutenant eventually agreed that he could have Saturdays off if he could find a replacement.
While advancing into Russian territory, Hasel’s unit was instructed to search through the houses in every captured village for any partisans and resistance fighters who may be hiding. He was ordered to indiscriminately kill anyone he encountered. In one village as he was searching a house, Hasel had the distinct impression someone was hiding in the bedroom. He looked under the bed and came face-to-face with a young man staring back at him. Hasel knew the young man would be shot if he reported him, so he turned on his heel and left without saying a word.
https://theholocaustandworldwarii.wordpress.com/2018/11/07/faithful-at-the-front/
Selah
Award finalist Sherri Stewart loves a clean novel, sprinkled with
romance and a strong message that challenges her faith. She spends her
working hours with books—either editing others’ manuscripts or writing
her own. Her passions are traveling to the settings of her books and
sampling the food. She traveled to Paris for this book, and she works
daily on her French and German although she doesn’t need to since
everyone
speaks English. A widow, Sherri lives in Orlando with her lazy
dog, Lily. She shares recipes, tidbits of the book’s locations, and
other authors' books in her newsletter.
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What Hides behind the Walls
If the Nazis stole your house, wouldn’t you be justified in stealing it back now that the war is over?
When
Tamar Feldman admits to her husband, Daniel, and mentor, Neelie Visser,
that she broke into her former home, they scold her for taking such a
risk. Tamar is tired of being careful. She’s tired of living in the
present, as if the past doesn’t matter. But the painting of the violin
girl in her former bedroom draws her back again and again. She finally
steals the painting to return it to its former owner. Now maybe this
small act of justice will help her start to heal. What Tamar doesn’t
realize is the past isn’t finished with her yet; in fact, it’s as close
as the walls in her house and even follows her to Paris.
https://amzn.to/3fxHAHo
Thank you for posting today. This is a bold reminder for us to live our faith out in the smallest of details.
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