Ep 034: Lily Ricci: From Iran to America: When Jesus Changed Everything, Part 2

Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Lily Ricci's journey brought her from Iran to Germany and eventually to the United States, where cultural expectations and family circumstances led her into a marriage she never wanted. After years of manipulation, abuse, and hopelessness, Lily found herself searching for answers she could no longer find on her own.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Lily shares the moment everything changed. What began as a search for answers became a powerful spiritual awakening that transformed her faith, gave her the courage to pursue freedom, and ultimately led her to a calling she never imagined.

What followed was a journey of healing, purpose, and redemption. Today, Lily helps bring hope to people throughout Iran through her work with Iran Alive Ministries.

In this episode:

• The unexpected encounter that sparked Lily's faith journey
• Choosing to follow Jesus despite fear and uncertainty
• Learning to trust God in the middle of suffering
• Finding the courage to leave an abusive marriage
• Recognizing the difference between a person and the spiritual battle behind destructive behavior
• Breaking unhealthy cycles for the next generation
• Discovering her God-given purpose
• Leaving a successful corporate career to pursue ministry
• Serving with Iran Alive Ministries and bringing hope back to Iran

About Lily:

Today, Lily serves as Director of Partner Relations for Iran Alive Ministries, helping share the Gospel with Iranians around the world and supporting ministry efforts throughout Iran.

Learn more:
iranalive.org

Connect with Lily:
Instagram: @lily.m.ricci

Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com and follow @unspokenlivespodcast on Instagram. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

You're tuning in to part two of this conversation. If you haven't heard part one yet, I encourage you to pause and start there first. Let's jump back in. Welcome to Unspoken Lives, the podcast that uncovers the powerful, untold stories of everyday people. The real stories you don't always hear, but ones that deserve to be told. I'm your host, Kelsey Billingsley. In each episode, we'll explore journeys of growth, resilience, and transformation. Conversations with guests who have faced challenges, embraced change, and discovered new purpose along the way. Through their stories, you'll find inspiration, hope, and a reminder that every life has a story worth telling. Let's dive into this next unspoken life.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

She's a great evangelist. And so I have heard that many Muslims have this question about can a man be God? And many evangelists use the gospel of John to share the gospel with Muslims. And so that's why she used it. She just knew. And she could not believe that just after these two verses, so she was reading these two verses as kind of a precursor to start sharing the gospel with me. But then after she read them, I looked at her in the eye. I said, I want to become Christian a Christian. How do I become a Christian? She's like, wait, I'm not done. She was she was so taken back. She was like, Wait, what? And I was like, Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I didn't even know what I was saying. But I truly had a Holy Spirit encounter right in that moment. Now looking back, I'm like, what was I even saying? I had no idea what I was saying. But um the next day was a Sunday, and she was like, you know what? Glad you asked. Let's take you to a church first. And so she took me to a Bible-based church. And um, gosh, it was just, I sensed the presence of God in that church from the second I stepped into that place. I felt like something inside me awakened. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:31

It's almost like though when you walked in the front door the night before that, that just started it. Yes. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Well, the spirit of the Lord was there. That's why there was so much joy and love in that place. I couldn't tell what it was back then. Yeah. But I I now know that it was the spirit of the Lord just wanting to get us all out of that dungeon.

SPEAKER_02 2:55

So can I ask though, because you had mentioned before your husband at the time, jealous and always wanting to, you know, basically keep track of you. So did you tell him you were going to church the next day? Like how did that conversation go?

SPEAKER_00 3:11

Yes. So he was in Salt Lake City actually that weekend. That's why I went there by myself. And so, no, he didn't know I was going to church. After he came back, I mentioned to him that I decided to become a Christian. And so it's worth mentioning here that it wasn't normal. His um level of control, jealousy, insecurity uh was actually a mental illness that I later on found out. Basically, he was in a state that he thought everyone in the world, in his world, was out there to get him. And so, including on, so he doubted Islam for the longest time. He thought that it was from the Satan, and rightfully so. And when he even he himself became a Christian, he doubted Christ, just going back and forth, back and forth. I mean, there there were times that we would pray together, and the next day he would come home seeing me sitting in the living room with the Bible on my lab reading. He would just grab it so aggressively and throw it across the room, saying, This is all BS. Why are you wasting your time? All that. And like, who are you? Like he was he was a different person almost every day.

SPEAKER_02 4:33

Yeah. Wow. That's I I mean, living with that and not knowing what you're getting every day, I can't imagine what that would do after years and years. It was very difficult. Obviously, you're not in that marriage anymore, though. So can you walk me through like what happens next?

