Maryam discovered Jesus through the captivating stories of the Bible, which drew her in deeply and inspired her to eagerly share these truths with her neighbors and friends, with amazing results.
Maryam had never set foot in a Christian church before—until she visited a business colleague in another country who invited her to join her for a worship service. Puzzled, Maryam said, “Today? Christians go to church on Sunday, not Saturday.” Her friend explained, “I’m a Seventh-day Adventist and we observe the biblical Sabbath.”
Curious, Maryam decided to attend. During the call for prayer, she felt herself drawn forward with those who had special requests, kneeling on a carpet at the front of the church. When she returned to her seat, she experienced what she now describes as a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit.
The next day, Maryam requested a Bible, that her friend was happy to provide. Reading in English was a struggle, but with help, she was able to follow the text and found herself drawn to know more.
Once back in her home country, Maryam immediately searched for an Adventist church and found one not too far away in the capital city. There, a pastor began Bible studies based on the stories of the Bible, an approach that allowed the Bible truths and Adventist doctrine to emerge naturally in a way that captivated Maryam.
Starting in Genesis, they read together the biblical account of creation and the fall of Adam and Eve, considering the questions, “what does this teach us about God?” “And about humans?” “What is my response to this message?”
No sooner had she returned home than Maryam put on a pot of tea, popped a cake in the oven, and called her neighbor to come over and hear what she had just learned.
“The stories are different from what we’ve heard,” she said excitedly.
For over a year, Maryam and the pastor studied together–with Maryam repeating the study with a growing number of neighbors and friends, some of them via zoom with friends from her country of origin.
When Maryam was ready, she declared her desire to follow Jesus publicly in a beautiful baptismal service—where two of the people she had been studying with were also baptized. Today, she studies the Bible with others full time, leading 7 groups and a growing number of people who have been compelled to follow Jesus through the beauty of his word.
It is always a good time to share the blessings we have received from the message and promises of the Scriptures. If the Bible has blessed you, why not share that blessing with someone else now?
*Not her real name