Raised Primitive Baptist

RAISED PB

I was raised in the Primitive Baptist church, but we didn’t have services but once a month. So, I went with my friends to the Missionary Baptist church just to get to go to church. I could tell a difference in the doctrine but I thought, “Church is church.” I got married at 16 and left home to live in Kansas. We didn’t know of any Primitive Baptist churches where we were, so again, we went with friends to their church. Their preaching, as they called it, just didn’t fill my heart as I wanted it to. My husband went overseas and I came home to live. I got to go to church at Little Rock and here at Donaldson. I had not joined. I didn’t feel the time was right. When he came home we moved to Montana and again there was no church close by. I missed it terribly. I always felt like the Lord was with me as I had many a trouble and he brought me through them, and made me a stronger person.

THE LORD WAS ALWAYS WITH ME

I began having my children and went to church when I could and took them. One day I was sitting in church listening to the singing. I didn’t try to sing. I knew I couldn’t carry a tune. I prayed to the Lord to let me open my mouth and sing those beautiful songs. Slowly I began to try and it filled my heart with joy. I went through a divorce and remarried on the rebound, but the Lord was always with me. He kept me strong for my children’s sake. I had to work a lot on Sunday, but when I could I would go to church. I didn’t feel worthy to join the church because of my divorce. It really bothered me knew how the church felt about it. I prayed about it and time went on. One Sunday I was standing there trying to sing those songs that meant so much to me, and the next thing I knew I was on my way up to the front of the church. They voted to accept me. I was one happy person, until I remembered I had to tell my husband when I got home. I began to pray again that the Lord would give me strength to do that. He took it better than I thought he would and even came for my baptism.

I have never regretted joining the church and trying to serve the Lord. It is one of the greatest joys of my life.

- Barbara McAnally