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From Islam to Christ: One Woman's Path Through the Riddles of God
Born and raised in Muslim Turkey, Derya Little wandered far and wide in search of her true home. After her parents' divorce, she rejected her family's Islamic faith and became an atheist. During her stormy adolescence, she tried to convince a Christian missionary that there is no God but was converted to Christ instead. Her winding path through the riddles of God was not over, however. While attending a Turkish university and serving as a Christian youth minister, Derya began to compare the teachings of Protestantism and Catholicism, and during her doctoral studies in England, she entered the Catholic Church. Ultimately, she ended up in the United States, where she has become a citizen and has settled down to raise a family. Derya's story provides a window into both Islam and modernity. It shows that the grace and the mercy of God know no bounds. Rather, the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ reaches souls in the most unlikely places.
185 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 12, 2017
26 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Derya Little
10 books30 followersBorn and raised in Turkey, my first encounter with God was through the lenses of Islam. A messy divorce and a crisis of faith later, I was an atheist teenager who knew everything.
Then the wandering began, until I finally found truth in Christianity and my home in the Catholic Church.
In the mean time I received degrees in international relations and history. Now, with a PhD in political science, I live in a small town in the American Northeast with my husband and four children, reading, writing, enjoying coffee and kissing booboos.
Then the wandering began, until I finally found truth in Christianity and my home in the Catholic Church.
In the mean time I received degrees in international relations and history. Now, with a PhD in political science, I live in a small town in the American Northeast with my husband and four children, reading, writing, enjoying coffee and kissing booboos.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 16, 2022
Simple way of sharing the journey Derya Little went through to embrace Christianity. She was a Muslim by birth and later went through difficult moments in life, even to the stage of killing her two babies in her womb. But, later in life she recognized the love of God and embraced the mercy Jesus shares with the humanity. She began as a protestant Christian but later she turned to Catholicism. This book helps us to recognize the love and grace of God. How God can help you to live the life he planned for you? A book which worth reading....
March 26, 2018
Conversion stories usually are interesting if the converter converts to your faith. Derya Little’s conversion story, documented in her wonderful book is perhaps a more extraordinary than most, and so perhaps might interest more than just Catholics. First off she was born and raised to Muslim parents in a country that claims to be 99.8% Islamic, the Republic of Turkey. That she went from Muslim to atheist to Protestant Christian to Roman Catholic is also rather extraordinary, especially when you consider how few Christians are even in Turkey. Also interesting is the passionate adherence to each of her shifts. So when she became an atheist, she was of the virulent variety; when a Protestant Christian, a staunch one; and when a Roman Catholic, a convicted one. That Derya Little is incredibly intelligent (if I read correctly she has a Ph.D in international politics) means that her transitions took place with intellectual examination, and in this, her confessional memoir, she walks us through the intellectual transitions, filtered through her life experiences, in much the way of St. Augustine in his Confessions. This is an extraordinary book.
The problem began in her pre-teen years when her father decided he was happier with other women, and ultimately wanted an open relationship with a mistress. This was not acceptable to the mother, and so they divorced, which left the mother and the children in some financial difficulty. The divorce was shattering to the pre-teen child, and the disillusionment spread out into other parts of her life. If the father she had put so much faith in could dissolve her family just like that, what other things she had put faith in were questionable. She had not lost her faith, but her faith became nominal, if not perfunctory. She turned to reading, a rather intellectual sort of reading for a teenager. Through a friend, who had similar reading interests, though she was raised atheist, she was introduced to Turan Dursun, a Muslim scholar who had spent years understanding religion, only to come to the conclusion that it was false. Ultimately Darsun was murdered by the fundamentalists, but he had written a number of books which Derya devoured. Derya went on to learn in excruciating detail of cutthroat strategies, the mercilessness of the warriors, and the viciousness with those that surrendered. Sex and power and wealth are not attributes that come with spiritual people, or with those that desire spirituality. Derya goes on to summarize her complete loss of faith.
The conversion from atheist to Christianity happened several years later when in University. It started by getting a job tutoring Turkish to an American woman who had moved to Turkey with her family.
As a twenty-something who had “figured out the secrets of the universe…by reading about the cosmos and the theory of evolution” she decided that through their interactions she would bring Therese over to the atheist side. But Therese was more than an intellectual match for her. Therese was not your run-of-the mill Christian who just listens in church. She knew her faith and was a strong evangelist. So the college student atheist who thought she knew it all came in direct debate with someone who was as sharp and contentious as she was.
Derya worked through arguments of beauty, from the sanctity of life, from reading Dostoyevsky, and from witnessing the home dynamics and childrearing of Therese’s Christian home, and the home of another Christian family. I don’t have the space to go through it all, you’ll have to get the book. Once her heart felt full conversion, she was baptized and volunteered for whatever few Christian events and outings were available in Turkey.
