From Living in Darkness to Rejoicing in Light
Peace comes through trusting. What is impossible for me, is possible for God!
My name is Forouzan (meaning bright, luminous). Unlike my name, which I have always loved, at one point in my life I realized I was living in mere darkness. I was the youngest child born in a large family. My mother was very religious and strict, and my dad was intelligent and very calm. I passed through my childhood joyfully and in peace.
Growing up in that environment, in my youth I was sometimes religious and sometimes I would reject all my beliefs and enjoy worldly pleasures. The strange stories of my life began when I was still a teenager.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran completely changed our family, which fell apart because my dad was in the military. For six years I did not see my parents. These difficult years created a large void in my heart. I became a person full of stress, fear, anxiety, and depression.
Many events took place during those years. The most important event was my marriage, which took place in my parents’ absence. On that important day of my life, I was without them. All I could hold on to was their picture, framed, sitting silently on the table. The next time I was able to see my parents was when my child was already one year old.
Dead Among the Living
I will make the long story short. Although my husband was very kind and my children were healthy and successful, there was always a void within me. All those years away from my parents had deeply affected me. Rarely anything made me happy. I had become hopeless, brokenhearted, and nervous. In other words, I was dead among the living!
Another crisis in my life happened when my son was in a car accident, and God truly gave him back to us. While he was in the process of healing and recovery, a friend invited me to a prayer meeting at their church. I attended the underground church meeting in Iran seeking my son’s complete healing.
Over time I realized there was something very attractive about those meetings, so I started to eagerly attend on a regular basis. After four months of inner struggle, during one of these weekly services, I heard the voice of the Lord clearly telling me, “Confess your faith!”
The Prayer of Salvation
The voice was so clear and alive that to this day when I remember it, my heart fills up with joy! I heard that voice three times and the fourth time it was me declaring in a loud voice, “I want to confess my faith!” Although the words did not mean much to me, on that day I prayed the prayer of salvation.
What is interesting is that from the very first days of my new faith, things started to change in me without my own effort. The Word of God refreshed my soul, brought hope and joy to my heart, and truly left a footprint in my life without me realizing at the time. This was the beginning of another season in my life.
I was set free from much bondage without my own effort!
Peace in Trusting
From the very beginning I trusted the Lord. I was discipled little by little. All this took place in the secret—no one knew of my faith. The major changes, however, were quite evident. My family and friends noticed the changes and they curiously asked about the cause.
My daughter and my son met the Lord in a unique way and they gave their heart to the Lord also. Wonderful and amazing things kept happening continuously. When my family and relatives found out about our faith, almost everyone rejected us and left us alone. Life became very difficult both socially and economically. We were under pressure in every way, but our trust in God had grown so much that nothing could discourage us.
At last we immigrated to another country. The days we spent there provided great opportunities to know the Lord more and surrender more. Despite all the struggles, the Lord’s presence was so tangible and powerful that the three of us moved forward with much hope, completely trusting the Lord’s promises.
Because of residential issues, despite our expired passports, we were able to miraculously return to Iran. We passed through the airport without any problems. After three months and three days, due to security issues, we left Iran again. We followed the Lord’s plan, and for six years we lived in Turkey. Right away we were invited to participate in theology courses and again we witnessed God’s incredible and amazing works. We spent all those days in full-time ministry at the church.
During those years, every day was full of incredible testimonies of God’s unique works.
My son and daughter were both married in that country and our family expanded. This was surely the love and grace of God. But aside from our spiritual family, we had no meeting with my relatives. From the first days of my faith, I stood in the gap and interceded for my loved ones through prayer and fasting. To my surprise, a few of them received salvation.
What Am I Doing Here?
During the sixth year, the police and the government of Turkey asked us to leave the country, again for security reasons. Turkey is predominantly a Muslim nation and since we were active members in the Christian church, some Muslims had created problems for us.
It was against my desire, but we went to Canada again. Leaving Turkey and our church family behind was very difficult for me, but I had no choice. After the move, for a while I was confused and kept asking myself, What am I doing here? There was no response from the Lord, until one day I encountered Him in a special way and a new season began in my life.
The Lord provided a new ministry for me beyond my imagination. I started serving a family of three online. Within a few weeks I recognized the purpose behind my encounter with the Lord. The ministry that began with three people has now expanded to a few hundred people in a number of different cities. The Lord is continuously at work. Glory to His name!
