Isik Abla: From Jihad To Jesus

Isik Abla’s life story is a remarkable journey from trauma and despair to an exuberant faith in Jesus. Born in Istanbul, Turkey, she describes a childhood marked by violence, fear, and deep emotional wounds. As a teenager, she became drawn toward radical Islamic ideology and later experienced abusive marriages.

In 1996, at age 25, she came to the United States alone, with little money and limited English, hoping to begin again.Her turning point came while working for a company that built Bible websites. Knowing nothing about Jesus she originally paid very little attention to the content of the websites.

Her life was such a mess so she began to plan and plot her suicide. On the very day she had made decided to take her own life, her boss told her into his office and told her that Jesus knew her pain and had never abandoned her.

Isik says she knew, in that moment, that Jesus was real and that she wanted to follow Him. Today, Isik is the founder of a Christian media ministry focused especially on reaching Muslim communities. She's reached over 700 Million people in mostly Muslim countries through radio and TV broadcasts, social media on the ground training. Isik shares the Gospel through personal testimony and storytelling, disciples believers, works in trauma healing, and supports women and emerging Christian leaders in difficult places.

Her approach is simple and deeply relational:

listen, care about people’s real needs, tell the stories of Jesus, and let love open the conversation.

In this episode, Isik shares the experiences that shaped her, the moment her life changed, and the mission that continues to drive her. It is an unforgettable reminder that no life is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

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Isik Abla at a glance

Christian media ministry founder • Former Muslim • Testimony speaker • Trauma-healing advocate

Topics

Childhood trauma • Radicalization • Immigration • Encounter with Jesus • Conversion • Scripture • Evangelism • Muslim communities • Storytelling • Trauma healing • Women’s support • Discipleship • Christian leadership

Her Faith Journey

Istanbul childhood marked by violence and trauma → Drawn toward radical ideology as a young girl → Abusive relationships and search for safety → Immigrated alone to the United States in 1996 → Encountered the Bible through a Christian workplace → On the day she planned to take her life, heard a message of Jesus’ love and never being abandoned → Received Jesus as Lord and Savior → Pursued Scripture and discipleship → Began sharing her testimony → Founded a ministry reaching Muslim communities

This Episode Explores

• How Isik’s traumatic early life and search for significance led her down a radical path; how she escaped to America and encountered Jesus through a Christian workplace; the extraordinary moment her boss reached her on the day she planned to take her life; how Scripture transformed her faith; and how she now shares the Gospel through compassionate storytelling, trauma healing, discipleship, and leadership development.

Questions answered

• What first led Isik to begin sharing her testimony and eventually establish a media ministry?

• What was her childhood like in Turkey, and how did trauma shape her search for significance?

• How did she become involved with radical ideology, and what did it mean to her at the time?

• Why did she leave Turkey and come to the United States alone?

• How did working for a Christian website company introduce her to the Bible and the teachings of Jesus?

• What happened on the day she had planned to take her own life?

• How did she begin growing in faith after her conversion?

• How does she approach conversations about Jesus with people from Muslim backgrounds?

• What are the goals and focus areas of her ministry today?

• How can listeners learn more about or support her work?

Core message

Jesus meets people in their deepest pain and offers a love that transforms their identity and direction. When sharing faith, begin by genuinely caring about the person in front of you: listen to their story, understand their needs, and communicate the love of Jesus through simple stories and compassionate relationships.

Full Transcript of the conversation with Isik Abla

Opening and introduction

00:00  Ric: I'm Rick Hansen here with the club amazing transformation. Lover of Jesus.

00:08  Intro: From the heart to the mic, on the field, on the stage. Faith in their step as they turn the next page. Athletes, actors, Musicians on the shape of his name. Life stories a struggle, redemption and grace. Victory is rising from a broken place. Legends of a life with a purpose to show how God shows up when you let him flow. Loving is great, shining bright. Living the faith in the spotlight. Hearts on fire, now let it go. Turn it up. It's time to start the show.