But she had one more conversion to make, and that involved the nature of Christianity. It started when one of her friends, Anthony, sheepishly told her he had become Roman Catholic. So what does an intelligent girl do when she thinks her friend has made an intellectual error? She goes on a mission to prove him wrong. And, of course, that’s the hook, line, and sinker which brings Derya herself into the Catholic Church. Derya goes on to find Roman Catholicism is not wrong, but as G. K. Chesterton, another famous convert, famously said, “The difficulty of explaining “why I am a Catholic” is that there are ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that Catholicism is true.”
Besides sola scriptura, Derya explored other issues that she found lacking in the Protestant understanding of Christianity, such as “once saved, always saved,” the lack of necessity to do works when Christ Himself in parable after parable insists on it, the lack of a teaching Magisterium, and the sometimes incompatibility between science and faith while they seemed to complement each other so well in Catholicism. Interestingly, it was not a long process. She summarizes: “To be honest, the theological arguments for Catholicism were so strong that it did not take me very long to become convinced that my path was gently but surely leading to Rome.”
There is so much more to the book. I’ve left out most of the personal life. You get some insight in what it’s like to live in Turkey, to live in a relative moderate form of Islam, and into her family. Deya describes her life around the Christians who are on the margins of Turkish life, her trip to England for her doctoral studies, meeting what the person who would be her husband, breaking the news to her parents of her conversion, and of her new life with her husband and three children in the United States. This is a gem of a book.
The problem began in her pre-teen years when her father decided he was happier with other women, and ultimately wanted an open relationship with a mistress. This was not acceptable to the mother, and so they divorced, which left the mother and the children in some financial difficulty. The divorce was shattering to the pre-teen child, and the disillusionment spread out into other parts of her life. If the father she had put so much faith in could dissolve her family just like that, what other things she had put faith in were questionable. She had not lost her faith, but her faith became nominal, if not perfunctory. She turned to reading, a rather intellectual sort of reading for a teenager. Through a friend, who had similar reading interests, though she was raised atheist, she was introduced to Turan Dursun, a Muslim scholar who had spent years understanding religion, only to come to the conclusion that it was false. Ultimately Darsun was murdered by the fundamentalists, but he had written a number of books which Derya devoured. Derya went on to learn in excruciating detail of cutthroat strategies, the mercilessness of the warriors, and the viciousness with those that surrendered. Sex and power and wealth are not attributes that come with spiritual people, or with those that desire spirituality. Derya goes on to summarize her complete loss of faith.
In Muhammed's life, I saw blood, destruction, and selfishness, not the acts of a sinless man, as the Muslims claim him to be. I realized that the exalted founder of Islam was only a sinful man who used his influence to further himself. I could not even respect him for his accomplishments. Thus I completely turned my back on Islam. I could not possibly follow a man so violent and selfish. If there were someone I would be willing to lay my life down for, he would have to be willing to sacrifice himself for me and to promote selflessness and peace instead of chasing after the pleasures of this world. As far as I knew, there was no such man.
The conversion from atheist to Christianity happened several years later when in University. It started by getting a job tutoring Turkish to an American woman who had moved to Turkey with her family.
As a twenty-something who had “figured out the secrets of the universe…by reading about the cosmos and the theory of evolution” she decided that through their interactions she would bring Therese over to the atheist side. But Therese was more than an intellectual match for her. Therese was not your run-of-the mill Christian who just listens in church. She knew her faith and was a strong evangelist. So the college student atheist who thought she knew it all came in direct debate with someone who was as sharp and contentious as she was.
Derya worked through arguments of beauty, from the sanctity of life, from reading Dostoyevsky, and from witnessing the home dynamics and childrearing of Therese’s Christian home, and the home of another Christian family. I don’t have the space to go through it all, you’ll have to get the book. Once her heart felt full conversion, she was baptized and volunteered for whatever few Christian events and outings were available in Turkey.
But she had one more conversion to make, and that involved the nature of Christianity. It started when one of her friends, Anthony, sheepishly told her he had become Roman Catholic. So what does an intelligent girl do when she thinks her friend has made an intellectual error? She goes on a mission to prove him wrong. And, of course, that’s the hook, line, and sinker which brings Derya herself into the Catholic Church. Derya goes on to find Roman Catholicism is not wrong, but as G. K. Chesterton, another famous convert, famously said, “The difficulty of explaining “why I am a Catholic” is that there are ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that Catholicism is true.”
Besides sola scriptura, Derya explored other issues that she found lacking in the Protestant understanding of Christianity, such as “once saved, always saved,” the lack of necessity to do works when Christ Himself in parable after parable insists on it, the lack of a teaching Magisterium, and the sometimes incompatibility between science and faith while they seemed to complement each other so well in Catholicism. Interestingly, it was not a long process. She summarizes: “To be honest, the theological arguments for Catholicism were so strong that it did not take me very long to become convinced that my path was gently but surely leading to Rome.”
There is so much more to the book. I’ve left out most of the personal life. You get some insight in what it’s like to live in Turkey, to live in a relative moderate form of Islam, and into her family. Deya describes her life around the Christians who are on the margins of Turkish life, her trip to England for her doctoral studies, meeting what the person who would be her husband, breaking the news to her parents of her conversion, and of her new life with her husband and three children in the United States. This is a gem of a book.
