EasterBlack-owned or founded brands at TargetGroceryClothing, Shoes & AccessoriesBabyHomeFurnitureKitchen & DiningOutdoor Living & GardenToysElectronicsVideo GamesMovies, Music & BooksSports & OutdoorsBeautyPersonal CareHealthPetsHousehold EssentialsArts, Crafts & SewingSchool & Office SuppliesParty SuppliesLuggageGift IdeasGift CardsClearanceTarget New ArrivalsTarget Finds#TargetStyleTop DealsTarget Circle DealsWeekly AdShop Order PickupShop Same Day DeliveryRegistryRedCardTarget CircleFind Stores

Sponsored

I Didn't Survive - by Naghmeh Abedini Panahi & Eugene Bach (Paperback)

I Didn't Survive - by  Naghmeh Abedini Panahi & Eugene Bach (Paperback) - 1 of 1
$11.24 sale price when purchased online
$18.99 list price
Target Online store #3991

About this item

Highlights

  • It's hard enough having a painful secret that you are terrified of sharing.
  • About the Author: Born in Tehran in 1977, Naghmeh Abedini Panahi immigrated to the United States at the age of nine and soon converted from Islam to Christianity.
  • 288 Pages
  • Religion + Beliefs, Christian Life

Description



Book Synopsis



It's hard enough having a painful secret that you are terrified of sharing.

It's even harder when you find yourself in the international limelight as the advocate wife of a Christian hero imprisoned for his faith.

The worst part is fearing that, if you did share this secret, it might devastate the lives of your family and close friends, alienate tens of thousands of active supporters, and cause persecuted people around the world to become even more vulnerable.

Naghmeh Abedini Panahi lived in constant tension from the irreconcilable realities playing out in her own life, in her family life, in the conduct of others, and on the worldwide stage as she interacted with power brokers and well-known religious leaders. Tension involving:

  • Steadfastly honoring God versus being carried away by the tide of circumstances
  • Personal reality versus public persona
  • Genuine faith versus hypocritical religion
  • Truth and caring versus the end justifying the means
  • Obedience to God versus loyalty to others
For Naghmeh, it all came to a breaking point, and the only way through it was to die. Not physically, but in experiencing a death and rebirth in her understanding of God, her faith, and her identity as a woman. "I can't tell you how I was able to make it through, because I didn't," she writes. "Like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, the new me emerged from the catastrophe of my marriage."

I Didn't Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse is Naghmeh's firsthand story, which takes you from war-torn Tehran to the quiet Midwestern U.S. to the halls of power in Washington D.C. It vividly describes the Islamic upbringing that shaped her, her unexpected conversion to Christianity, and the events that led to her marriage to Saeed Abedini, a magnetic pastor in the Iranian underground church. The book details Saeed's arrest and imprisonment for preaching the gospel, her fateful decision to share the truth about her husband, her betrayal and abandonment by former supporters, and the new life of advocacy for women that has arisen from the brokenness.

Through the pain, abuse, and loss, Naghmeh clearly demonstrates what it means for us to find our true identity in God, discover the protective care God has for His children, and participate in sharing the love and healing He desires to bring to the world.



About the Author



Born in Tehran in 1977, Naghmeh Abedini Panahi immigrated to the United States at the age of nine and soon converted from Islam to Christianity. In late 2001, after graduating from college, she returned to Iran to work as a businesswoman and missionary. There, she witnessed--and experienced--the oppression and violence women are subjected to every day in the Middle East. It was there that she also met her future husband, Saeed Abedini, with whom she led one of the largest house-church movements in Iran. In 2005, due to persecution, she and Saeed moved to the United States, where their two children were born. When Saeed visited Iran in 2012 to work on opening an orphanage, he was arrested for his involvement in the underground church and sentenced to eight years in a notorious prison. Naghmeh unceasingly advocated for Saeed's release, appealing to President Barack Obama, Donald Trump, the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, and nearly every major news outlet over the three and a half years that Saeed was in prison. Yet underneath the surface of her leadership in the Iranian house church, her family life in America, and the spotlight of her advocacy, Naghmeh had been an abused wife, and Saeed's imprisonment had further intensified his controlling and abusive behavior. It took the crisis and aftermath of Saeed's arrest for Naghmeh to finally recognize what had been happening to her and begin to find healing. Naghmeh's personal experience with domestic violence and the misuse of religion to reinforce abuse has given her a passion to advocate for women who are vulnerable to abuse and oppression because of religion. She is the cofounder and executive director of Tahir Alnisa ("Setting Women Free") Foundation, which serves women and children around the world impacted by domestic abuse and religious-motivated violence. Naghmeh's autobiography, I Didn't Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse (Whitaker House), will be released in October 2023.
Dimensions (Overall): 9.0 Inches (H) x 6.1 Inches (W) x .41 Inches (D)
Weight: .86 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 288
Genre: Religion + Beliefs
Sub-Genre: Christian Life
Publisher: Whitaker House
Format: Paperback
Author: Naghmeh Abedini Panahi & Eugene Bach
Language: English
Street Date: October 10, 2023
TCIN: 89098122
UPC: 9798887690537
Item Number (DPCI): 247-01-8680
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.41 inches length x 6.1 inches width x 9 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.86 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO

Return details

This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, shipped, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or made ready for pickup.
See the return policy for complete information.

Related Categories

5.0 out of 5 stars with 1 reviews
100% would recommend
1 recommendations

Hidden Abuse, Deception, Persecution, Church Hurt

5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Sherri M - 2 years ago
I recommend this book for everyone but especially for “ministry leaders & counselors”. They (& we) should understand “trauma” is another beast. Abuse causes trauma. Abuse is not only physical. It is the emotional/psychological/financial and spiritual control of another. It is insidious and is an epidemic in our Christian culture in America. Abuse IS covenant breaking. Naghmeh lays out her life story in such a beautiful way & God’s hand is evident throughout. Her experience of coming to understand her own abuse is so common in Christian circles where we are (often unsafely) counseled to “save the marriage at any cost”. She kindly lays out the truth of her experience showing what IS and is NOT helpful guidance from within the church/Christian culture. God does not call us to accept abuse. He calls us to live a life of love. She owns her mistakes with humility. I cried tears of sadness for the things she & her family lived through. I cried tears of gratitude for God’s obvious grace, protection, provision & ongoing intimacy throughout Naghmeh’s life. She is devoted to Jesus & puts God first as best any human can. I pray God will get this book to all in church leadership & reveal to their spirits what “life saving safe counsel” looks like for Christians experiencing marital abuse. “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him. Isaiah 30:18
Did you find this review helpful?

Get top deals, latest trends, and more.

Privacy policy

Footer

About Us

About TargetCareersNews & BlogTarget BrandsBullseye ShopSustainability & GovernancePress CenterAdvertise with UsInvestorsAffiliates & PartnersSuppliersTargetPlus

Help

Target HelpReturnsTrack OrdersRecallsContact UsFeedbackAccessibilitySecurity & FraudTeam Member Services

Stores

Find a StoreClinicPharmacyOpticalMore In-Store Services

Services

Target Circle™Target Circle™ CardTarget Circle 360™Target AppRegistrySame Day DeliveryOrder PickupDrive UpFree 2-Day ShippingShipping & DeliveryMore Services
PinterestFacebookInstagramXYoutubeTiktokTermsCA Supply ChainPrivacyCA Privacy RightsYour Privacy ChoicesInterest Based AdsHealth Privacy Policy