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Yes. Okay. So the 14 years that I mentioned to you was, I mean, it was the most difficult years of my life. Yeah. But I do often say that that was my wilderness. You know, growing up in a wealthy family as an individual, I was so sheltered and didn't know anything about life, didn't know how to handle any difficult situations other than, you know, the cultural shock of, you know, moving from one country to another, uh, trying to fit in, all that. But the one year into this marriage got me to a point where I was so hopeless that I was willing to listen to anyone that had a solution for me. And the one solution that I found to be closest to the truth was following Christ. And so when I first became a Christian, I still had to get Islam out of my system. I still had to get the culture that was instilled in me out of my system. The entire discipleship, become a follower of Christ and all that had to take place while I was suffering to live with someone that was literally a thorn in my side. You know, the thorn that Paul uh talks about that, you know, I prayed uh so many times for the Lord to remove this thorn, and then he said, My grace is sufficient for you. And so I learned to rely on the grace of God, not through my power, but through his power to face the one of the most difficult individuals with mental illness in my life. And that relying on Christ brought me closer and closer and closer to him, to where my sanctification process of trusting him with little things, one day at a time, one moment at a time, I had to trust him. Yeah, allowed me to really become more in depth with my faith and my intimacy with Christ. So, in a way, it was the time of sanctifying me. You know, the word of God says, after a while of suffering, the Lord will confirm you, will strengthen you. It's in 1 Peter, I believe. It was that it was, you know, that suffering was needed for me to learn obedience one step at a time. Yeah, you know, again, the word of God says even Christ Himself learned to obey through suffering. And so we learn obedience through suffering. And this was my yeah, suffering that I went through and I learned so much from the word of God, so much to lean into, hear the voice of God. What is his guidance um for me? What does he want uh for me? Not out of the pastor's conviction, but for me, for my own conviction. Like, like I didn't, I had to learn all of that, you know. For the longest time I thought divorce was wrong because the word of God says, you know, it breaks the Lord's heart, it breaks God's heart, and it's it's not good. But I didn't understand, like, at what cost, you know, you're wasting your calling trying to fix someone else that doesn't want to be fixed. Right. And so the moment I realized that this fight is not against people, that the enemy of my soul is distracting me and is entangling me in this situation, it's not about suffering, it's about silencing. It was about silencing me so that I become so distracted that I wouldn't even know what my calling is, what my kingdom assignment is. The moment I realize that, the moment I realized that as believers, we have a divine authority that's been vested in us through Christ, I started using that authority. I started commanding the devil, demonic forces, evil authorities to be silenced from my life. That's when the Lord released me. And that's when the Lord actually told me that this is not what I want for you. This is not why I called you. And so he miraculously released me. I have tried, I had tried so many times to separate from him, and it would not happen. Yeah, it would not happen. He would track me down, he would manipulate me, he would bring me back by force. This time, when I realized that this fight is not against this person, it is against the demonic forces. Yeah, the Lord Himself removed him from my life. Wow. By his will. You know, granted, he came back multiple times trying to get back to us, trying to get back together. But this time I was resolute. I I knew that I knew that I knew that the Lord released me from all that suffering. Um, with a lot of courage, too. It did. And at that time, when this happened, it was also about my daughter. My daughter was six years old. Okay. And so one day I looked at her as we were going at it, we're arguing, and I'm looking at her, playing with her toys, and as if it had become normal for her. Arguments, conflict, strife. She had adjusted to it. And then I looked at her, I was like, this is not what I want for my daughter. I went through so much abuse. I don't want her to think that abuse is part of life. That was the point that I was like, enough is enough. It ends with me, it will not go generationally to her. She needs to know what a healthy looking family looks like and feels like. And um, I just pulled her out of that chaos.

SPEAKER_02 11:55

Yeah. That takes, like I said before, that takes a lot of courage. And as a mom too, I watching your child, I'm sure, was such a huge part of that. I'm just sorry you went through everything you went through, but your perspective, you know, talking about the thorn earlier. I I don't know if everyone would have that perspective. I don't know how other people get out of that. Like if someone was here right now in their deepest, darkest spot, not knowing how to get out of it, what would you say to them?

