People work hard to achieve something in life and striving hard for success was what Carla Pratico did. She was an over achiever growing up, but her motivation for success only led her down a dark path, until she met Jesus.
Seeking Approval and Importance
In her personal testimony video, Carla shared that her whole life was really just looking for people to approve of her and to love her. She tried filling the gap in her heart by doing well in school and joining different kinds of honor societies or leadership organizations.
“I really agreed to the lie that unless I had this achievement, I really wasn’t valuable. I was just looking for every avenue I could to feel important to feel valuable. I became addicted to the achievement.”
Carla struggled a lot in this area despite being raised in a Christian home. According to her, she knew Jesus but never really believed that He cares for her.
Walking into a dark path
After college, Carla moved to New York to start her career. During that time she quickly got caught up in the nightlife scene. By day, she was working her dream job and then by night, she’d turn into a party animal. She would stay out at the club till 4 in the morning, getting blackout drunk three or four times a week, and going out with rich men who would pay for her company.
Her promiscuous lifestyle had become her escape from all the pain and hurt from rejection and feelings of being unloved.
Hearing God’s voice
Carla’s turning point happened during her 23rd birthday. She invited some friends to the bar, but only one person showed up. She was so sad that she got really drunk, and contemplated finding someone to go home with.
She suddenly heard a voice say, “This is not your life.” Those words enlightened her to the truth, and she instantly left the bar and got in a cab. The cab driver was actually off duty and was driving with his wife, but they still agreed to take Carla home.
Then Carla heard them mention God, and it instantly clicked for her, that the voice she heard in the bar was God. So, she started to ask them about God, and they just started sharing the gospel with her. As they were sharing she started repenting, and since that night everything changed.
“I found a church. My pastor pulled me up to the front and laid hands on me, and I immediately felt just a fire course through my entire body and I started hearing myself praying in a language that I didn’t understand.”
Freedom from the old life
After that powerful day, Carla instantly had deliverance from cursing, alcohol drinking, and sleeping around. She no longer has desires of her old life, they have been replaced by a new desire to constantly pray for other people and to see the city of New York get to know God.