00:40  Ric: I have this amazing opportunity today to talk to one of the most fascinating people we've ever talked to on our podcast here at Amazing Greats. And it's fascinating for a whole lot of reasons. We're going to find out what those reasons are. But your transformation story is maybe the most incredible transformation that we've exposed here on the podcast. So, ladies and gentlemen, our listeners, we are talking with Isik Abla, who has uh this amazing trans transformation from a young lady who was born in Istanbul in Turkey, was raised a Muslim, and now has come full circle to being a Jesus lover. And how did I we're gonna find out how that all happened? So welcome, Isik.

01:30  Isik Abla: Thank you so much for hearing me, Rick.

01:32  Ric: Yes, yeah, it's gonna be good. So let's start with uh I kind of already mentioned uh your Muslim background. Uh today you're also the founder in later years, many years later, of the Christian Media Ministry, which is serving in this neighborhood, I've read somewhere 700 million people have been exposed to your ministry online, on television, on radio. That's amazing. So let's talk about that first, all right, if you don't mind.

The ministry begins

02:02  Ric: Um what prompted your idea, your decision to start this ministry? I think it was back in 2011, something like that, right?

02:12  Isik Abla: Yes, yes, correct. Um, well, first of all, thank you for starting from there because uh I have one uh life scripture that sums up everything about my life as God choose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. So I am one of those foolish things, let me tell you. And I am in 1 Corinthians chapter 1. You cannot find me right there. And uh I want to tell you, I started actually ministry without knowing what definition of ministry uh in English. I started sharing my testimony right after I got saved on the day I was going to commit suicide. Jesus Christ revealed himself to me in a miraculous way, and at that very moment I is I started sharing Jesus. And first week I think I led uh half a dozen people to the world, and most of them were Muslims. So I was I started just telling people well, Jesus saved my life, and I didn't know a single scripture, I didn't know doctrine, I didn't know theology, I was just preaching Jesus to everyone that I can find. Uh so this is how it started, and then uh September 11 happened because I got saved uh year 2000, and right after September 11 happened, and Islam became a topic, and people started inviting me to share my testimony, and I was I love to share my testimony, of course, and we overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of our testimony. So I took that scripture as well to the heart very much, and I was going everywhere telling people what Jesus had done for me, and one missionary, yes.

04:00  Ric: I was just gonna say, and where is it today? So you so is it it's television broadcast, it's radio, but are you you're reaching out around the world? Is it primarily your testimony? Do you feel like it's your calling is to speak to the Muslim community of the world or beyond that?

04:19  Isik Abla: Well, primarily, of course, to the Muslims, because I know how they understand. I speak to them like they are next-door neighbor or Samaritan woman. I go and I share, hey, did Jesus, this is what he done for me, just like Samaritan woman. But I also do discipleship and trauma healing. And in America, of course, it is a hot topic right now about Islam, Islamic invasion. And then I is I am bringing awareness and awakening uh through, of course, the power of Jesus Christ to the Muslim communities in America and to people that wake up, you know, and good and the bad. So uh yes, I have 700 uh million approximate people uh rich, uh making the gospel available, I should say that way. Uh, but I am I am planning to reach to one billion Muslims. So that is my goal.

05:17  Ric: Whoa, what a great goal! All right. Uh so what have you in all of this, and you've been doing it for a while now, have you seen, is there actual evidence of um of it working, of your impact on the world, uh actually happening in these Muslim communities?

05:37  Isik Abla: Oh my goodness, uh, I cannot tell you how many testimonies, thousands of salvations, millions are receiving Christ. They are not only because of me, of course, salvation is a supernatural experience, as you know. I cannot get anybody saved, but Jesus is in this. So he also died for Muslims, and I am letting them know that Jesus loves you. He is not just a prophet, he is the Son of God, He's the only way to heaven, there's no other way, and He loves you unconditionally. And I so many people may not know this, but they are more open to the good news than we can ever imagine, especially right now.

06:20  Ric: I love it. You you exude the excitement and joy of Jesus Christ, and I just absolutely love that. Thank you, thank you.

06:27  Ric: So let's let's talk about your early days, and uh it was it was not all joy and wonderful things was you were growing up as a Muslim. Tell us, you know, and and I think our listeners, because we're, you know, we're born and raised in this country called America, and we have a hard time grasping what that could even be like. So you're a Muslim. Muslim is uh the Islamic faith that in its in and of itself is not a uh uh not a bad thing, I guess, but uh radicalization was a part of all of that too. So tell us the early stories of Isik, you know, back as a young Muslim girl in Turkey.

