My story begins with Joy, someone whose faith left a deep impression on me. She was one of the most sincere and faithful people I had ever met. As a young single mother, she balanced raising her child, continuing her education, and building a future with patience and dignity. What stood out most was how naturally her faith was visible in her daily life, from praying before meals to her choices and the boundaries she kept.
At the time I did not realize how much those moments were affecting me. When our relationship ended, my heart broke. I found myself replaying memories, especially about how faith seemed to guide her life. In that painful season, something unexpected began to grow. I started asking questions. Why did she pray so naturally? What gave her such peace? Who was the Lord she trusted so deeply?
Because I was raised in a Muslim background, those questions led me on a deeper search. I began reading about the gospel and the life of Jesus Christ. The more I learned, the more I discovered a kind of love I had never known.
In my brokenness, the Lord met me. Through reading, conversations, and unexpected moments, Christ lifted my eyes beyond what I had lost and toward what would last.
I came to see that the love I thought I had lost was not the end of my story. In many ways, it was the beginning. God used Joy’s quiet faith to point me to a greater love, the love of Jesus Christ, who gave himself so that we might receive forgiveness and eternal life. Today, I walk in faith as a Christian, grateful for the grace that found me when I was most broken.
From Cengiz Telli, member at Ascension, Harrisburg, Pa.
