This is the true story of Zakhira, the third daughter of an affluent Muslim family in Pakistan. Her father had wanted a son and was disappointed by having yet another daughter. But it seems her arrival blessed him with good business and the fourth child finally turned out to be the long-awaited son. Zakhira was raised as a good Muslim to serve Allah dutifully and in fear of the final judgment. When she became ten, her once "less conservative" dad grew a beard and militant Islamists started recruiting in their neighborhood. Pakistan was changing. And so did her home. So much so that at the age of 18, she volunteered to perform jihad and kill infidels, i.e. Christians and Jews. And 2 days before she was to become yet another suicide bomber, she had a dream where she saw "a man of light" who just told her "come and follow me". And this was the start of her journey from radical Islam to believing in Jesus. This meant her death sentence... It's a tale of pain and affliction and intense opposition that unfolds then. In the times she was in danger, she just relied on God. This book is a very captivating story of Esther, who was born Zakhira, her intellectual struggles, the challenges she had to face, and how she simply surrenders her life to the Grace of God. A recommended read, or listen, that I am sure you would enjoy.
