God doesn't always work His purposes out in a day. Sometimes, the story of His pursuit unfolds through a 15-year friendship . . . or seven years of searching.
Both in the West and the Middle East—the next generation is waking up to the beautiful, hope-filled Truth of the Gospel.
Adrianne, 34 years old, United States
"I was raised in a Christian family, but I never felt the closeness with God that everyone talked about. I didn't understand why. As a teenager, my life took several negative turns. It was then that I felt completely abandoned, and I gave up on the longing to feel that connection [with God] at all.
"This non-believing lifestyle continued into my college years, but one day I made friends with a wonderful woman who called herself a Christian. . . . Fast forward to two years ago, and after a 15-year friendship with my Christian friend, I experienced another challenging circumstance. I truly felt like I was at rock bottom. I called my friend and asked her to please pray for me. . . . I woke up that Sunday morning and felt a tug—a driving force pulling me towards attending The Church of The Apostles.
"I called my friend again and asked her to save me a seat at church. Lo and behold, the first praise song that morning was one I'd been listening to all week long. I was overcome with emotion and cried through the entire sermon. I felt like Dr. Youssef was speaking directly to me! I knew there was nothing at work here other than divine intervention. I felt a peace about me the whole next week that I had never felt before. . . . I started following Leading The Way and The Church of The Apostles on Instagram. I signed up to receive a MY Journal subscription, immersing myself in as much Christ-centered material as I could.
"Today, every time I walk through the church's doors or hear Dr. Youssef's voice in my ear, I feel the presence of the Lord. And it has changed me forever!"
Meha*, 31 years old, Egypt
A world away from Adrianne, in the Middle East, God was at work in the heart of another young woman, getting ready to draw her into the peace of His presence.
"As a Muslim, I watched THE KINGDOM SAT channel for over seven years," Meha says. "I faithfully followed the programs and began to understand what Christianity meant. I finally understood the Trinity, the blood of Jesus, His resurrection, and His second coming. Long after I would turn off the TV, I felt peace in my soul. I started reading the Bible in secret. I was so impacted by Dr. Michael Youssef and the other programs on the channel. The only obstacle I faced was to confess Jesus as my Lord."
Desperate for answers, Meha decided to meet with the Leading The Way field team in Egypt. Two team members smuggled her through the back door of a church—for government police, many of them Muslims, were stationed at the front. Once safely inside, the field team asked her, "Are you ready to receive Jesus in your life?"
"I am still struggling with calling Jesus my Lord," Meha shared.
"Lord, show her that You are the Lord and that Satan is trying to stop her from taking this step to accept You," one field team member prayed.
After the meeting ended, Meha went home to think about all that had happened. One week later, she prayed, "Prove that You are my Lord." Immediately, the phone rang. It was the Leading The Way field team calling to check on her. "You are the sign I asked for!" she said.
Now, Meha shares, "After meeting with the field team members in Cairo, I was convinced that Jesus is my Lord. I prayed to receive Him in my life, and I am now getting discipled by the team until they can connect me with an underground church. I can say with confidence that I am now a born-again Christian."
Both in the West and the Middle East—the next generation is waking up to the beautiful, hope-filled Truth of the Gospel.
*Name changed for her protection.
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