Woman recounts radical encounter with Jesus

After years of searching for a loving God, one woman is filled with joy after God audibly spoke to her.

Hedieh Mirahmadi grew up in Iran and moved to the U.S. with her family as immigrants in pursuit of the 'American Dream.' Settling in Beverly Hills, the family believed they found it.

"In Islam, God is not a father. God is the ultimate judge and he sits apart from us judging absolutely everything that we do," says Mirahmadi in a video interview with the CBN News.

While she had everything in the world's eyes, Mirahmadi felt guilty for being sad as it wasn't enough. That's when she got more serious about her Islamic faith.

"I always wondered what that space was in my heart that made me feel empty," she says.

While at UCLA, she tried out one local mosque but found it too extreme. Mirahmadi tried another version of Islam called Sufism.

"A mystical practice in Islam which is all about love, and harmony, and finding a personal relationship with God. I thought, okay this is perfect."

She was so turned off by extremists that she started work for the FBI, writing reports on it. She worked with government agencies, including interacting with then-president Barack Obama.

Hedieh, former Muslim, working with Barack Obama.

"It was a natural fit for me to be in Islam and in these communities, studying them and working against extremism at the same time."

After years of practicing her faith, Mirahmadi found that it was more based on fear than love.

"You're constantly praying to a God that didn't answer you."

With salvation an uncertain possibility, no matter how much devotion a person gave, it became too much for Mirahmadi. She took off her head covering, was cursed by her imams, and left the faith.

"It was devastating as I had no bearings underneath me. I felt really lost."

Mirahmadi had spent 22 years practicing Islam, searching for God. Shortly after leaving her faith, she watched a video online of a Christian pastor. She had come to a breaking point.

"I was on my knees in ritual prayer form of Islam, with my head on the ground, just crying."

Mirahmadi asked God to reveal Himself to her as she was confused about all of it, including who He was.

"It was in one of these prayers in my bedroom that I audibly heard the voice of Christ. He said, 'Hedieh, it's Me.' It was extraordinary. I knew from that moment on I would never be the same."

She began reading the Bible which seemed to come alive, unlike anything she'd ever read.

"I came to a point where I said I have to accept that Jesus is Lord."

Shortly after, Mirahmadi was baptized at the same church that released the video online.

"He's been with me the whole time. At times I ask Him why I had to experience certain things, but He's used all of my past in order to do it and it wouldn't have been possible 25 years ago."