When you asked about us giving our testimonies, I didn’t think too much about it. But as I got to thinking, the Lord seemly spoke to me and said my testimony was as important as anyone’s.
Growing up, I was raised in the country – and I do mean country. I hardly can remember ever going to town. My Daddy worked in a cotton mill and the pay wasn’t that good, but he was faithful to go to his job everyday to feed his family. Mama was a stay at home mom and I can remember every day getting off the bus and supper was ready for us. That really stands out in my mind. And I can remember her having my favorite meal – cooked cabbage, creamed potatoes and cornbread. Boy was that a good meal!
I can remember that our next door neighbor used to take me and my sister, Jean to VBS and to SS at her church. I guess as I look back now that she had a big hand in my getting saved.
We had a little country church down the road from our house and sometimes I would walk there on Sunday mornings and other times someone would take me. But there was one special night in the summer when I was about 14 years old that I went to a revival service If I remember correctly my Mom and Dad went that night also. I also had a friend who was spending the night with me that went also. During the service the Lord spoke to my heart. The preacher was Preacher Davis and I can remember that they had a visiting choir that night from McIntosh Baptist Church (where years later we dedicated our lives to the Lord). At the altar call, a lady from that choir turned and asked me if I wanted to go to the altar. I told her I did. My friend also went to the altar. The Lord graciously saved my soul that night and my friend also said she got saved too. I don’t know about her life now, I haven’t seen her in 40+ years. I can remember when we went home that night that I told her that I couldn’t believe how I felt down deep in my soul. Even though I was only 14, all problems and troubles seemed to be rolled away. Now, I didn’t write down the date – I didn’t have anyone tell me that I would like to have it later in my life. So I don’t know the actual date, but I remember the time and the place that the Lord saved me by His marvelous grace!
After getting married at an early age, I told Kenneth that I wanted us
to be a “church going” family. I felt that was needed for both of us.
We started going to McIntosh Baptist Church and after Victory Baptist
Church was founded, we started going there. We have been members of Victory for 45 years. Has life always been a “bowl of cherries?” No. But I know that I’ve had the Lord with me when the troublesome times have come. I don’t know how people get through life without having God to help them through. We all have our problems from time to time. But thanks be to God, there is nothing that can happen to us, that God can’t help us get through.
Linda Denney