(slow dramatic music)

- [Narrator] In 2017,attorney Nada Higueda

of the Advocates for Faithand Freedom made headlines.

Her client, a pro-lifeChristian pregnancy center

in Murrieta, California, refused to follow

a new controversial state law.

- In 2015, the California legislature

passed what's called theReproductive FACT Act,

which essentially forcedpro-life pregnancy centers

to advertise abortion andto refer their clients

to abortion clinics.

- [Narrator] At eight months pregnant,

Nada, a Christian, stood confidently

before the State Supreme Courtand the onslaught of media.

But privately, she was afraid,

afraid her secret would be exposed.

- I thought I was a fraud andthat I was just pretending.

If they only know, thenthey wouldn't even want me

representing them in this case.

- [Narrator] Nada was theyoungest of eight daughters

born to devout Muslim parents.

She had little or no say in her life.

Even her husband wouldone day be chosen for her.

In her mind, she waslittle more than property.

- My parents only wanted a boy,

so I believed that I was unwanted

and that I didn't havea purpose or any value.

- [Narrator] A belief etchedeven deeper in her mind

when a friend of herparents sexually abused her

from the time she was six to 16.

- He just told me thatnobody would believe me,

and so, it was that alongwith knowing my personality

of wanting to be apeacemaker and not wanting

to cause any strife ordivision in my family.

I felt helpless.

I was just a shell, silently surviving.

- [Narrator] It wasn'tuntil she got pregnant

that the parents confronted the man.

He fled to Yemen, leavingNada to face the consequences.

- There wasn't any questions

about how long it's beenhappening or when or how.

It was almost as if I was coming to them

telling them I went andhad sex with a boyfriend

and I'm pregnant.

- [Narrator] Nada's wasn'tthe only life affected.

- The solution to sweepthis under the rug was,

"You're getting an abortion."

- [Narrator] In high school,

Nada started looking to other religions.

Then, through some Christian friends,

she learned about a God much different

than the one she hadbeen taught to follow.

- When I was 18, I heard thegospel for the first time

and it just struck me.

I didn't know if I believed it

because it was hard for me to believe

that you could be forgivenfor all of your sins.

- [Narrator] So in college,she kept looking for answers,

and now, away from her parents' scrutiny,

she started dating.

- I thought the answerwould be to find a man

who loved me to showme that I do have worth

and I do have value and I can be loved.

- [Narrator] Then, in her sophomore year,

she began attending aChristian church regularly.

Now working towards law school,

she grappled with the intellectualissues of Christianity.

Then on Easter in 2008, her senior year,

she decided there was only one conclusion.

- The pastor had a calland said, "If you believe

"and you want to make thisconfession of faith today,

"raise your hand," and so I did.

And that marks to me when I truly believed

that Jesus Christ is the Lord.

- [Narrator] But still unable

to silence the voices from her youth,

Nada continued to believe her worth

would come through a Muslim man.

One day, she found him.

- Just seeing how kindand loving that he was

and successful he was and thathe would be interested in me

and that he loves megave me a sense of worth.

- [Narrator] Eventually,they moved in together

and got engaged.

That's when she realized that her fiance

was as serious about hisgod as she was of hers.

- I felt torn between this amazing man.

Everything besides the faith was in line

with what I wanted, but then,

I wanted God more than anything,

so I just felt torn between the two.

- [Narrator] Then, heended the engagement.

- I just felt like my worldhad been taken away from me,

just empty and, again,not having any value,

useless, and worthless.

- [Narrator] As she had often done before,

she turned to the Bible.

This time, the words cutthrough the voices in her mind

and penetrated her heart.

- I saw myself through God's eyes now.

I saw that I was cleansedby the blood of Christ,

that I'm sinless and spotless.

I felt like royalty reading about myself

through the scriptureand connecting with God

and understanding His love for me.

- [Narrator] Nada also began to realize

everyone needed God's forgiveness,

including her parents andthe man who abused her.

But it wasn't until shefought and won the case

in favor of pro-life.

Nada realized God could evenforgive her for the abortion.

- I was afraid of the shame,just having to feel that.

When this all happenedand God redeemed that,

I felt set free, redeemed.

The word that kept comingto my mind is redeemed.

- [Narrator] Today,with her husband, Grant,

Nada's raising her daughter, Nyla Grace,

to understand the valueshe and all people have

in the eyes of God.

- Jesus filled my identity and my purpose

when I felt like an empty shellall those years as a child.

Now I have the Holy Spiritdwelling inside of me.

He knitted me together in my mother's womb

to be loved more fully thanI could have ever imagined.