November 8, 2018
Surprisingly one of THE most intellectually diverse and psychologically deep conversion stories Ive read so far.
Has it’s flaws, such as a strange unneeded negative tone at the beginning, but extremely relevant.
What she went through is what a lot of people around the world are going through, including some people I know.
Has it’s flaws, such as a strange unneeded negative tone at the beginning, but extremely relevant.
What she went through is what a lot of people around the world are going through, including some people I know.
January 30, 2018
This was the third book by Derya I have read in the last month. The other two were her fiction series, and as much as I loved those stories. This story is incredible and proves yet again that real life is stranger than fiction. This is a powerful story, and I am very thankful to have read it. This book is an easy read from a reading level, but at parts is very hard to read about what Derya went through on her journey to Christ, and then into Catholicism. For an academic this book is very accessible. In fact, in many ways it reminded me of reading C.S. Lewis's religious writings.
The stories of the people God brought into her life. And the path she traveled to become a person of faith is incredible. I also appreciate her little weavings of her love of fiction into her story as examples. Such as early on she says:
"Most importantly, that Turkish young woman did not want anything to do with God, yet I was filled with gratitude and hope at the sight of a crucifix in a garage. Little by little, I had traveled far, not only physically but also spiritually. Thankfully, as wise Gandalf says in The Lord of the Rings, "Not all who wander are lost.""
Or later when she exclaims:
"I was a new creation, and I could not wait to learn all about my new life. When my journey began, I was a reluctant traveler like Bilbo Baggins, who was jostled and annoyed by uninvited guests in his house. That evening I made the same discovery eventually made by Bilbo-that I was being led on a thrilling, life-changing adventure."
For much like Bilbo her life has been an incredible journey. Both spiritually and physically. She travelled from a culturally Islamic family in Turkey. To England for grad studies, where she became Roman Catholic. And finally, on to the United States to become a wife, a mother and author. She first became a Christian through the influence of evangelical Christians. Later when a friend from those circles became Catholic she decided to study Catholicism to refute his positions. But few people begin their study with the theology of Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger. Finding it a stretch she returned to Mark Shea's 'By What Authority? An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition' She states:
"To be honest, after reading Shea's book, I was not suddenly convinced of the Catholic Church's authority over all Christians, but I found a giant hole in my arguments against all things Catholic."
And thus, began her study in earnest. She had to convince the staff at a Catholic church in Turkey that she was serious. Her persistence eventually led to a pivotal turning point.
Later she says:
"I would love to hop into TARDIS and travel back in time to have a chat with my twenty-year-old self, telling her that in seventeen years she would be Catholic, married to an American, raising four children, and writing on the side. She would not believe it. She would more readily believe in a time machine and an alien race with two hearts than in the version of herself that I have become."
And I wonder how many of us would like the chance to go back and tell our younger selves something. And she concludes the book with these words:
"It occurs to me that little by little, I traveled far.
It occurs to me that God is forever faithful.
It occurs to me that I was lost, but now I am found."
Now this story is not all sunshine and roses. Derya came from a very dysfunctional family. Her parents were divorced at a time and place where that was not the norm. Her mother checked out, and her father focused his time, attention and money on his new wife. She experienced years of rejection and rebellion in her own life, and those choices had consequences. Some that would bother her for years. But God proved to be with her always guiding and leading her.
This book is a powerful read, but it is not all rainbows and candy. I found that my own faith was inspired and encouraged by Derya's story. And my prayers for my own children has redoubled. I highly recommend you give this book a try.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Derya Little.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2018 Catholic Reading Plan!
The stories of the people God brought into her life. And the path she traveled to become a person of faith is incredible. I also appreciate her little weavings of her love of fiction into her story as examples. Such as early on she says:
"Most importantly, that Turkish young woman did not want anything to do with God, yet I was filled with gratitude and hope at the sight of a crucifix in a garage. Little by little, I had traveled far, not only physically but also spiritually. Thankfully, as wise Gandalf says in The Lord of the Rings, "Not all who wander are lost.""
Or later when she exclaims:
"I was a new creation, and I could not wait to learn all about my new life. When my journey began, I was a reluctant traveler like Bilbo Baggins, who was jostled and annoyed by uninvited guests in his house. That evening I made the same discovery eventually made by Bilbo-that I was being led on a thrilling, life-changing adventure."
For much like Bilbo her life has been an incredible journey. Both spiritually and physically. She travelled from a culturally Islamic family in Turkey. To England for grad studies, where she became Roman Catholic. And finally, on to the United States to become a wife, a mother and author. She first became a Christian through the influence of evangelical Christians. Later when a friend from those circles became Catholic she decided to study Catholicism to refute his positions. But few people begin their study with the theology of Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger. Finding it a stretch she returned to Mark Shea's 'By What Authority? An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition' She states:
"To be honest, after reading Shea's book, I was not suddenly convinced of the Catholic Church's authority over all Christians, but I found a giant hole in my arguments against all things Catholic."
