Natalie is a teenage girl attending high school in Jordan. “I live with my nominal Christian family. Before knowing Christ, I lived a desperate life with no hope,” she explains. “I feared the idea of heaven and hell.”
That was until she met Youssef, Bible League’s Ministry Coordinator in Jordan, who worked as a Christian religion teacher in Natalie’s school. “He taught me about God and helped me to know Him. He encouraged me to read the Bible. When I started reading the Bible, Jesus’ character surprised me. I realized that the only way to heaven was through Jesus. I decided to accept Him as my Savior. Now, I have hope for my future and life after death,” she testifies.
“I live in an Islamic nation where persecution exists against nominal and born-again believers. After becoming a Christian, my peers bullied me when they noticed the change in me. I was a nervous and negative person before knowing God, but I’ve become calm and peaceful since knowing Him. The bullies usually want to harass me. But I give them no reaction whatsoever. Still, they keep on bullying me.”
Youssef encouraged Natalie to join Bible League’s Project Philip Bible studies in her church. “I attend the Bible studies every week, and the light of God’s Word now shines brightly in my eyes. Every lesson, we discuss the Scripture together and answer questions in the group. The most important thing I have learned is how to study Scripture in a simple, understandable way,” she alludes.
Asked about God’s will for her life, Natalie answers, “I know that God has goodwill for me. I am sure that He is preparing me for it. I still struggle with my old self, which tries to control my mind and actions. I have a dream to be a mature woman of God and help others know Him. I hope that everyone comes to know God as I have, especially my family. My relationship with them has developed recently.
“I pray for my family, schoolmates, and neighbors to be set free from any fear and accept Jesus as their Savior,” she adds. “I am very thankful to God for bringing me good people like my teacher and group leader. I thank God for all that He is doing in my life. I pray that God blesses everyone who helped me to know Him and continues to use them to reach more who need to know Him.”