A childhood marked by trauma

07:09  Isik Abla: Yes. Oh, well, I am a war child. I grew up uh in the midst of war. It there was a war in the household, there was a war on the streets, we had civil war in Turkey. So I saw people killing uh people in front of me when I was five years old, and I saw bombing and just gunshots and all this killing and bloodshed. I have I have seen so much, there was so much trauma, so much fragmentation in my mind. And then, of course, at home there was so violence. When I was a little girl, if you look at my body, it was covered with dark marks and bruises. Oh my god. So I grew up in a very extremely uh hostile environment. And uh and as you said, there's Islam as faith, but there's Islam as ideology. So my family, I want to be very like transparent and honest, because not everybody in my family was radical or devout, but I grew up in a devout home, not radical, radical. Devout, my mother, my mother didn't always cover her head. I didn't have to unless I went to the mosque. But then I went to Koran courses because my misery and torment was mental torment was so great that I had to find answers. And I started, I told my family, and my great-grandmother was a radical Muslim, and she took me under her wings, and she took me to the mosque, then the Koran courses. At age 12, I wanted to become a suicide bomber.

08:44  Ric: Whoa.

08:45  Isik Abla: And my family, my own parents weren't like that, but they were devout. They believed that we should kill infidels, which were Christians and Jews, but they still weren't that extreme to doing that, participating that. But I wanted to do it. In my eyes, even my parents were not good Muslims. I wanted to be a good Muslim in the world.

09:05  Ric: What did you understand? What did you understand? Allah, uh the God of the Islamic faith. Uh, what did you understand him to be like in character? What was it that helped you radicalize, I guess, in that way? Can you outline that for us?

09:20  Isik Abla: Sure. Well, the brainwash can be a good thing and a bad thing, of course. I brainwash myself every day with the word of God right now. So I have to wash a lot of junk, you can imagine. Very, very coming from.

09:34  Ric: Rick Hansen here talking with Isik Abla as she shares her tragic life that could only be saved and transformed by Jesus on amazing greats.

09:44  Isik Abla: Uh, but when I was a little girl, Islam was represented to us the only way this is perfect, and you don't question. Questioning Allah is a blasphemy. You just do it. He was hateful, he was angry, he wasn't personal, he was far away. I never heard him speak back to me with an inner voice or lead me to something, but I knew that if I wanted to please him, I had to kill and die in his name. And that was okay because it was presented to me that you know people kill and die in the name of Allah, weren't terrorists, they were freedom fighters. So when you have a greater cause to clean this world from these two devils, one is a big devil, America, the other one is a small devil, Israel. It looked so right in my eyes that I wanted to be a hero. So there's always this deceptive angle of the enemy of the devil, how he sells things to people. Okay. So there was his sales pitch, and I bought that. Even I look modern, even I didn't always cover my head. I bought that. Later on, I switched to political jihad. I switched to, I went to another part of radical group, and I learned they said you don't have to die. You live for Allah and you start invading to the Western world. You start doing things, getting in power, you know, sending missionary Muslim students to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Oxford, go to universities in Europe and America, and you become part of educational jihad and political jihad and media, economical jihad, all of this happening right now. So I like that ideology better. However, in the meantime, I was with a radical Muslim man, beaten up. I mean, just like non-stop being disciplined in the name of Allah physically by man.

11:46  Ric: Wow. And that was that marriage was even at a very young age, like you were a teenager or something.

11:51  Isik Abla: I was a teenager. I started college at 16 and finished at 19. I was highly educated, but I had zero self-worth and identity.

12:02  Ric: And when you say that women were kind of second-class citizens in in those days, right? So you the fact that you were uh even considered a suicide bomber or you know a jihadist, uh, was that even uh uh a right granted to women back in the day? Was that kind of a breakthrough as well?

12:21  Isik Abla: Well, it it let's start from here. Everybody on this earth looks for their significance. Yes, we we we search for our significance and it connects with the calling of God in our lives. So I was finding in my significance doing something heroic as a girl because I could not win in any way in that society. But if I became a hero, if I became a national hero and clean this earth from all these devils, then I would be what I wanted to be as a woman, as a girl. Uh and that was kind of my way up, so to say. Right now, I know it's so far away from me, but at that time this was my mindset.