And thus, began her study in earnest. She had to convince the staff at a Catholic church in Turkey that she was serious. Her persistence eventually led to a pivotal turning point.
Later she says:
"I would love to hop into TARDIS and travel back in time to have a chat with my twenty-year-old self, telling her that in seventeen years she would be Catholic, married to an American, raising four children, and writing on the side. She would not believe it. She would more readily believe in a time machine and an alien race with two hearts than in the version of herself that I have become."
And I wonder how many of us would like the chance to go back and tell our younger selves something. And she concludes the book with these words:
"It occurs to me that little by little, I traveled far.
It occurs to me that God is forever faithful.
It occurs to me that I was lost, but now I am found."
Now this story is not all sunshine and roses. Derya came from a very dysfunctional family. Her parents were divorced at a time and place where that was not the norm. Her mother checked out, and her father focused his time, attention and money on his new wife. She experienced years of rejection and rebellion in her own life, and those choices had consequences. Some that would bother her for years. But God proved to be with her always guiding and leading her.
This book is a powerful read, but it is not all rainbows and candy. I found that my own faith was inspired and encouraged by Derya's story. And my prayers for my own children has redoubled. I highly recommend you give this book a try.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Derya Little.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2018 Catholic Reading Plan!
February 6, 2018
I started reading “From Islam to Christ: One Woman's Path through the Riddles of God” on Saturday and finished it on Sunday. I never finish reading books I do not love and the ones I do love, I tend to devour. I devoured this book. My husband and I have been to Turkey several times (it is a beautiful country), and before his entering into the Catholic Church and my reverting to the Church of my childhood, we had financially supported Christian ministries to evangelize Muslims in their own countries for many years. So once I discovered Derya’s book, I was eager to read it. It was lovely to imagine that indirectly we had been part Derya’s journey.
I liked the way the author gave a short background of Turkey’s history and presented the reader with a perspective of one raised in a Muslim country where religion and politics meld into one social structure. She explained how Turkey is similar yet different to other Muslim countries. She provided insights on Islam and Christianity that are key to understanding how Islam is winning converts in the West while Christianity is on the decline.
The author weaves her childhood, adolescence, young adulthood and, finally, her roles as wife and mother into her quest to make sense out of life and cope with non-optimal circumstances all the while searching for Truth. The questions that Derya finally acknowledged in her Evangelical Protestantism faith (once she converted from Islam to Christianity) and the answers that she found will benefit all truthseekers.
The book is a winner on so many levels. Derya’s command of language is rich and impressive, even more so given that English is not her native language. She is a natural storyteller. The book is well-written, and her story is captivating. She is brutally honest about her actions, and she does not demonize others. She shares her courageous and bumpy walk to become a Christian and ultimately the resolve to become a saint through the trials of family life as experienced by a stay-at-home mom with a hard-earned doctorate.
Derya is a brilliant woman with many gifts. The reader reaps the bounty of many great Catholic Theologians and writers, whose wisdom has seeped into Derya’s writing and worldview. I strongly recommend this book.
I liked the way the author gave a short background of Turkey’s history and presented the reader with a perspective of one raised in a Muslim country where religion and politics meld into one social structure. She explained how Turkey is similar yet different to other Muslim countries. She provided insights on Islam and Christianity that are key to understanding how Islam is winning converts in the West while Christianity is on the decline.
The author weaves her childhood, adolescence, young adulthood and, finally, her roles as wife and mother into her quest to make sense out of life and cope with non-optimal circumstances all the while searching for Truth. The questions that Derya finally acknowledged in her Evangelical Protestantism faith (once she converted from Islam to Christianity) and the answers that she found will benefit all truthseekers.
The book is a winner on so many levels. Derya’s command of language is rich and impressive, even more so given that English is not her native language. She is a natural storyteller. The book is well-written, and her story is captivating. She is brutally honest about her actions, and she does not demonize others. She shares her courageous and bumpy walk to become a Christian and ultimately the resolve to become a saint through the trials of family life as experienced by a stay-at-home mom with a hard-earned doctorate.
Derya is a brilliant woman with many gifts. The reader reaps the bounty of many great Catholic Theologians and writers, whose wisdom has seeped into Derya’s writing and worldview. I strongly recommend this book.
September 16, 2017
Awesome
Inspiration in the entire book! I loved reading her journey to her faith, and the discovery she made. Answered a lot of my own questions.
Inspiration in the entire book! I loved reading her journey to her faith, and the discovery she made. Answered a lot of my own questions.
April 3, 2018
What a great conversion story! I am always uplifted by reading why and how a person comes to Christ and home to the Church. I appreciated the insights into Turkish Muslim culture and Mohamed.
January 1, 2024
First book finished in the new year (2024). Was hoping to read about a committed Muslim converting to Christianity, and the breakdown of the theological principles of Islam, but still a good testimony nonetheless.
