From a Muslim Home to the Pulpit

“This is a whole new world. I had never been part of anything like this before. You could tell everything had gone from darkness to light. I was just like, ‘Wow, this Jesus — He’s really changed our lives.’”

Layla was born in England, but at just two years old, her family moved to New Zealand. Her father was Muslim, and her mother had converted to Islam in order to marry him. Although they didn’t regularly attend the mosque, their home followed Islamic traditions. The girls were expected to wear hijabs, avoid swimming with boys, and observe various religious customs.

In many ways, life felt normal. Layla’s parents were raising three children under the age of five, and the family seemed to be doing well. But everything changed when her aunt moved in with them.

Unknown to the family at the time, her aunt had schizophrenia and had come from Iran to live with them. Her arrival marked the beginning of chaos in their home. Layla recalls traumatic moments, including watching her aunt pull a knife on her father and threaten him. Tension escalated, and her parents’ marriage began to fracture under the strain.

Eventually, her mother reached a breaking point. She packed their belongings and moved with the children into a women’s and children’s shelter in New Zealand.

It was there, in one of the lowest seasons of her life, that hope entered the picture.

A Christian neighbor reached out to Layla’s mother and shared the Gospel with her. She spoke about Jesus with compassion and conviction, telling her, “I know your life feels hopeless right now. I know you feel broken and alone. But if you surrender your life to Jesus and put it in His hands, He can make something beautiful out of this mess.”

Layla’s mother prayed a prayer of salvation that day. Soon after, the neighbor and her husband baptized her in their bathtub — a symbolic and decisive step into her new faith.

From that moment, everything shifted.

“My mom — we just went from darkness to light. From total depression to joy.”

The family began attending a vibrant Pentecostal church in Australia, filled with passionate worship and a strong emphasis on evangelism. As her mother grew in her faith, she felt compelled to reconcile with Layla’s father and share the Gospel with him.

At first, he resisted strongly. He told her plainly, “I don’t want to believe in Jesus. Don’t talk to me about Jesus. I will be the last Muslim on earth.”

But in what Layla describes as nothing short of a miracle, he eventually agreed to attend church with them. There, he had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit that transformed his heart.

From that point forward, their family experienced a profound turning point. The despair and brokenness that once defined their home were replaced with joy, peace, and renewed purpose.

As a child, Layla may not have understood every detail of what was happening, but she clearly felt the difference.

“You could tell everything had gone from darkness to light. I was just like, ‘Wow, this Jesus — He’s really changed our lives.’ I believed in Him from that moment.”

That early transformation sparked a passion in her heart.

“I just wanted to tell everybody about the difference He had made.”

As she watched preachers on stage, something stirred within her. “I’m going to do that one day,” she thought. “My life is about preaching the Gospel.”

Throughout her teenage years, that calling was repeatedly confirmed. At youth conferences, during altar calls, and in moments of deep prayer, Layla sensed God’s direction over her life.

At one conference, she stood at the altar with her hands raised, surrendering everything to God. She remembers feeling as though her lips were on fire. Suddenly, the preacher paused and declared, “There’s a young person at this altar, and your mouth is on fire right now. God is calling you to be a prophet to the nations.”

Layla knew the words were for her.

“It wasn’t just something I hoped would happen. I felt the Lord confirming that this is what He had called me to do.”

At another youth conference, she felt God direct her to serve under a particular ministry. After finishing school at 18, she moved interstate to serve at that church while attending Bible college.

The church was small — around 100 people — and growing. It was grassroots ministry. Though there was no paid position available, she was invited to step in as youth pastor. It marked the beginning of actively living out the calling she had sensed for years.

From the age of 19, Layla began preaching at youth ministries, churches, conferences, and events. Doors opened nationally and internationally as she shared the Gospel.

Just before the COVID pandemic, she felt God leading her to step fully into itinerant ministry as a full-time evangelist.

In 2024, Layla founded the Burning Hearts Movement — a ministry dedicated to reaching the unreached, mobilizing the Church for mission, igniting hearts through the Holy Spirit, and raising up the next generation into their God-given calling.

Today, the ministry includes a global team of eight to nine project leaders. Through worship events, conferences, and outreach initiatives, they are reaching hundreds of thousands of young people across Thailand, Asia, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

“God is building this ministry supernaturally beyond anything I could have hoped, dreamed, or imagined,” Layla says.

Now, after a decade of speaking at conferences around the world and witnessing thousands respond to the Gospel, she continues to encourage others to trust God fully.

“There are so many people waiting on the other side of your obedience to the Lord,” she says. “It’s the most exciting, exhilarating, adventurous place you could ever be — to walk in His calling and His purpose for your life.”

To see more about Layla Nahavandi, check out her Instagram: layla.nahavandi, or check out her website https://theburningheartsmovement.com/ for more information on her ministry and more!