From Buddhism to Christ

By Lisa Samuels
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​My name is Lisa and I practiced Buddhism for 30 years. It was not challenging enough to continue and I felt spiritually disconnected and lost. My family are Christians, so I thought I’d  give that a try.
 
This is how my journey to Christianity started. While seeking the way and visiting churches my experiences were similar to what I found frustrating with Buddhism. I prayed, “Lord, if you want me to be a Christian, I need your help to show me the way.”
 
God answered my prayer!
 
At the time I was working for the Bergen County urban League as a certified housing counselor. The first client that morning gave me a Christian prayer book. I was so happy to receive this gift, I began reading the prayers each morning.

One afternoon a client came in and her presence illuminated the waiting room. Amazed, I asked her what was it that made her shine so brightly. Smiling she said, it was God’s love and His Holy Spirit. Then she shared her testimony.
 
It was awesome to see what God had done in her life!
 
Before leaving she invited me to a Her Life Speaks women’s small group that studied the Bible. After a few sessions, I felt at home with these beautiful, compassionate women studying and sharing.

My new friend was so happy I was enjoying the study group, she blessed me with a beautiful Bible. While studying God’s word, I was calm and at ease even though my life was falling apart due to loss of employment and very little income.
 
Every Her Life Speaks study session ended with prayer requests. I asked for prayers for my finances. These understanding and compassionate sisters made it easy to ask for prayers without embarrassment. Whenever I was with my HLS sisters, I felt in my heart we were one with one another in God’s love.
 
During the first year I learned to pray and how to relate the Bible lessons to my life. The first study topic was Breaking Free by Beth Moore and it was at this time my business partnership dissolved. I felt misled and controlled by my business partner but continued to pray and study God’s word daily. The Breaking Free lessons spoke about “Beauty from Ashes”.
 
 “All who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty from ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks the Lord has planted for his own glory.” Isaiah 61:3
 
Understanding and believing how broken my life was, I desired God to heal me. I continued to read Isaiah 61 “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated for generations.”  This verse was the truth of my life! I meditated on this verse and it felt like a miracle was happening in my life.
 
I was so grateful for meeting these enlightened women of God and to be a part of the Her Life Speaks sisterhood. Through it, God brought me joy and hope for the future. From the lessons of Breaking Free, God restored my confidence and trust in Him. I believe God loves me and I am beautiful in His eyes. I was able to see how God could and did work in my life by blessing me with a solution to my financial problem and a solution to my spiritual problem!
 
God is my Deliverer!
 
Being a part of Her Life Speaks these past two years and attending retreats has been a revealing journey for me. God has blessed me with abundance. I love studying the word of God with my HLS sisters in faith. When a problem comes along, I have God and my sisters to pray me through. I am so blessed and honored to be a part of this growing ministry. 

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