“Everything that makes the West attractive… is a mere echo of its Christian past… So we should not be surprised that Islam, with its strong identity and community that spring from a shared way of thinking and acting, gains a foothold here and in other Western countries.”
“Everything that makes the West attractive… is a mere echo of its Christian past… So we should not be surprised that Islam, with its strong identity and community that spring from a shared way of thinking and acting, gains a foothold here and in other Western countries.”
January 11, 2023
An incredible story of one woman’s love and faith. The path to following God is not always an easy one, but Derya’s story assures me that God’s grace is working within us all. I was lost but now I am finally found. Could not recommend more to anyone thinking to convert.
January 2, 2022
I first learned of this author through a Youtube channel that I follow and when I found that she had written a book, I immediately went searching for Derya Little online!
For Islam to Christ is a very readable book on her journey from Islam to Christ. I learned many things about being Muslim, living in a Muslim-centric country such as Turkey, and how she eventually came to the U.S. Her writing is approachable, her humour is honest, and made me smile.
For Islam to Christ is a very readable book on her journey from Islam to Christ. I learned many things about being Muslim, living in a Muslim-centric country such as Turkey, and how she eventually came to the U.S. Her writing is approachable, her humour is honest, and made me smile.
July 19, 2018
Derya Little has entered into the mainstream of Catholicism and has been talk of the town for months now with the release of her recent conversion story, "From Islam to Christ."
As suspected, Little details her conversion story of growing up as a Muslim in Turkey, to coming into the fullness of Truth: namely, the Catholic Faith. On that journey, Little enters into atheism from her Islamic upbringing, passes along through Protestantism, and finally arrives at the destination that God wills: Roman Catholicism.
Her story is a deeply personal and humble one, taking readers along with her from her upbringing in Turkey, being raised in a less-than-orthodox / strict Islamic family. This may very well have been the best-case scenario for Little to even arrive to where she is now as a Catholic. Many of those who are raised in the radical Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Iraq, never arrive to the doors of Christianity due to their geographical upbringing. Luckily, Derya Little wasn't raised in Iran or Saudi Arabia, but was raised in Turkey, which allowed her to arrive to where she is.
Little is able to recall much of her experience to great detail in a story-like essence. No one need not be concerned about English not being her mother-tongue, as the read is seamless and your eyes will effortlessly read through what the author has poured out.
Through her parent's divorce, her journey really begins as she leaves the Islamic system and enters into an atheism (understandably so, being raised as she was). Derya suffered much, but looking back, she would certainly say that the Holy Spirit had a hand in all of the happenings in her life, protecting her and bringing her to Christianity.
She meets Christian missionaries in Turkey that begin to plant seeds of faith in her heart that will naturally blossom at the right time (God's providence), which inadvertently lead her to Christ. Her higher-level academic studies, the people she meets, and the experiences she undergoes all lead her to Christ and ultimately to the Church He founded: Catholicism.
I am utterly grateful for Derya's honesty and humility to share such deeply personal stories, especially as one who was raised as a Muslim; for exposing such experiences within Islam is punishable by death. The bravery and courage it took for her to write this book is inspiring in the true sense, and I know she will be a gift for many who cross the Tiber from the Islamic background, and for others who swim the Tiber from Protestant backgrounds, too.
Excellent and enjoyable read.
As suspected, Little details her conversion story of growing up as a Muslim in Turkey, to coming into the fullness of Truth: namely, the Catholic Faith. On that journey, Little enters into atheism from her Islamic upbringing, passes along through Protestantism, and finally arrives at the destination that God wills: Roman Catholicism.
Her story is a deeply personal and humble one, taking readers along with her from her upbringing in Turkey, being raised in a less-than-orthodox / strict Islamic family. This may very well have been the best-case scenario for Little to even arrive to where she is now as a Catholic. Many of those who are raised in the radical Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Iraq, never arrive to the doors of Christianity due to their geographical upbringing. Luckily, Derya Little wasn't raised in Iran or Saudi Arabia, but was raised in Turkey, which allowed her to arrive to where she is.
Little is able to recall much of her experience to great detail in a story-like essence. No one need not be concerned about English not being her mother-tongue, as the read is seamless and your eyes will effortlessly read through what the author has poured out.
Through her parent's divorce, her journey really begins as she leaves the Islamic system and enters into an atheism (understandably so, being raised as she was). Derya suffered much, but looking back, she would certainly say that the Holy Spirit had a hand in all of the happenings in her life, protecting her and bringing her to Christianity.
She meets Christian missionaries in Turkey that begin to plant seeds of faith in her heart that will naturally blossom at the right time (God's providence), which inadvertently lead her to Christ. Her higher-level academic studies, the people she meets, and the experiences she undergoes all lead her to Christ and ultimately to the Church He founded: Catholicism.
I am utterly grateful for Derya's honesty and humility to share such deeply personal stories, especially as one who was raised as a Muslim; for exposing such experiences within Islam is punishable by death. The bravery and courage it took for her to write this book is inspiring in the true sense, and I know she will be a gift for many who cross the Tiber from the Islamic background, and for others who swim the Tiber from Protestant backgrounds, too.
