Scheuner says that she declined to write the story herself because of her advanced age and her lack of writing skill. Her story begins with her birth. Bach (1971) says that Barbara was the second daughter of Peter and Anna Heinemann. In her account to Scheuner, Barbara does not mention her older sister. Of her mother, she says only that her mother agreed with her father that Barbara should not go to school. Barbara says that she was born in Leiterswiller; but later in her account she says that her father's home was in Hermerswiller. The two villages are a mile apart. When she was 22, and working at the Gasthaus, Barbara experienced a sudden darkening of her mood. She said she felt that she was too engrossed in fleeting joys and that she did not know God. After a time she left the Gasthaus and moved back to her father's house in Hermersweiler in order to be undisturbed while examining her "inner promptings." She attended church services, but held back when it was time to take communion. She felt unworthy. It seemed to her that a mighty conversion must occur before a human being could take communion. Hoping that old people, who were closer to eternity, could help her, she visited old grandmothers. Finally one of them told her, "Your appear to be a Pietist." Barbara had never heard of Pietists. She became eager to know such people. The woman told her of a Pietist, a woman living nearby in Sulz. Barbara went to see the woman in Sulz. When Barbara asked if she could join the woman's prayer group, the woman said that Barbara had not yet been awakened, so the group could not take her in.  Barbara returned home dejected. After a week or so, she had a vision as she slept. This message stirred her powerfully, and she said "I promise and surrender myself to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. I will serve, love and honor Him. I will follow and cling to Him." Then in her vision the suns experienced great joy and satisfaction and made a movement signifying approval. She awoke reluctantly. She returned to the woman in Sulz, and spoke of her vision. The woman said that Barbara was now awakened, and could come with her to a prayer meeting of the Community of True Inspiration. Sources for the history of the Community of True Inspiration include Noé (1904), Perkins (1891), and Shambaugh (1908).