Leaving Turkey and starting over in America

13:06  Ric: Oh, I totally get that. And then and that's part of this amazing transformation because that's who you were and what you were at that age, looking for influence, looking for notoriety, if you will, and and making your place in the world in that way. But then that that marriage went away, time passes, and you find a way. And this is another interesting story because I couldn't I did a lot of research on you, couldn't come up with the exact you immigrated to the United States at a fairly young age. What what year would that have been?

13:37  Isik Abla: It was 1996, I was 25 years old. Okay, and now I look back 30 years ago, this is happening. What in the world I was thinking, being an only immigrant as a Muslim girl, 25 years old, just got divorced, and completely broke, didn't know English, and I got one-way ticket to America. I immigrated myself. Literally, it is like it is a miracle.

14:06  Ric: So you went solo, you were like just you and you alone, huh?

14:10  Isik Abla: I I yes, because um, because for a divorce woman, everybody was gonna know about me that I wasn't anymore a virgin or anything. I was available, I was going to be more trembled under the feet of man. And I my father said to me, I will kill you. Other killing. If you bring shame to me, you already brought shame to me with this divorce, and I will kill you. And and also I was very afraid of my life from that man, and I could go to Europe, but you could find me in Europe. But I said, No, I'm gonna go to America. But at that time, I didn't come with like jihadist mindset. I really wanted to escape at that time. I was just trying to survive.

14:55  Ric: Yeah. And so was there a miracle story behind that one ticket arriving? How did that happen?

15:02  Isik Abla: Yes, I didn't know that you cannot enter into the United States of America. Like right now, it's a major deal that it can't be a scandal, even to say that. But I came with a one-way ticket with a tourist visa.

15:15  Ric: Wow. And then how did you maintain your residency here? Did you did that?

15:19  Isik Abla: And then I I got I got in and I got into another marriage, and it was another another horrible situation I put myself into.

15:27  Ric: But that was the way to citizenship, was to marry an American citizen.

15:30  Isik Abla: Yes, it wasn't the reason the true reason I could get uh because I was highly educated and I we had a company in the United States at that time, they could obtain me a work permit and then continue with my everything. But tell you the truth, I didn't know how to survive without a man. I didn't know that, as a matter of fact, even I I became a Christian. I it's it took me a long journey to learn my identity.

16:00  Ric: I can imagine. I can imagine that for sure. So you're in the United States, you got a job with an employer who's helpful. You did get married again, which was a bad mistake. How how long did that take? Was it over a year or more?

16:13  Isik Abla: They were all like very short marriages. And even my green card story is a completely a miracle because I said, I don't think that from this marriage I'm gonna get a green card, but uh because I'm gonna get through an employment. And well, when I went to the uh immigration office and they interviewed me, I just broke down telling my life story. I literally I start weeping, and I am like, I don't care if you send me back or I am here, I don't want to live anymore. Like I was at the suicidal place at that time, and I remember the guy, he's like, I am so sorry for what you went through. I I I am really tearful. Nobody asked me this, and I don't think I ever on any platform I share this. It is my first time sharing it. He said, I am so sorry for what you went through. I can't imagine this marriage was a real marriage, and he put his stamp on my passport, approved. Great.

17:11  Ric: Wow, thank you, Jesus.

17:14  Isik Abla: Amen. And I I mean I got an American citizen. There were 119 countries, judge said, presented in that courtroom. And I was proudly seeing the nation of Anthem weeping as a Christian.

17:30  Ric: Wow. Wow. So that that the actual conversion story is also very interesting, and it happened in the blink of an eye. Are you weeping? Are you crying? You don't need to cry.

17:44  Intro: Oh, yes.

17:48  Ric: Um the uh so the miracle story was an employer, uh your boss. Where where was it that you were working? What kind of a job did you have?