Excellent and enjoyable read.
June 15, 2018
Journey Home 6-11-2018
How much a person goes through to become Christian and then Catholic. More Americans need to see what a blessing they have to live in.
Derya tells us we need to evangelize others before we lose our culture--or what we still have. Many people are not born Americans anymore. She came to the United States from Turkey. This is her conversion story. If you are not a convert to Catholicism you may not appreciate how difficult it is to write one of these stories, and to keep silent about your friends and family.
She does not go overboard on theology, but she gives quotes and references in how to find more information about the Church, there is more if you want to look.
How much a person goes through to become Christian and then Catholic. More Americans need to see what a blessing they have to live in.
Derya tells us we need to evangelize others before we lose our culture--or what we still have. Many people are not born Americans anymore. She came to the United States from Turkey. This is her conversion story. If you are not a convert to Catholicism you may not appreciate how difficult it is to write one of these stories, and to keep silent about your friends and family.
She does not go overboard on theology, but she gives quotes and references in how to find more information about the Church, there is more if you want to look.
November 8, 2018
In From Islam to Christ, Derya Little opens a world that not many of us know about. It's a fascinating account of a young Turkish woman's search for Truth which leads her away from her Muslim traditions, through Christianity and on to the holy Catholic Church. her frankness is refreshing, her honesty is heartwarming, and her story is not only inspiring but encouraging and uplifting as well. It's a story of loss and gain, confusion and clarity (not always in that order), fear and courage and ultimately conviction. I'm grateful to Derya for telling her story and for helping me (and you once you've read the book) what it's like to look from the outside into the Catholic faith. Congratulations on a fine work of art, Derya, and thank you!
July 22, 2018
I discovered this profound memoir of a Turkish woman’s journey to faith in Stillwater, MN. Fresh off the plane after spending a year teaching English and falling head over heels in love with Turkey, I was visiting my relatives in the Twin Cities. My Aunt Mary and I had met to catch up over coffee and scones at a quaint little cafe called Tin Bins and were making our way through the shops and boutiques. Just before surrendering our battle against the brutal heat and humidity, we stepped inside Loome Theological Booksellers for a reprieve from the scalding summer day. Little did I know it was a Catholic bookstore or that much to my surprise and delight I would discover the one and only copy of a Turkish Christian woman’s conversion From Islam to Christ on its shelves.
Derya Little’s story resonated deeply with me. I could relate to her synopsis of the Turkey’s Ottoman history, the significance of its modern founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey’s role as a secular nation while 99% of the population’s association with Islam as integral to their religious and cultural identity. I marveled as she described the spiritual cycle of her life: her birth as a Muslim, her disillusionment with the disintegration of her family and faith and atheist affiliation in her adolescence, her relationship as a tutor to two Christian families whose marriages and parenting served as the strongest witness in her conversion to Protestant, and her finding the fulfilment of her faith in as a Catholic in an unpretentious yellowish beige church in Ankara, Turkey. She openly and honestly described her failed romantic relationships and two abortions before meeting her husband on the other side of the world in America through an online dating site and starting a family.
Literature (Dostoyevsky and Tolkien), visions, and relationships were intertwined in the tapestry of Derya’s testimony. On page 115, Derya relays, “Little by little, seeing these flesh-and-blood examples of Christian living, I found that grace became almost tangible.” The deep relationships forged over time and lots of cups of chai, peppered with humor and salty conversations--and the safety of respectful arguments and disagreements underpinned with love. The witness of marriages founded on mutual love and service, training up of children in the way that honors the Father: these profoundly impacted Derya’s discovery of God as Father and Friend, rather than capricious and unconscionable supreme being.
On page 176, Derya imagines, “Learning about faith is like scuba diving...the ocean is not limited to what one sees on the surface. The endless colored reefs inhabited by artfully painted fish can be seen only by diving down...I was in the ocean, but I was swimming on the surface, ignorant of the riches that awaited me in the depths. The more I read, the more fascinating and rich the millenia old Church became.” Books like Derya’s are catalysts to spark dialogues that will serve to draw us both deeper into the ocean of faith and prevent us from staying shallow and complacent to wade along the shores of thin places.
Derya Little’s story resonated deeply with me. I could relate to her synopsis of the Turkey’s Ottoman history, the significance of its modern founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey’s role as a secular nation while 99% of the population’s association with Islam as integral to their religious and cultural identity. I marveled as she described the spiritual cycle of her life: her birth as a Muslim, her disillusionment with the disintegration of her family and faith and atheist affiliation in her adolescence, her relationship as a tutor to two Christian families whose marriages and parenting served as the strongest witness in her conversion to Protestant, and her finding the fulfilment of her faith in as a Catholic in an unpretentious yellowish beige church in Ankara, Turkey. She openly and honestly described her failed romantic relationships and two abortions before meeting her husband on the other side of the world in America through an online dating site and starting a family.
