1/5/14 SO I SAW NAGMEH ABEDINI,WIFE of IMPRISONED IRAN-American PASTOR SAEED ABEDINI @ Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa (CCCM) Saeed is in an Iran prison now in the 2nd year of an 8 year sentence for converting to Christianity (which she says actually is NOT against Iranian law). So I took a few notes during her presentation and here's a few of them:
*She says CCCM is her home church, but she lives in idaho? I was confused about whether she currently lives in Idaho or not. But clearly Idaho is some sort of home base. She grew up mostly here in America,if not born here. She randomly applied to puget sound univ, but didn't know it was extremely liberal at the time,making her feel like the "odd man,or woman,out".
*Around November, 2001 she went back to Iran.
*In November of 2002 she met Saeed, at the time she was doing small Bible studies,..she says she had been praying for a "radical husband"...and joked to "be careful what you pray 4"...
*re carrying the cross,denying self..took time for her & saeed to adjust to different set of cultural norms in their marriage,she being more accustomed to american norms.,he being iranian.
*Despite the bad things that have happened to Saeed, the good thing to come from it is that she's witnessing to the world...in front of the united nations, & on Iran primetime tv,she shared her faith to millions.She recently met with Donald Trump & a few others; and the list goes on, apparently making appearances worldwide even though she is not naturally at ease as a speaker or in front of an audience.
*As noted above, she found out it is not actually illegal to convert to Christianity in Iran..* that by their own law,Iran is holding saeed illegally..its a human rights violation
*She told of a story of being arrested for the first time (in Iran) with Saeed & being interrogated all night, & having to decide whether she & Abeed would stick to their testimony of being Christian,..and they did , and she prayed ...and first the interrogator said "You're dead"..but something transpired and after all of this and the anger of the interrogator he suddenly ripped up the papers & asked for a bible & let them go!
She says the Ultimate takeaway or lesson she wants to leave us with is:
*learning to deny self & carry the cross,luke 9.23-24
*and to remember that God's grace is sufficient..,talking about how she now understands Paul more clearly she he says he takes pleasure in infirmities,reproach,persecution,distress,et al 2 Cor 12.8-10
*IT WAS an emotional & moving testimony and very inspirational. She says she is very appreciative of prayers for her & her children, and Saeed, and wonders if she will ever see him again.
*She did not say anything about Obama's apparent failure to even try to negotiate the release of Saeed. Shame on Obama!
