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Barbara's Testimony
I was raised a “state kid” who lived in foster homes. My first home was with
an Italian family and I stayed there until I was 5. I was then placed with a
Swedish family who were caring for other children as well. The boys there were
abusive to me, which was difficult, but the parents were very dedicated
church-goers, attending their Salvation Army church up to four times in a single
Sunday. It was at that church that I began to know and love The Lord. In fact, I
believe that He has been with me my whole life.
When I was 8, I was placed with the family that would love and care for me
through adulthood. They were not “church people”, but they allowed me to walk to
the nearby Brookdale Baptist church. I loved church life and I wanted to be
there every chance I could. Still, it was difficult being an orphan. I felt like
I could be taken away and put in another home at any time. Insecure, I was
stealing pennies and using the money to “buy” friends with candy. The other
children mocked me saying I had no parents. They mocked my clothes, too.
However, my Mom began to sew my clothes especially to fit me. You see, she and
my dad loved me dearly and they couldn’t have children of their own. They never
let go of me.
At 10 years old, I won a weeklong stay at a camp by memorizing the most Bible
verses in my Sunday school class. It was during that week that I was “saved”, I
accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.
When I was 19, I met a handsome young man named Jim at “College and Careers”, a
church meeting for young adults. Two months later we were engaged and a year
later we were married. I guess you could say he swept me off my feet! As a
confirmation of their love, my parents officially adopted me at age 20.
Jim and I had three sons and Jim drove us to church every Sunday, but he
wouldn’t come in. When the boys began to reach their teenage years, a decision
was made to go to a different church, Ringwood Baptist. It was there that I
rededicated my life to The Lord and He prepared me for my father’s death a year
later, and for our son’s death at 37 years old. God again proved His love for me
when Jim was saved at Ringwood Baptist.
I feel that God has always been close to me, leading my life. I could have “gone
the other way”, but He provided me with loving parents, a wonderful husband and
kids, and always a church family to support me. When my mother became ill, God
again showed His care and mercy toward me. My Mom required 24-hour care and,
after six years of this, I felt like I couldn’t go on. On the verge of a
breakdown, I cried out to God and I wept and wept. Within a week He took my Mom
home to be with Him. The folks at church praised me for my dedication to her,
but I just loved her so much! It was a privilege to care for her and to be with
her when she passed, as The Lord had also allowed me to be with my Dad when he
passed.
I was baptized as a 40 year old, and in my life I have seen many good times and
many bad times, including the death of my husband. But I know that God has
always been with me, holding me together. I continue to have the loving support
of my family and yet another church family, that of Christ Chapel. I sometimes
wonder why God saved me, a state kid who could have been thrown away at any
time. But I praise Him for all He has done for me, and I know I will someday go
home to be with Him and see my whole family together once again.
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