The day Jesus changed everything

17:59  Isik Abla: So this company was uh 26 years ago, they were building Bible websites, city websites, uh, all kinds of different websites that we we search right now on Google where to eat, where to do this. And now you go to Bible, this scripture that so it was a Christian company and owned by this amazing people that they were witnessing to me, and the vice president also was a Christian, and he was witnessing to me. I was like, uh they hired me because I was called I continue in America my education. So one thing I did right in my life, studying all the time, because I heard my father was uh uh uh advising if one female from our family that was going through some stuff, he said to her, as a woman, if you want to have any power, anything in your life, anything, educate yourself, go to school, get a diploma. He didn't tell me this. He didn't even care that if I went to college or anything. I heard him saying that, and in my heart, I said, I'm gonna I'm gonna do education, I'm gonna educate myself. So I was studying computer science, then computer engineering, and I didn't finish the engineering part, but I I was highly uh computer savvy at that time, so they hired me. And then they started. Uh imagine, I am a Muslim girl, I am I am doing this Bible entries in the in the database.

19:35  Ric: Not knowing really what you were doing, you were just doing your job, right?

19:39  Isik Abla: Every morning they have a Bible study, and I am going to it's optional, and I am going to the Bible study, and I am saying, Allah, I will never become a Christian, I will never become an infidel, I am only going to please my boss. So, but it was a setup because I started hearing about Jesus and the true Jesus. Oh my gosh, I have I kept ball because I love him so much, and then my boss was like so real. He wasn't religious, he was a man with imperfections and real with me. He could make mistakes, he was the first man ever apologized for me when he made mistakes, or he'd snap at me, he he would snap at me, and then he would come and say, I wanna apologize, I ask your forgiveness, and I like beat me up, man kick me on the floor, they sped on me, and this man just was rude to me, and he comes and asks forgiveness.

20:44  Ric: Isik Abla shares her miracle story of conversion, born Muslim, and then finding Jesus on Amazing Greats. Oh my gosh,

20:54  Ric: oh my gosh, so good, so good. So that's a part I didn't understand about your career either, which is very interesting. I didn't realize where you worked that it was actually with a company that actually did Bibles and stuff like that, just because that's that where that they needed your kind of expertise. Uh so education there again helped out, right? So uh so your your boss on this one particular day, this is the story I've heard. He calls you in and just says, Do you want to give your life to Jesus?

21:26  Isik Abla: Yes. Uh that and it was the day I planned my suicide. I was gonna kill myself, fly my car from a bridge. I made up my mind, and I was about to leave. About to leave at that very moment. I ran to the restroom, I cried, I had a fit with Allah. God, I didn't know who I was talking to. I came to my seat, he called me to his office. I was getting ready to leave, and he calls me and he says, I have never done this in my life. I know it's going to sound weird to you, but I have to be obedient. My Lord Jesus just told me that He knows what you are about to do, and He wants me to tell you that you are never forsaken nor abandoned. And when you were a little girl, He knew nothing about me. When you were beaten up, abused, molested, He was by your side. And He never left you. And He was interceding for you that one day you will turn to Him. Now you want to accept Him. Do you want to accept Him as your Lord and Savior? And I'm like, I don't know. I could not explain Trinity. I I didn't know anything about the Word of God, how Jesus could become a Son of God. I I had no understanding, but I knew one thing. Jesus was real, he was alive, and he was in a troop. And he was the only way.

22:55  Unidentified speaker: Wow.

22:57  Ric: So so so good. I I I just love that story. Now tell me, um because you were kind of ignorant to the whole Jesus story and to Christianity, uh, what what happened next? I mean, did you jump into Bible study? Did you um um did you have a mentor? Did that boss continue to kind of school you and disciple you along the way? Or or how did you grow your faith and your relationship with Jesus?

