Nafsika's Testimony

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Salvation Army Kroc Center 1375 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040

Nafsika’s Testimony

A Journey to Faith and Purpose

I grew up in the Greek Orthodox faith, attending church every Sunday, but I never understood why. I had no relationship with Jesus, didn’t understand the Bible, and didn’t know how to pray. To me, church was just a boring place filled with old people that we were obligated to go to.

When I graduated high school, I was excited to move out and finally have my Sunday mornings to myself. In college, my motto was “work hard, play hard.” I excelled academically, earning incredible grades, but my weekends were consumed by partying and going out. I didn’t think about church or God and lived my life solely for myself, focused on checking off the boxes I thought would lead me to medical school.

After graduating college, a girl my age invited me to a Bible study. Curious, I decided to check it out, and I loved it. I began attending regularly, eventually going to church with her and the community. Over time, I decided to get baptized in that non-denominational church. However, my relationship with the church faltered when a friend confronted me about a bathing suit photo I had posted, suggesting I take it down. I felt judged and controlled, believing the church’s rules were suppressing my freedom. Angry and disillusioned, I left and wrote off religion entirely.

A few years later, still searching for guidance and purpose, I turned to New Age practices. I replaced God with “the Universe,” read horoscopes, identified deeply with my zodiac sign (even getting a tattoo), practiced tarot cards, and sought answers from psychics. But instead of finding clarity, I felt increasingly empty and lost.

For years, I struggled with binge drinking, binge eating, depression, and low self-worth. I tried everything—psychologists, psychiatrists, and expensive coaching—but nothing worked.

When I moved to Arizona in November 2021, one of my roommates was a Christian who often invited me to church. I always declined, convinced it would be filled with old people or suffocating rules. My Sundays were reserved for brunch plans or recovering from nights of heavy drinking.

But Arizona became my breaking point. I felt purposeless, alone, and reckless going out, blacking out, and waking up in unfamiliar places. I scared myself with my actions and finally accepted my roommate’s invitation to church.

I didn’t have a dramatic “come to Jesus” moment that day, but I felt something undeniable. The peace I experienced in church was what I had been desperately searching for in alcohol, relationships, and career achievements. It was the Holy Spirit.

My journey in faith started slowly and gradually, until it didn’t. In April 2023, I was baptized with a group of Christian friends. Even then, I was lukewarm, one foot in the world and one foot in my faith. I cared too much about what others thought and didn’t even share my baptism publicly.

It wasn’t until March 2024 that I fully surrendered. Struggling deeply with binge eating, I turned to God out of desperation. I learned about spiritual warfare, strongholds, and how the spirit of gluttony had controlled my life for over a decade. Through the Word of God, I began to break those strongholds and fight spiritual battles.

As I deepened my faith, I searched for my life’s bigger purpose. ReadingThe Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren clarified it for me: our purpose is to love God, glorify Him, and bring others to Him. I took that message to heart. I started talking about Jesus on social media, refocused my business to work with Christian women, and soon felt God calling me to teach cycling classes for Him.

At first, I questioned this calling. “Teach cycling for Jesus? How does that even make sense?” But the thought wouldn’t leave me. After talking to my sisters in Christ and receiving their encouragement, I pitched the idea to a studio owner, who approved it. I created a class, posted a simple Instagram reel, and left it at that.

Days later, the reel went viral, and the class sold out. People from all over the world were asking for Praise Pedal. It was clear this was more than a class—it was a ministry.

The first class was beyond what I could have imagined. The Holy Spirit filled the space, healing and breakthroughs occurred, and the worship was powerful. But after that spiritual high, I entered deep spiritual warfare. The enemy attacked my self-worth, the strength of Praise Pedal, and my belief in myself. For a month, I hid, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of stewarding something I thought would be a one-time event.

Eventually, I surrendered to God, studied spiritual warfare, and rebuked the enemy in Jesus’ name. The heaviness lifted, and I began teaching classes again, showing up on social media, and committing to growing the brand.

God has continued to reveal His plans for Praise Pedal, showing me that this ministry is meant to reach as many people as possible. Every class is an opportunity to go deeper in worship, glorify Him, and allow others to experience His presence.

This walk with Him has been both difficult and rewarding. Looking back, I see how every experience in my life has prepared me to steward this ministry. I’ve had to surrender things I loved, make hard decisions, and face heartbreak, fear, and uncertainty.

But it’s all worth it because He is worth it.

This ministry exists solely for His glory. I am humbled and grateful to be His daughter, entrusted with Praise Pedal. I pray that as you experience Praise Pedal, you’ll feel God’s presence and receive blessings, healing, and breakthroughs. May you ride, praise, worship, pray, and repent with us, and may He move powerfully in your life.