Testimonies

I never imagined that one day I would call Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. I grew up in Afghanistan, where Christianity was something I knew very little about. Like many people around me, I believed what I had been taught since childhood and never thought I would question it.

When my husband and I were forced to leave Afghanistan, our only hope was to find safety and build a better future. We traveled toward Turkey, carrying a few belongings and many worries. We had no idea what awaited us.

During that difficult journey, I met a woman who spoke to me about Jesus Christ.

She told me that Jesus loved me, that He had given His life for our sins, and that through Him we could know God as a loving Father.

I laughed.

I remember asking her, "How can you believe that God became a man? And how can someone who died on a cross save anyone?"

She did not become angry or argue with me. She simply smiled and answered my questions with patience.

At the time, I thought her beliefs were strange. But something about the way she spoke stayed with me. She seemed to have a peace I could not understand.

Even after we separated, I kept remembering her words. I did not want to admit it, but I wished I had asked her more questions.

The Book I Was Not Looking For

After arriving in Turkey, life was not easy. We struggled to adjust to a new country, a different language, and an uncertain future.

My husband did not believe in God. He was interested in philosophy, history, and religion, but he approached these subjects as someone searching for knowledge rather than faith. Our home was filled with books about different beliefs and ideas.

One afternoon, while organizing his books, I discovered a small Bible.

I was surprised. I had never seen him reading it.

I opened it out of curiosity. At first, much of what I read was unfamiliar. But as I continued, I reached the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

His words about forgiveness, loving our enemies, and trusting God touched something deep inside me.

I remembered the woman I had met on our journey.

Could this be the same Jesus she had spoken about?

From that day forward, I began reading the Bible whenever I had time. Sometimes I read secretly because I was embarrassed to explain my growing interest to my husband.

The more I read, the more I wanted to understand.

I was especially moved by the way Jesus treated people who were rejected, ashamed, or suffering. He did not turn them away. He approached them with compassion and love.

Still, I was not ready to believe.

When Everything Seemed Lost

Several years passed, and our lives became increasingly difficult.

Financial problems, uncertainty about our future, and the pressures of living far from home began affecting our marriage. We argued more often. I felt exhausted, frightened, and alone.

There came a time when I thought our family might fall apart.

One night, after another difficult day, I remembered the words I had read in the Gospel of Matthew:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

I sat alone and began to cry.

For the first time, I prayed directly to Jesus Christ.

"Jesus, I do not know if You are truly listening to me. I have heard about You, and I have read Your words, but I still have many questions. If You are the living God, please help us. I cannot carry this burden anymore. I place my life and my family in Your hands."

Nothing extraordinary happened that night. I did not hear a voice or see a vision.

But something began changing inside me.

I felt a growing desire to pray instead of giving in to fear. I continued reading the Bible and slowly learned to trust God with the things I could not control.

Over time, our circumstances began to improve. We found ways to face our problems, and hope returned to our home.

I believed Jesus had answered my prayer, not only by helping us through our difficulties but also by changing my heart.

I realized that I did not simply want God's help. I wanted to know Him.

I confessed my sins, placed my trust in Jesus Christ, and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior.

Two Years of Prayer

There was still one person I desperately wanted to share this joy with: my husband.

When I first told him about my faith, he was surprised. He reminded me that he did not believe in God and asked whether I had forgotten everything we had discussed about religion.

I did not know how to answer all his questions.

But I knew what had happened in my heart.

Instead of arguing with him, I began praying for him.

I asked Jesus to help my husband discover the truth for himself. I prayed that he would experience the same love and peace that had changed my life.

For two years, I continued praying.

Sometimes I became discouraged. My husband still questioned Christianity and did not share my faith. But I remembered how patient that woman had been with me during our journey from Afghanistan.

I wanted to show him the same patience.

Slowly, he began asking questions about what I was reading. Occasionally, we discussed passages from the Bible together.

Then, after two years, my husband told me that he had come to believe in Jesus Christ.

I cannot fully describe the joy I felt that day.

The man who once believed there was no God had begun his own journey of faith.

We prayed together, thanking God for His patience and mercy.

A Family Under His Protection

Today, our lives are not free from difficulties. We still face challenges, make mistakes, and sometimes worry about the future.

But something fundamental has changed.

We no longer face life's struggles without hope. We pray together, read the Bible, and seek God's guidance in our decisions.

When I look back, I remember the young woman who laughed when someone first told her about Jesus.

I remember the Bible I unexpectedly found among my husband's books, the night I cried out for help, and the two years I prayed for my husband.

What once seemed like unrelated moments now reminds me of how patiently God was working in our lives.

I believe Jesus Christ heard my prayer when our family was close to breaking apart. He gave me hope when I had none and taught me that His love was greater than my fears.

Today, my husband and I live under the loving care and protection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And whenever I think about our journey, I remember the words of Joshua:

"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

All glory belongs to Jesus Christ.