Don’t Tell Me What to Believe

I got to take my friend Nazila out to lunch. We spoke half in Turkish and half in English, when she didn’t understand what I was trying to say. She told me that she wanted to ask me questions but wasn’t sure how. I told her that I loved it when she asked me questions and to ask me anything she wanted. She asked me about where I go to church. I explained that I meet with my other Christian friends, and we meet in homes to pray and sing and read the Bible. I explained that there isn’t a church building here that I can attend, but that there are other believers. She asked me about the difference between Catholics and Protestants. I asked her about Islam and how it’s different in Iran. She explained that she doesn’t like it because there she is forced to be Muslim. She admitted that she doesn’t practice Islam. She said only her mother is really a practicing Muslim. Nazila said she doesn’t like be told what to believe. I told her that it was important for her to decide on her own what she believes. I said what you think about God is very important. She said I was very open minded and she appreciated my view. I told her that I pray directly to God because it says in the Bible that we can go straight to Him, and we don’t have to go through any person. Then I was able to explain how Christians pray all the time, not only at specific times, and how we talk to God like we would talk to a close friend. Please pray for more opportunities for me to share with her. I’m thankful that she knows enough English to understand what I was trying to explain to her.