From Death to Life
I know this well that when we trust the Lord with all of our heart, He never leaves us. Even if we experience days when we cannot see His hand at work or we cannot hear His voice, nothing takes away from His unconditional love and nature. He is the God who acts continuously in our lives and He finishes what He has begun in us. Today I can boldly say, “I was dead, I became alive.”
In this short writing I only shared part of God’s work and miracles I have experienced throughout the years. It is just a drop in the ocean of His love! The free and unconditional gift of salvation that is granted to us is a precious treasure that cannot be compared to or bought with any other treasure on earth.
Salvation is the blessed blood of Jesus Christ that covers our past and our sins. With His robe of righteousness He wipes off humanity’s nakedness, fear, rejection, and the cruelty of our fallen world. With His love He is ready to rescue anyone who is lost and lead them into their divine destiny.
So, my friend, I say to you, “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” He is the compassionate Father who loves you dearly.
Conclusion and Salvation Prayer
This story reveals God’s unconditional, eternal love for all of His children. God is love—the essential life-giving ingredient that is missing in all other religions, including Islam. This woman who shared her testimony with you was yearning to be loved and cherished, deep down where only Jesus can touch and heal. The void in her life was exposed by God’s great compassion, revealing the death and dank of her own religious traditions and rituals.
Hearts, Minds, and Spirits Awakened
Miracles and visions stirred her heart, pricked her mind, and awakened her spirit. Whether a supernatural healing or a divine visitation from Jesus Himself, this Muslim experienced the One True God who is alive and ready and willing to offer peace, joy, and freedom.
Contrary to the deeds-demanding god this woman bowed to, she came to personally and intimately know the God who sent His Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for her sin. She experienced an up-close-and-personal God whose forgiveness is eternal and saw the God of action—Love in action who heals sickness, addiction, bondage, and torment because He loves them.
God’s Supernatural Love
God’s love is far beyond any kind of human love we can ever even imagine:
God loved you before you were even born.
God loved you before you loved Him.
God loved you when you ignored Him.
God loved you when you were sinning and rebelling.
God even loved you before you believed in Him or even knew He was real.
Romans 5:8 tells us that “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Truly, this is a supernatural love. When you experience God’s transforming love, you will lose interest in the sins that used to appeal to you. There is nothing like the love of God to change a sad and lonely life into one of joy and peace and hope.
The greatest demonstration of love is when Jesus left the glory of Heaven to come to earth and die for you on the Cross. That day He reconciled you with God, assuring an eternal bond and loving relationship with God the Father. You are more precious to Him than any riches.
God wants to have an intimate relationship with you today! This was His original desire from the beginning. Scripture tells us that God actually walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, they disobeyed God which caused a curse that has impacted the whole of history, even to this very day.
Since then the world has been corrupted by famine, natural disasters, disease, crime, and war. Sin causes people to pursue worldly success, money, power, selfish satisfaction, unbridled sex, gambling, and other such evils that leave people empty, lonely, and hopeless.
There is a hole in the center of every human being that people try and fill with everything other than God. But the truth is, only God Himself can fill that hole. Sin separates us from God, which leads to spiritual and physical death. Jesus the Savior connects us to God and leads to fulfillment, righteousness, and eternal life.
The Divine Solution
The Bible prophets and their prophecies point to the Messiah who would come and deliver people from their sins. Every one of the 300 prophecies given about the coming Savior was fulfilled in Jesus. He restored a right relationship between humanity and God that was lost in the Garden of Eden.
There is nothing you can do to make yourself right before our Holy and Almighty God. Jesus Christ did it for you. Acts of religion and good works will not bridge the divide between you and God. The bridge is Jesus’ selfless act of compassion on the Cross where He took your sin upon Himself.
Your Choice
Your encounter with God begins with a choice:
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life… (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT).
Choosing life—Jesus—is the most important decision you will ever make. The men and women whose testimonies you read about chose life and blessings. If you have not already made the choice to be a follower of Jesus, God’s beloved Son, I encourage you to say the following prayer out loud:
Dear heavenly Father, You are the Most High God, and I come to You in the name of Jesus. I thank You for sending Jesus to the earth as the Word of God who became flesh.
Father, I receive Your love and gift of salvation in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus, I believe You died on the Cross and shed Your blood for my sins and the sins of the whole world. Because of Your sacrifice, You remember my sins no more and I have right standing before You. I believe You were raised from the dead on the third day.
Now Jesus, come into my heart. Take away my stony heart and give me a new heart that I may love the Father even as You do. And Lord, help me to know You and experience Your love in the way I have read about in these stories.
Thank You, Jesus.