Episode 166, From Islam to Catholicism: A Search for Truth and Light

Nikki Kingsley is a courageous woman whose profound spiritual journey led her from Islam to the fullness of the Catholic faith. An intense longing for God drove her search for truth and light - yet she realized He had been searching for her all along. The relentless love of Jesus and the mystical encounters she experienced have transformed her life forever. 

Having a remarkable conversion story, Nikki has shared her testimony on EWTN, Immaculate Heart Radio, SiriusXM, Ave Maria Radio, and The Catholic Channel. In this episode, we discuss her experiences and book, Thirst for Truth, available at NikkiKingsley.com and Amazon.com. 

Searching for God

In the prelude to her book, Nikki writes, “What is life but a dance between Light and Darkness?” Her journey was one of searching for God, with the ultimate goal of finding truth and light. In Islam, she perceived Allah as a distant and fearsome deity, unapproachable in a personal way. Nikki reflects on her upbringing in a moderate Muslim family and discusses the two main sects of Islam, Shia and Sunni. Well-educated and well-traveled, she lived in Pakistan, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, Somalia, and the United States. Therefore, adjusting to the freedoms of American life was initially a great challenge.

A Mystical Experience

Nikki married and had two children, but her first marriage ended in divorce. After moving to the United States, she met and married Simon, a lapsed Catholic who later converted to Islam. Her life took a dramatic turn when she experienced “The Encounter”—a mystical experience with Jesus and Mary while visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Having grown up with a deep reverence for Mary from her Islamic background, she found herself drawn to Christianity but feared offending God by pursuing it. One night, in a powerful dream, she was visited by Jesus and Mary. During this experience, she recalls, “light pierced into my soul,” filling her with “a peace beyond all understanding.”

Still searching for the presence of God, she attended a Christmas service at a Protestant church but sensed that “The One who was searching for me was not there.” It was only in the Catholic Church, before the Eucharist, that she truly encountered the Real Presence of Christ. This realization ultimately led to her conversion, and in time, her children also entered the Catholic Church.

Nikki Kingsley’s testimony is a powerful witness to God’s mercy and the transformative grace of encountering Christ.