Growing in faith and discovering Scripture

23:28  Isik Abla: So that's a great question that nobody asks, I think. But first of all, I became a Jesus freak at that very moment. So I mean, like my boss was looking at me, I was on the floor weeping, and the suicidal woman left, and this crazy happy woman came, and I was a new creation. I was literally a new creation, and I wanted to run on the streets, hug and kiss everybody. Like I became this love bug, and I and so this man is looking into almost like this butterfly is this coming out of his cocoon right now. He like how amazing it will look if you look at the at that very moment that a butterfly breaks the cocoon and comes out. So he's literally looking at me like that, like in shock. Wow, and then I started first time I went to church, and I didn't know what to expect. Of course, they always told me in Islam uh the Bible is altered, it is changed, it's not the real Bible, it is not the word of God, that's why Islam came with the Quran to correct the Bible, you know, like all these things that we learn. So I am like, okay, I love Jesus, Jesus is real, but I don't know about this Bible. You know, they I learn about all these lies. So and then I started hearing Jesus said, Love your enemies. If there's one among you without a sin, cast the first stone. And I'm like, I mean, that woman has to be stoned to death in Sharia law in Islam, but Jesus always took the higher road, always took the ultimate sacrifice and love. And I am like, What can be changed in this book? Is this like I have never heard great stories like this? Great, and these are not like made-ups, this is real because it is penetrating, you know, sharper than double-edged sword, penetrating into marrow and the bone is separating, dividing. It's happening every all of these things are happening when I'm hearing the word of God. And I am changing every time, every Sunday, and I didn't understand everything that the pastor said. I could take one scripture with me home, one scripture, and all week I thought he said, Do not be wise in your own eyes. And I'm like, I was like Ezekiel 3:3. It says, Eat the scroll. I ate the scroll, I ate the Bible. This is how my how hungry I was. And I put in my feet, then I went to, of course, Bible schools. I learned, I started learning Hebrew, Greek, started reading the Bible in different versions. Like I could not read even one version because I hate to know. I was so like passionate about it. And I'm still, I still am.

26:32  Ric: I can tell you are. I mean, I've never seen somebody so passionate. This is incredible. So as a as a Muslim now, uh, where do you, in your mind and in your heart, where do you put this Allah thing? Is it is he a god? Is he a myth? Is he man-made? Uh is he real? Uh, but in Satan's clothing? What who is Allah to you today?

Sharing Jesus through stories and relationships

26:55  Isik Abla: Well, you have all the great questions that I I think some some people should copy your questions. I I I want to tell you, this is so good because uh this is what I say. Before um, before Jesus, when I was a Muslim, I worship a God who told me to go kill and die in his name. But now I worship a God, a true God, who came and died on the cross for me. That is a difference.

27:24  Ric: Huge difference. Yeah. Life-changing difference. So does Allah exist?

27:31  Isik Abla: For some people, yes, of course He exists. And sometimes I say, if your God is telling you

27:37  Isik Abla: to kill people, hurt people, your God is my devil.

27:44  Ric: There you go. So now when you s when you go out to the world and you share the message, uh, what is your methodology? I mean, how do you uh you know what these Muslims are thinking and you know where they're coming from. Is there your secret uh weapon uh somehow to shift that thought or to undermine that thought and and to introduce them in a kind and gracious way to this person named Jesus?

28:16  Isik Abla: Uh yeah, I I don't I go to them and I don't want to be, I think this is God's gift that He has given me. Uh I am a storyteller. I tell them Jesus' stories, and I tell them how to relate to those stories. 12-year bleeding woman touched the hem of Jesus' garment. Simple. We make the gospel complicated. I make it simple, and actually Jesus made it simple, and I follow his example and I ask him, I ask them questions. I also travel to Muslim countries as a solo female traveler, and I do street market and marketplace evangelism by myself. I don't recommend this to anybody because I don't go with the Bible. Bible is inside of me. I memorize the word of God a lot, a lot of scriptures, and I go and I tell them stories and I am interested in their lives. One thing about the Muslim world, Middle East and the rest of the Muslim world, everybody is spiritual there. It is not like Europe. Europe, if you talk about any God, anything, they are like they are agnostic, they are atheists, they are like, we don't, this is a personal thing. Please don't talk to us. But if you go to Middle East, I don't know if you've been to Israel or anywhere, it's all spiritual. Yeah, people talk to you, you know. But if you uh throw Jesus, like try to push them and uh belittle their faith, then it's gonna be fire on you. I don't do that. I'm interested in them, like Jesus was. Do you want to get well? Uh, would you give me a glass of water? You know, and is there anything you need? A prayer? Do you need a miracle? Like I ask them questions. Jesus did. He asked questions. This was one of his greatest communication styles. And I'm interested in their lives. If you're interested in them, they are interested in your message.

30:19  Ric: Rick Hansen here with Isik Abla's unbelievable life story of abuse, failed marriages, and plans for suicide, and the complete turnaround that could only happen by the grace of Jesus Christ.

