Shereen Yusuff: An Inspiring Journey of Losing and Rediscovering Faith

Shereen Yusuff has lived quite a religious life since she was a little girl. Growing up in Houston, Texas, she practiced the Islamic faith with her grandmother, praying five times a day and following all the necessary rituals as a Muslim.

Who could have known that going abroad and living with non-religious people would open a new spiritual journey for Shereen, ultimately leading her to the Catholic Church? In an interview with Shalom World, she described her conversion experience.

 A Muslim away from home

 Shereen has always loved the rituals and practices of Islam. She found spiritual peace by praying several times daily and going on a month-long fast during Ramadan. Everything changed when she interned in China, where she lived among people who were not as religious as her. 

This culture made her realize that keeping her Islamic roots is not a non-negotiable thing. Therefore, she took a new path and renounced her connection with Allah: she became an atheist.

However, Shereen’s spiritual self still managed to get through her senses. She experienced an unexplainable encounter with God in her early thirties, which pulled her back to meditation. After a long silence, she began to hear a voice inviting her to return to religion.

Shereen, a former devout Islam follower, tried to return to her original faith. But the unthinkable continued to happen. Despite embracing her Muslim roots again, she cannot deny that Jesus Himself is talking to her, saying, “Follow me.” For two years, she fought this inner battle of spiritual confusion.

 Called by holy women

 Shereen gave a lot of dedication and time to prayer and her plea for help in this raging battle inside of her bore fruit. Her restless heart found solace in the life of Mother Teresa, a holy woman whom she did not realize whether a Catholic was until after studying her history. Reflecting on the saint’s selfless example, Shereen sought out the members of Saint Teresa’s congregation, the Missionaries of Charity, to assist her in discernment.

At first, the sisters turned her down, saying she should seek organizations that match her Islamic values. Filled with burning grace, Shereen revealed to them that God was calling her to the Catholic faith, and she had found no reason to go against His will. As a result, the congregation welcomed her into their community.

Shereen attended Holy Mass daily at the chapel of the Missionaries of Charity and received formation from them for several months. She fully accepted Jesus in her heart and embraced the Roman Catholic faith when she received the sacrament of baptism in February 2021. 

Walking in holiness

Now a total convert, Shereen has found happiness like no other in the arms of the Lord. Instead of relying on her efforts to get through life's challenges, she now turns to the everlasting mercy and compassion of Jesus Christ.

The Catholic faith also assures Shereen of spiritual security wherever she goes. Previously, she was pushed to reject religion by living among non-religious people. Today, she entrusts the future to the Lord, who shares her yoke and unburdens her of such a heavyweight.

Shereen’s long periods of silence also transformed her into an in-depth reading of the Holy Bible. Having gained her wisdom through the scriptures, she no longer needs to meditate to make the right decisions and know the best course of action moving forward. For Shereen, every bit of guidance she needs can be discovered simply by reflecting on the Word of God.

Shereen also maintains her pious life as a Catholic woman by consecrating herself at least once a year to the Blessed Mother’s immaculate heart.

Indeed, being born again as a child of God brought Shereen an unparalleled level of stability, security, and freedom she never found in anyone or anything else in the whole world—only in the Lord.

Merging religion and science

Inspired by the works of Mother Teresa, Shereen has decided to only stay in one place for so long. She frequently travels in service of other people, emulating how the saint offered her life as a servant leader.

Shereen delivers Jesus to others through her work as a breath coach. By combining scientific practices and her deep love for God, she was able to provide courses that bring stillness while being guided by the Holy Spirit.

Just as aligning her mind and heart brought her to the Lord, she now guides others to experience healing and hear God’s voice. Her latest project is coming before December of this year, entitled “Breath of Life – Breath Training for Christians.”

Shereen is a living testimony of what it is like to be the lost sheep who strayed too far from the flock, only for God Himself to reach out and bring her home. She hopes that her story of redemption, freedom, and gratitude will inspire others to actively seek Jesus and experience His unconditional love. There is no greater expression of our faith than by listening to His voice and following in His footsteps, no matter what.  -With input from Shalom World News