SPEAKER_00 12:22

I would say get on your knees with with the Lord. I would say spend as much time as possible with the Lord because He will guide you and show you one step at a time. He may not show you the big picture, yeah, but he will guide you through every step if you allow him and invite him into the situation. The Lord's heart breaks when we go through abuse, because he said, I came so that I can release the captivity and bring freedom to humanity. Last thing he wants for us is to be bound by bondage and strongholds that someone else is imposing on us, or even by our own thoughts sometimes. So he wants us to be completely and fully free. Sometimes, you know, we go, as it was my case, sometimes we go through suffering, and a lot of people go through suffering. And like you said, what would your advice be to someone that's that's in the depth of it? Seek the Lord. Seek the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strengths, and he will show you the path. Uh, what is it in Proverbs? It says, Rely on and rely not on your own understanding, but acknowledge the Lord and He will straighten your path. And that has been the case for me. Did it take longer than I wanted it? Yes. And that's because I was so immature in my faith. So immature. I mean, I was just learning the basics of my faith. Yeah. And I did not know how to lean in to hear his voice. I did not know. I just saw Christianity yet as another religion that was very black and white, cut and dry. This is what you do, this is what you don't do. And I did not seek intimacy with him. I didn't know how to. So for a believer that has been in their faith for a long time and is in this situation, I encourage them to learn how to use your authority in Christ. Learn how to lean in to hear his voice, allow him to speak to you and um invite him to guide you.

SPEAKER_02 14:48

Can I ask? Because obviously you just became a Christian in that time period. And how did you lean in to hear God's voice? You know, what did that look like for you when you have no background of doing that? Like what did those first few times look like?

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Yeah. So one thing I did, I was persistent in growing in my faith. Okay. Every single morning, I did not miss a day having a quiet time and opening up the word of God because I was so hungry for it. And so some days I had no words to even pray. I didn't even have the strength to pray. I was so broken. But I would just sit there in his presence and read the word of God and ask him, Lord, would you guide me? Would you protect me? Would you show me what you have of me today? Holy Spirit, show me who you are today to me and what you have me do today. And little by little, that still small voice starts reaffirming you at first through his word, and then you start recognizing wait, this was not my own mind or thoughts. This was the voice of God. Then I journaled, I wrote everything that I thought was the voice of God. And then I would go back, and everything that he said was confirmed that he actually said this before it even happened. And there's a calm and a peace that is unexplainable, though the kind that says transcends all of our understanding, covers our mind and heart, comes upon you when you hear his voice. Yeah. There's a joy, peace, and calm that comes upon you that you know that it was the voice of the Lord. And then little by little you hear more, and then you trust his guidance, and then you take the step, and then you're like, oh my gosh, this was the Lord. And then you hear more, more, more. The word of God says, To whom who hears, more will be given. So that means if we hear and act upon it, we will hear more. Yeah. That's in Mark. I don't know the exact reference.

SPEAKER_02 17:05

Yeah, that's great. Well, I mean, I love, obviously, don't love what you went through, but I love hearing your story, just your perspective on everything. I think I just think you're such an inspiration to so many people. I was wondering if you could share now, you know, what life looks like now after going through all of that.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

Yes. So after I went through all that and after the uh the Lord released me from this marriage, I then focused heavily on my profession. Okay. I was like, I, you know, I'm not getting any sort of support from him. I have to stand on my own feet and just kept on, keeping on. And the Lord just by his favor allowed me to keep moving up the ladder of the corporate world. And he kept on promoting me, he kept on blessing me, literally in his provision in abundance and steadily came to me like that was nothing short of a miracle. Because I mean, I wasn't ever the obvious choice on paper. But he kept on, he kept on favoring me. And so during the pandemic pandemic, when I was like finally like where I wanted to be professionally, I received a call, call to step into ministry. Okay. And I wrestled with it. Uh-huh. I wrestled with it for a long time. And then I, same thing happened. Lord, I'm not sure why this is coming to me. You're the one who walked me through all this hardship and promoted me and taught me leadership, taught me how to make an impact in my own environment, in my own sphere. Um, this cannot be from you. And so I just sought the Lord. I sought him. Like I'm like, Lord, I know that I love my prosperity. I love where I am. I love my title. I love my paycheck. I love everything that you have blessed me. But I want your will above mine. I want what you want for me, and I want your best for me, not my own best, how I see it. Right. And so when I said that prayer, the Lord just, you know, showed me so many different passages in the Bible. And he gave me a vision. He he basically, as I was praying and in worship, and I was in the praise and worship mode when he showed me multitudes of people that are suffering and are in pain. And he literally told me, I redeemed your life from so much suffering and pain. But there are so many Iranian women right now that are going through much worse than what you went through, and they don't even have a savior. And I want you to be my mouthpiece. I want you to share your story with them. Let them know that I'm a redeeming God. Let them know that I want the best for them, that I came to give them freedom. And the moment I saw that vision, I quit my jobs. I was like, this is the direction he was. But you had no idea. I had no idea what I was doing. I was so scared. Yeah. I was so scared because I mean, I didn't know anything about ministry. Here I was, like coming from background of finance and investment and all that, has nothing to do with ministry world or nonprofit world. And I'm like, what am I doing? Like, I did this so scared, so frightened, but I knew, but I knew it was the Lord who was directing me. Yeah, that's beautiful. So what are you doing now? Now I'm serving um at Iran Alive Ministries, uh, which is a faith, faith-based nonprofit organization. We proclaim the gospel, disciple believers in Iran, in the underground church. Um, we plant churches inside Iran where Iranians don't have access to church or the gospel otherwise. And so we do this through satellite TV and through our underground church network inside Iran. There's a move of God happening in Iran, and it's just through the Holy Spirit, you know, more and more people are being inclined to hear the gospel and accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior. It's truly like a Jesus revolution movement inside of Iran, in spite the persecution that's happening.