30:31  Isik Abla: So that is what I do. I go to them, I am interested in their pain, their anxiety, their trauma. I am purely for them. And Jesus is for them. So I don't tell them John 3:16, for God so love the world. That is the end, end result. I start with them, and Jesus was need-based. If let there was a leper, he healed him. If they were hungry, he fed them. And and if you look at today's, uh and I'm coming from a marketing business background, too, God can use anything. Um, it is need-based. You have to be need-based, you know. You can every audience is different, different. So, and every fish is a fisherman. Every fish needs a different bait. So you cannot you cannot catch salmon with what you you have for Mahimahi, or you know, everything is different. Some fish you catch with nets, some fish you catch with baits, and

31:36  Isik Abla: and you gotta know your fish. I know my fish because I was one of those fish.

31:42  Ric: You are so wise in so many ways. And the whole idea of simplifying uh is is so strategic. I think we all, even we who have been Christians, try to complicate it too much. It's about loving God and loving people. Let's start with that. And then uh, and then and and then your storytelling is discipleship of Jesus Himself because that was his strategy. Whatever he wanted to simplify uh an ideal, he would tell a story. And that's what that's what convinces people, that's what gets people going. And then when you go with the smile on your face and the glow in your face, uh with the love of Jesus, uh, that is very um addicting for others. And and the whole idea of serving uh first is what a great strategy. Anyway, thank you. I applaud you.

32:37  Isik Abla: You but I I don't I don't tell them that there's an opportunity. Hey, watch you guys believe I know the Quran, and I tell them, you know, I get some of them mad at me too. So but but there's a time for everything, right?

32:52  Ric: Yeah, and you have no fear going into a Muslim country and uh um bringing the Christian message all by your own self? Uh do you do you go with the group or no, no, no.

33:03  Isik Abla: I I and I and I have some uh trips coming up too as well. Uh I I I know how to do that, as I said. I don't go uh, you know, with Bible in my hand and uh attacking them or anything, I am just being a next door neighbor. Uh just give you an example. I uh once hired a tour guide. I I do hire a male true tour guide to take me uh in that culture. So I don't go as a when I said, you know, solo traveler, yes, but I do hire someone to take me to place to place. And the last time, uh usually I asked them, Do you consider yourself a good Muslim? And 100% answer is no. Oh because they don't know, they they don't have blessed assurance, they don't know that God loves their God loves them or not. So that's my go-to question. Do you consider yourself a good Muslim? I mean, I asked my true guy, he said, No. As a matter of fact, I am not a Muslim at all. Uh I left Islam. And and it opened up, uh, I said, No judgment, no judgment at all, me too. So, what is your story? And it started like this: before you know it, I led him to the Lord.

34:15  Ric: Really wonderful.

34:17  Isik Abla: So, so those are the opportunities really God presents to me. Not uh, you know, I tell people, if God is telling you to go, go. If you are telling yourself to go, don't.

34:27  Ric: Perfect. And so, and and actually, when you uh go, you are you're not you're not the quintessential look of a Muslim. You look like a you know, uh an American citizen, if you will, or whatever. Do you do you go with any kind of headgear or any of that kind of stuff?

34:47  Isik Abla: I uh mostly I pick up my hair. Uh not that I don't cover my head, you know, uh, but I also I dress very modest, uh, to respect to their culture. So they they kind of respect uh like I um opening your hair, like uh it's I am not a real blonde, obviously, but it's not a it's not a wise thing for a blunt woman to be there. I mean, they have her hair is big and everything. So but but I I engage with mostly women uh because it's not a very good idea for a person. Interesting, okay. Yeah, so women are like they look at me like a role model of freedom.

Family, church, and life with Jesus

35:30  Ric: Oh, yeah, yeah. So let me ask you some rapid fire questions here about your personal life currently. So do you have any children?

35:39  Isik Abla: Anyone I have a daughter, I have a daughter.

35:42  Ric: Is she in your life?

35:44  Isik Abla: Oh, yes, yes. My daughter is a wonderful Christian, young mom. Uh uh, yes, she's she's a minister, and she with her husband uh working. I I just visited my two grandchildren. Oh, nice, and they are amazing. So uh yes. And you have a church family?