Literature (Dostoyevsky and Tolkien), visions, and relationships were intertwined in the tapestry of Derya’s testimony. On page 115, Derya relays, “Little by little, seeing these flesh-and-blood examples of Christian living, I found that grace became almost tangible.” The deep relationships forged over time and lots of cups of chai, peppered with humor and salty conversations--and the safety of respectful arguments and disagreements underpinned with love. The witness of marriages founded on mutual love and service, training up of children in the way that honors the Father: these profoundly impacted Derya’s discovery of God as Father and Friend, rather than capricious and unconscionable supreme being.
On page 176, Derya imagines, “Learning about faith is like scuba diving...the ocean is not limited to what one sees on the surface. The endless colored reefs inhabited by artfully painted fish can be seen only by diving down...I was in the ocean, but I was swimming on the surface, ignorant of the riches that awaited me in the depths. The more I read, the more fascinating and rich the millenia old Church became.” Books like Derya’s are catalysts to spark dialogues that will serve to draw us both deeper into the ocean of faith and prevent us from staying shallow and complacent to wade along the shores of thin places.
April 5, 2019
I first heard of Derya through Matt Fradd's podcast, Pints With Aquinas (EPISODE HERE), where she talked about her experience with Islam and abandoning it for atheism and then Christianity/Catholicism down the line. She primarily was interested in showing how to talk about faith with Muslims without disrespecting or shutting down a meaningful conversation where both sides can discuss their beliefs. As I have Muslim coworkers and friends and I would love to talk about Catholicism (my faith) and theirs and learn more about their history and theology, her book seemed like a good starting point for me.
From Islam to Christ: One Woman's Path through the Riddles of God is Derya's autobiography and conversion story from her childhood growing up as a Muslim in the heart of Turkey where she experienced familial and societal problems. By her teenage years, she had abandoned her faith as she grew skeptical due to the faith's origins, various injustices she experienced around her, and reading books and resources from several philosophers and other religious skeptics. She eventually tutored a Christian missionary on the Turkish language and slowly became open-minded to religion again as she came across well-thought out answers to objections she had to religion and theism and the peace and love of the Christian families she engaged with. After becoming Christian, she furthered her faith journey as she looked into the deep, theological history of the Catholic Church where she again opened her mind to prejudices she had before (anti-Catholicism from both Muslim upbringing and evangelical Christians).
The book is bold about its critiques of the Islam faith which I can understand due to Darya's upbringing which was not a happy transition to adulthood, but it may turn off Muslims who come across her book. I think this book is primarily for those who want to start to engage with Muslims in faith-based discussion but also is applicable to people interested in Christianity.
Some of the parts I enjoyed were from her commentaries on the differences between eastern communal culture versus American "individualism", examples of theology and philosophy from primary sources of the Catholic faith and a neat chapter on the "Grand Inquisitor" parable from Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov which I just happened to read recently.
After reading, I can say that Derya has inspired me to continue learning history, philosophy, and theology of not only Catholicism, but also other faiths to encourage open dialogs with others. If you're interested, check out the book and also Derya's new podcast, (Live a Little).
From Islam to Christ: One Woman's Path through the Riddles of God is Derya's autobiography and conversion story from her childhood growing up as a Muslim in the heart of Turkey where she experienced familial and societal problems. By her teenage years, she had abandoned her faith as she grew skeptical due to the faith's origins, various injustices she experienced around her, and reading books and resources from several philosophers and other religious skeptics. She eventually tutored a Christian missionary on the Turkish language and slowly became open-minded to religion again as she came across well-thought out answers to objections she had to religion and theism and the peace and love of the Christian families she engaged with. After becoming Christian, she furthered her faith journey as she looked into the deep, theological history of the Catholic Church where she again opened her mind to prejudices she had before (anti-Catholicism from both Muslim upbringing and evangelical Christians).
The book is bold about its critiques of the Islam faith which I can understand due to Darya's upbringing which was not a happy transition to adulthood, but it may turn off Muslims who come across her book. I think this book is primarily for those who want to start to engage with Muslims in faith-based discussion but also is applicable to people interested in Christianity.
Some of the parts I enjoyed were from her commentaries on the differences between eastern communal culture versus American "individualism", examples of theology and philosophy from primary sources of the Catholic faith and a neat chapter on the "Grand Inquisitor" parable from Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov which I just happened to read recently.
After reading, I can say that Derya has inspired me to continue learning history, philosophy, and theology of not only Catholicism, but also other faiths to encourage open dialogs with others. If you're interested, check out the book and also Derya's new podcast, (Live a Little).
March 24, 2023
I am halfway through the book and I am ready to share my opinion on it. It utterly deserves 5 stars. Derya's story is exhilarating, grasping, and eye-opening to say the least. Nevertheless, it is not as thrilling as other women's stories related to Islam such as Betty Mahmoody's (though it does not have to be for it to be great). Her story introduces a reality we should not look away from which is Turkey's version of Islam. As the world becomes more globalized the chance we encounter other religions increases, and as Christians/Catholics we should be prepared to meet and engage with their followers. We see in the news the time about human rights offenses in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, etc.. but we rarely see what happens within Turkish borders. I felt deeply touched by her bravery to leave her comfort zone and become a Christian in challenging Turkey. Last but not least, I was about to give it 4 stars given there are minor edition mistakes in the Kindle version of the book if this review is ready by the author/editor please double-check and check to edit for the Kindle version.
