Suster Bertken was voluntarily enrolled at the age of 30. This finally lasted 57 years.
At her own expense, she had a small cell built on the Utrecht Buurkerk. Her goal was to turn away from the world and to be able to be closer to God. A lot of praying and meditation, but also a lot of writing: poems, songs, a description of the Christmas night and a meditation text. She died on June 25, 1514, 87 years old.
A memorial stone has been placed on the suspected location of her safe. Under the Maartensbrug is a stone console from 1957 that Suster Bertken proposes while she writes her poems.