36:04  Ric: You're in Virginia now, uh, somewhere in Virginia. Do you have a uh church community that you have?

36:10  Isik Abla: Yes, I have a church family. As a matter of fact, uh we started it with my group of friends, we started a church. Uh and then that in the church is a little different. We are training missionaries in the church. So it's kind of an international church that we train people to go, not to keep them.

36:32  Ric: Yeah. Uh in your personal life, how does uh do you do you audibly hear uh the voice of God or the voice of Jesus? Or is it a thought? Or how do you how do you interact with in your relationship?

36:46  Isik Abla: Mostly, mostly inner voice. However, many times I heard Jesus audibly. Uh I got visitations of Jesus. And just like a lot of Muslims talk about, I I had many visitations of Jesus. Uh my life wasn't easy. I smile and I am full of joy of the Lord, but uh I've been through a lot of trials, tribulations, persecutions after becoming a Christian, obviously, with what I do. And I go through a lot, but uh here's the thing: Jesus always met me, just like he met uh Paul. And uh I had angelic encounters, many angelic encounters.

37:30  Ric: Interesting.

37:31  Isik Abla: Uh in because I've been through a lot of Gethsemanies. So then you are weak, then you are strong.

37:39  Ric: Uh so let's talk a bit about the book. The book just came out not all that long ago, right? Um, and it's called I Live That.

37:47  Isik Abla: Yeah, this is uh I live it. Uh this is teaching, and then I have another one, Heavenly Whispers. That's the same thing. And this is the 355 thing. And it is trauma healing devotional for everybody. It is really if depression, anxiety, it's it just lifts up everything. And then this one is more like teaching about what political jihad, media jihad, population jihad, all of those stuff that Western world is not familiar and now getting into that, especially in America. It's a very short book, small book, easy to read to understand, what I live, you know.

Books, ministry goals, and what comes next

38:33  Ric: So, what's next for uh for you uh in your ministry? Do you have some goal that you're reaching? I I I guess we heard one goal, which is a billion um uh followers or influences in the world. Uh other things that you have planned, you're still a young person and so energetic and excited about uh Jesus that uh there's gotta be more in you. What do you what do you think?

38:57  Isik Abla: Um my main thing is right now trauma healing and of course uh liber liberation of women in the Muslim world. Uh I am heavily uh working with uh people in Iran and in Turkey, in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, very hard places. I I am able to, by grace of God, reach to those uh countries. I even led terrorists to the Lord. Uh I mean they truly came gloriously to the salvation of Jesus Christ. So I work in hard places and um I I love to see more leadership development in the Muslim world, Christian leadership development. So this is what I do. I plant churches in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, the wherever big Muslim populations are, I am there. So that is what I do.

39:50  Ric: Have you maintained any relationship with those folks that were uh uh at your original company, the Bible uh website company?

39:57  Isik Abla: Uh do you have a still have relationships and contacts? Uh there are some funny stories like when they were laying hands on a printer that was broken and it started working. And they later, I was like, there, you were freaking prayer, praying over this freaking computer or printer, and it starts working. I was so scared of them. No, no, I do the same thing. I pray over my car. So there are so many, so many stories. It's it's like uh it's a joyful, exciting, adventurous life when you live for Jesus.

40:38  Ric: So uh how can we support you? You have a website yourself, right?

40:43  Isik Abla: Yes, yes, I do. Uh it is it's a kabla.com, it's isikabla.com, and or go find me. Uh you can support our ministry. If you cannot go to those countries and God is calling you, or even in America, you want to reach the Muslim world in America, you can support our ministry.

How to support Isik’s ministry

41:04  Ric: Very cool. Thank you so much. I think we have been like uh taking our time with you, and you've been so generous with your story.

41:12  Isik Abla: Thank you so much.

41:13  Ric: I just really appreciate you and appreciate your transformation and and helping us understand what a great transformation it has been for you.

41:23  Isik Abla: So yes, thank you so much.

41:25  Ric: Isik, thank you so much for being with us today on Amazing Greats. Isik Abla. Maybe my favorite transformation story of all time on Amazing Greats. Wow. She shared it in such an authentic and joyful way. Love this conversation. You gotta pass this over along to your family, your friends. So good. Thank you for listening and watching, and until next time, God bless.