A Divine Encounter in Palm Beach

I’m excited to share an update on a trip that has been many months in the making. Jessica Lalley of Voices to Connect had been working hard to get me to speak at the Palm Beach 4 Christ Women's Bible Study, and on Friday, April 4th, it finally happened.

In addition to the Bible study, Jessica made sure to make the most of our time in Palm Beach. She arranged for me to speak to 28 students at Palm Beach Atlantic University on Thursday, the day we arrived. Mark Kaprive, who teaches Christian Formation and Faith to sophomores and juniors, invited me to give a 25-minute talk about the Middle East and 4G3. The students had great questions afterward, and it was a wonderful opportunity to share.

Afterward, Mark took us to Starbucks to meet an Egyptian student named Gloria, who had missed the lecture due to a test. Gloria is a 21-year-old Egyptian woman on fire for Jesus, and she invited us to speak at her youth group meeting the following day, where we discussed "Divine Connections."

The next day, we headed to the Palm Beach 4 Christ Women’s Bible Study, held in a beautiful, historic building called the Paramount, which used to be a movie theater. Around 70 women, elegantly dressed and eager to learn, gathered to hear about the Middle East and what’s not often shared in the news.It was wonderful to see so many new faces, many of whom were invited by friends. I spoke for 40 minutes about the Middle East, 4G3, and the work we are doing. The women had so many questions and prayer requests that we spent another hour praying and encouraging them after the session. They also lifted us up in prayer, which was deeply moving.

A powerful moment came when Denise, the leader of the Bible study, told me a Muslim woman wanted to speak with me. She is a beautiful Turkish fashion designer. She asked many questions, and when I asked her, “Have you received Jesus as your personal Savior?” she seemed confused, unsure of what I meant. She then began to share her experience of visiting a church in Paris and feeling peace when she lit a candle there.

I took that moment to share the full gospel with her. Afterward, I asked again, “Are you ready to accept Jesus?” Ellie responded with a firm “Yes.”She prayed with me, accepting Christ as her personal Savior!Afterward, she said, “You came today for me.”

It was an incredible reminder of how God orchestrates moments like these perfectly. Jessica and I had prayed that morning, asking God to lead us to anyone who needed to know Him. Only God could create such a beautiful and perfect moment.

I want to express my deepest gratitude for your continued prayers and support. We cannot do this without you. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Blessings,

Dr. Laila Wahba