August 12, 2023
Heartfelt and sincere
I bought Ms. Derya’s book after watching one of her videos. Even though, I knew most of what she wrote on her book, it was still great to re-read her testimony. I gotta say that even though I know she describes herself as prone to cynicism, which of course she would know herself better than I ever could, her story is refreshing in an almost opposite way to me. As a cradle catholic myself, I find stories of conversion from other faiths very puzzling and interesting. I also found her story and videos especially appealing because I lived in the Middle East for two years in the past and as a catholic I believed what everyone around me believed, given my lack of preparation on my own faith and my ignorance if Islam, that Allah was exactly the same god as God the Father. I think Ms Derya does a great job at bringing much needed nuance to the subject.
I bought Ms. Derya’s book after watching one of her videos. Even though, I knew most of what she wrote on her book, it was still great to re-read her testimony. I gotta say that even though I know she describes herself as prone to cynicism, which of course she would know herself better than I ever could, her story is refreshing in an almost opposite way to me. As a cradle catholic myself, I find stories of conversion from other faiths very puzzling and interesting. I also found her story and videos especially appealing because I lived in the Middle East for two years in the past and as a catholic I believed what everyone around me believed, given my lack of preparation on my own faith and my ignorance if Islam, that Allah was exactly the same god as God the Father. I think Ms Derya does a great job at bringing much needed nuance to the subject.
October 21, 2018
From Islam to Christ
I’ve spent the last month or so watching foreign movies and have been captivated by the Turkish ones and their faith. So I was intrigued to read this wonderful inspiring book from a woman from Turkey, who was Islamic. It was quite informative on the true faith background of Islam and the Muslim way of life. I was captivated by her spiritual journey from Islam, to atheism, to Christianity and finally to Catholicism. Also fascinated in hearing about Derya’s perspective on the different cultures and ways of life in Turkey, England, and USA. She’s right on with US’s individualism and loss of community. It’s sad. Makes me reflect on what can I do to help make a change. I highly recommend this book. I absolutely loved it.
I’ve spent the last month or so watching foreign movies and have been captivated by the Turkish ones and their faith. So I was intrigued to read this wonderful inspiring book from a woman from Turkey, who was Islamic. It was quite informative on the true faith background of Islam and the Muslim way of life. I was captivated by her spiritual journey from Islam, to atheism, to Christianity and finally to Catholicism. Also fascinated in hearing about Derya’s perspective on the different cultures and ways of life in Turkey, England, and USA. She’s right on with US’s individualism and loss of community. It’s sad. Makes me reflect on what can I do to help make a change. I highly recommend this book. I absolutely loved it.
February 10, 2021
Little's conversational style and self-deprecating tone make this a deceptively easy read. I felt like I was sitting and sipping tea with the author. However, it is clear the author is well read and has studied and lived deeply. I especially appreciated the last few chapters, where she relates more about her life after being received into the Catholic Church. It is here where she not only describes the challenges of picking up one's cross, but sheds light on the urgent need for all Christians to share Christ with a world so broken and lost.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2023
Very well-written and interesting, Little's book traces her faith journey. Born in Turkey and raised as a Muslim, Little eventually becomes Christian through the influence of a missionary living in Turkey, and ultimately becomes a Catholic before marrying and moving to the United States. Derya Little has the zealous intensity of a convert, and her writing sheds light on her beliefs and her process of conversion.
December 18, 2018
I admit I was predisposed to love this book, because I saw the author speak at a conference and she was delightful to hear. Her book is well-written, and her intelligence and humor shines through. This is the type of book that inspires one to read more books, to learn more, to become more devoted to the important things in one's own life.
August 31, 2020
Absolutely recommend. She provides an entire overview of the issues of Islam, how Christianity and Islamic ideals cannot coexist, her love story, and her journey through Protestantism on the way home to Rome. She tackles it all in an easy to read prose that is also incredibly informative. Read Derya Little for the TRUTH, from someone who has lived it.
May 15, 2018
Fascinating narrative of a Turkish woman’s conversion from Islam to atheist to Protestant to Catholic. It’s a beautiful story and the last chapter offered some helpful insights about what is going on in the Church today. Highly recommend!
February 12, 2018
Short and satisfying conversion story.
January 3, 2019
A compelling memoir that gives a close look at the reality of Islamic faith and just how different it is from Christianity, and how Little entered the Catholic Church. Well-written and timely.
August 9, 2018
Very insightful read. Derya opens up about her personal journey to find what she needs spiritually.
May 1, 2018
Incredible journey, well told.
December 3, 2019
Beautiful
March 18, 2021
Interesting journey from a Muslim in Turkey to life as a Catholic in the United States. This memoir is honest and enlightening.
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