A much needed clarification for new sisters and non-muslims who don't understand our terminology: Someone who becomes a Muslim (but was not raised as one) is called a revert, since it is believed in Islam that everyone is born a Muslim. If you were born a Muslim but were not practicing, then when you make your shahada you technically come back to Islam [reversion], you don't convert to it. That is why Muslims call new muslims "reverts". This is usually too much to explain to non-muslims so I usually just tell them I am a convert to Islam, but among Muslims I am a revert.
So, one who embraces Islam is embracing what we call in arabic the "deen-al-fitrah". This translates to mean "natural faith," meaning that we are in the original state as humans that Allah created us in.
Thats why the word "convert" is contrary to what happens when a person consciously acknowedges that s/he is a Muslim; we aren't changing ourselves into another form (converting) - converting impies that when embracing a religion one is changing into another form, something that doesn't come naturally to the human being... when we formally embrace Islam, we are going back to the way we were when we were born on this earth, completely sinless and in perfect relationship with the Creator.
Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: "No baby is born but upon Fitrah. It is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a Polytheist." (Saheeh Muslim)
Cool fact: All the early followers of the Prophet Mohammed S.A.W (the sahaabiyaat) were reverts.