I first saw Naghmeh's picture on a YouTube video thumbnail having the words "Revival in Iran". I never heard of her or saw her before, I didn't watch it, several weeks passed by ignoring it and the video kept re-surfacing on my suggestions list. I finally tapped on it in the last week of May, and was awestruck by her speech, something about her was fascinating. The absolute humility in her voice as she shared her testimony caught my attention, "She's from middle-east, survived war? She is advocating for the oppressed and spoke on international platforms? She donated all her savings? Wow this woman is incredible" - I thought to myself and spent next few days trying to find out who she is, to my shock- she overcame abuse.
I found Naghmeh's book "I Didn't Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse" on Amazon, read sample and purchased audiobook, listening to her story from her own voice left me in mixed emotions - excitement, shock, anger, grief, relief, hope. I finished the whole book in one sitting and I must say, this book and this woman has changed everything for me.
Feminism is wrongly portrayed by the film industry diverting from the actual cause of women's safety and empowerment, to embracing toxic sexuality in the name of boldness and freedom. Result? Women are oppressed even more and their cries for help are labelled as 'victim card'. Numerous protests for justice are hardly moving the authorities in India. Well, if you tweet about India being unsafe for women, have you ever heard of middle-eastern countries like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan? For that matter, even the developed countries have brutal stories of violence and silenced victims. It only makes me wonder - What is a woman? Is she even considered a human? When will she ever have safety and actual freedom? Do you think she is safe at home? Do you think her voice is heard atleast in the Church? Do you think the pastor will do something for her relief? I know you have no answers to most of these questions or all of them. As you read through this blog, people must be flashing through your memory, let me ask you, "Did she survive?"
Naghmeh Panahi says she didn't survive either, well then how is she alive and what did she go through? - you may ask. You have to know her story, thanks to Eugene Bach and Back to Jerusalem project, Naghmeh's full story is now available in the form of book, published by Whitaker House in Oct, 2023.
This book is a great read for everyone. Your age, gender, faith doesn't matter, you'll be inspired by Naghmeh's story.
Who is Naghmeh?
(Details from TAF and BTJ websites)
Naghmeh Abedini Panahi is a speaker, Bible teacher, cofounder and executive director of Tahir Alnisa (“Setting Women Free”) Foundation, which serves women and children around the world impacted by domestic abuse and religious oppression. Naghmeh made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then husband, Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith. Through Saeed’s imprisonment Naghmeh was not only able to bring worldwide attention to the plight of the persecuted Christians, but she was also able to proclaim the Gospel to millions of people across the globe by speaking at human rights groups, major news outlets, the United Nations in Geneva, the European Parliament, Congress and had personal meetings with President Barrack Obama and Donald Trump.
Every hero has a backstory, a journey of struggle, a story of resilience through the highs and lows, and some drastic incident changing their entire course of life. Naghmeh's life is no less of an adventure, though people around the world got to know her during SaveSaeed movement and received praise as a wife of Christian hero in 2012, what they didn't know is Naghmeh is a hero herself. Having survived 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran during her childhood, moving to US as the war grew severe, facing troubles since young age for her new profound faith in Jesus, returning to Iran soon after 9/11 World Trade Center attack, facing severe persecution and refusing to renounce her Christian faith while guns pointed at her threatening rape and execution, and leading one of the largest house church movements in early 2000's in Iran - Naghmeh's journey will give you chills and "inspiring" is just not enough to describe her resilience throughout her life.
Book Review
The Narrative
The story telling aspect of "I didn't survive" is very impressive, I must say. The book starts off with early life of Naghmeh in Iran, the details of Iranian Revolution will leave you speechless. Her sweet memories, family's proud Muslim lineage, cultural changes in Iran, active sirens and bombing, an ultimatum to escape, clock ticking - I guarantee it's no less than an action thriller. For anyone who loves history and cultures, you'll not be disappointed about the details of Persian culture and life in Iran. A reader can easily imagine the scenes and live in the moment while reading through the book or listening to the audiobook. Her testimony of finding true God, missionary calling, breathtaking escape incidents and the courage to continue worshipping Jesus and share gospel amid persecution is very inspiring. The readers will definitely be challenged about their true faith and understand what its like to be a true disciple.
Love & Pain
Despite the inspiring, spirit-elating testimony, a dark secret was slowly and surely overtaking. Readers may feel either normal or confused or uncomfortable about few details of her story, but hats-off to Naghmeh for being brutally honest, it won't feel like a one-sided sugar-coated story. The further chapters intensify with a plot twist, "but why?" - will be your frequent reaction as you get deeply involved in the raw story details, Naghmeh gets caught in the very questions for which there seem to be no answers anywhere, even from God. The book has a trigger warning in initial pages itself, to those who might be sensitive to reading or listening about abuse/violence, but it's a specifically great read for such people who have experienced some form of abuse in the past.
Many, especially women, may not have clue to what's going wrong in their life and relationships and often struggle to overcome trauma and unnamed mental health issues. Thanks to Naghmeh for not missing out on the details, forms of abuse, responses and her feelings while sharing her story. This book is a route map in disguise for all the confused suffering women, towards clarity and redemption.
Deliverance
How long is too long? How much more abuse to take before finally escaping? How many more efforts to satisfy? How low to bend in order to keep up the expectations? When is it finally 'enough is enough'? Sadly many people lose their life before finding answers. But it is unmistakable that God has a purpose for Naghmeh's life, her story was not supposed to be hidden and the abuse was not supposed to continue under the pressure of "religion". Readers will feel a sense of relief as she breaks out silence about the dark secret. God's work of deliverance and healing is very evident in her life, the book also mentions how she recovered and changed for good after the unwanted course of events in her life. While many thought (or even wanted) Naghmeh's ministry would be over, she rises back like a phoenix, her suffering wasn't meant to go waste, God has enabled Naghmeh to work for the abused women and children through Tahrir Alnisa Foundation, and it's only the beginning of new chapter in her life. The book has an unexpected happy ending - of hope.
I bet every reader's perspective towards many important things in life will change after reading this book, the story challenges the current generation of its values, questions the silence of the Church, gives hope of Light in the midst of darkness and teaches wellness during wilderness.
The book description on Amazon has these lines:
... For Naghmeh, it all came to a breaking point, and the only way through it was to die. Not physically, but in experiencing a death and rebirth in her understanding of God, her faith, and her identity as a woman. "I can't tell you how I was able to make it through, because I didn't," she writes. "Like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, the new me emerged from the catastrophe of my marriage."
Shop the book "I Didn't Survive" on Amazon (Also available on various sites for purchase)
To check Naghmeh's advocacy and ways to support - https://www.tahriralnisa.org
Know more about Eugene Bach and projects - https://backtojerusalem.com
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