SPEAKER_02 21:58

Yeah. Well, I was just gonna say, you mentioned at the beginning of this how you lived in fear, um, even thinking about changing a religion. So planting this through satellite TV, I mean, that's that's a big step for people to watch it over there, I'm sure. Yes, and that's they watch it illegally.

SPEAKER_00 22:15

Yeah, so satellite TV is illegal in Iran. Okay, but more than 60 million people, based on the last survey, have satellite dish in their homes, and the government has. Not been able to prevail against them. It's just they pay a fine. Um they pay a fee for having a satellite dish, and they're like the next day they put it right back up because the people are becoming more and more intelligent. They know that what the government and the state-sponsored news channels are feeding them, they're not true. And so they want to be in touch with the outside world, they want to know what's going on with the outside world and what people are saying, other than what the government wants to feed them.

SPEAKER_02 23:00

Right, right. And so obviously, you know, through our church, you, if I remember correctly, you pump sermons from here, but you you switch the language so they can understand it. Is that correct? Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:11

So we produce our own content in Farsi. Okay. But then we always diversify. Okay. You know, we we are a 24-7 channel. And so we have to have enough content to be able to roll uh for 24-7. And so a lot of the churches here in the West have been partnering with us through their own sermons and their own teachings, and we dub them into Farsi and broadcast them into Iran.

SPEAKER_02 23:40

Wow. That's pretty amazing. Um, do you hear from people over there that are listening?

SPEAKER_00 23:46

Yes. Okay. Yes, we hear. So, you know, because of the risk that it poses, of course, Iranians are very cautious and on high alert and reaching out and all that. But there are so many ways nowadays to be able to use VPN and you know, um, safe platforms and all that. And so through all those platforms, uh, about 120,000 people have reached out to us over the years to let us know that our channel was instrumental to help them come to come to know Christ. It is amazing. And we know that that number is probably 10 times more, but a lot of people don't call. But this is the mission of Iran Alive Ministries, and we're so moved that the Lord is using a small studio here in Dallas to proclaim the gospel across the globe into the Middle East, and people are coming to faith at an unprecedented number through this.

SPEAKER_02 24:48

Well, and also just to see your life, how you started at the beginning. Everything you went through is now you're reaching back out to people. Who knows, you know, what they're going through. Maybe there's a girl the same age as you were going through similar things. Um just think it's it's beautiful. If someone wanted to learn more about Iran Alive, um, where would is go to the website? Yes, okay.

SPEAKER_00 25:13

Iranalive.org is um, you know, is one way. And then they can also, if they're like tech savvy, they can text the word Iran, I-R-A-N, to 85789. Okay, and we'll send them information. Okay, perfect.

SPEAKER_02 25:29

Well, thank you for sharing all of this. I've heard your story maybe two and a half times. One of those was a shortened fun button. Um, I would hear it a hundred more times because I just think it's so inspirational. Um, you're such a strong person to go through everything you went through. A strong mom, you know, getting your daughter out of that situation as well and thinking about her future. So I just I want to say thank you. Um I'm sure someone out there listening needed to hear this, and I just appreciate your time. Thank you so much, Kelsey, for allowing me to share my story on your own. Of course. Thank you. Thank you. That's it for this episode of Unspoken Lives. If today's story moved you, inspired you, or made you reflect on your own journey, hit that subscribe button so you don't miss the next powerful conversation. I'm always on the lookout for new guests. If you know someone with a story that deserves to be shared, I'd love to hear from you. Check the show notes for contact details and make sure to follow along on social media at Unspoken Lives Podcast. Until next time, keep listening, keep sharing, and remember, every life has a story worth telling.