Touch Point from God
large, most had 15-20 members but it was a place that Christians from all denominational backgrounds could fellowship around the Lord and be encouraged. While we were in Germany for three years, we attended the base chapel programs as well. It was a great source of strength and fellowship.
by Marti Barinowski, Avery County
The Lord always helped me when Bob would go away for weeks at a time. Everything rested on me. Taking care of four children, our home was a lot of responsibility but the Lord provided the strength I needed. The biggest challenge was yielding the authority back to my husband when he returned home, which was an effort and a relief.
A Touch Point of God In My Life
God has had His hand on my life all my life. I grew up in Bedford, New York, and was the eldest of seven children. Christ was always the center of our home. One Foot In the World, One Foot in Christianity When I went to college I got away from Him as many young people do. I attended Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts. My “Big Sister” was involved in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. God had His hand on my life though I ignored it. I ended up in Columbia University’s nursing program where God gave me several girlfriends who loved the Lord. I got involved in Bible studies and prayer gatherings but I still had one foot in the world and one foot in Christianity. My first job was in Brooklyn, NY, as a visiting nurse, which is called home health today. The Holy Spirit led me to a mission church on the Lower East Side. It was a storefront church and the people who attended were Hispanic. I couldn’t speak Spanish but many of them could speak English so it worked.
36 Winter 2011
While I was in school, my parents attended a missionary conference in New York once a month. It was there they met Bob Barinowski, a young Air Force Captain from Augusta, GA. I was brought up in the Plymouth Brethren Assembly and Bob was, as well. Mother encouraged me to visit an Assembly in Brooklyn, which I did. There I met Bob, and we started seeing each other. Bob was a career officer, a solid Christian guy. I knew I would marry a Christian man even though I dated other guys. We married and lived in Manhattan and continued to attend the storefront Assembly. This was a “touch point” of God in my life. I knew God was in control. God’s Faithfulness Through Military Service We had four children and moved 13 times during Bob’s military career and were active on each base in the Officers’ Christian Fellowship. None of these fellowships were
Our kids were very young when Bob went to Vietnam. Three of our children and I moved back home to an apartment over my father’s office. My parents were a good support and helped with the kids. After Bob returned, we were assigned to Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville, NC, and then to the Pentagon. We continued to attend the Assemblies wherever we could. New Town, New Purpose While in Washington, I began teaching Bible studies in our home. I realized that
