No one said the prodigal son came home and was perfect forever.
But “while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)
In a modern-day prodigal-child story, Nala Ray, the daughter of a strict Baptist pastor who became a millionaire on the adult-content platform OnlyFans, is sharing her return to faith.
“I am now giving it all up for Christ,” she said in a recent social media post.
Ray grew up in an extremely religious household in Illinois, where her father was a local pastor. She was homeschooled, attended church regularly and was forbidden from such activities as wearing makeup or provocative clothing, according to the U.K. Mirror.
“The church dominated the day-to-day and as a pastor’s family I felt pressure to be a role model,” Ray said in a 2021 interview. “It was difficult. I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup or provocative clothes, and the community didn’t approve of social media or dating either.”
Chafing against the environment, the “curious and sexual” Ray began sneaking out as a teenager to meet up with boys behind her parents’ backs. After her family moved to Florida when she was 16, she started turning away from religion.
“I was born to be a sexual creature. Women’s bodies make the world go round,” Ray told the outlet in 2021.
“At the time, I was always sneaking out and I had a string of failed relationships and flings that I do look back on with regret,” she said even then.
Should Nala’s story be celebrated?
In 2019, at the urging of one of her Instagram followers, Ray started an OnlyFans account to monetize her sexy lingerie photos. The venture was an immediate success — in her first month, she raked in $85,000.
Ray soon quit her job as a dental assistant to focus on OnlyFans full-time.
Within six months, she had made her first million dollars. In 2021, she was making $330,000 per month from the platform, enough to afford a mansion with a pool in Los Angeles, according to the Mirror.
“I’ve been so closed off for so many years that it feels like I’ve had my eyes opened to a whole world of sexual and sensuality. I am desperate to be around all these people who are sexually liberated,” Ray said in the 2021 interview.
Ray’s career choice also caused a rift between her and her family, the Mirror reported.
“My mum and dad have made it very clear that I am not to talk about my job and way of life to anyone. They both semi try to get me back into church but it’s just because they care,” she wrote.
“Our relationship isn’t the strongest so you could imagine how those conversations may go. While most of my siblings know about my life or have an idea of what I do, they have kept their distance from me due to their beliefs,” she added.
Ray’s family may have kept their distance from their lost child, but there was someone else who never stopped pursuing her heart.
And now, Ray says she has turned her life back to Christ.
In a testimony that has garnered more than a million views on social media platform X, Ray shared her testimony of a life spent seeking all the wrong things.
Powerful testimony. pic.twitter.com/5kFc8vbgJw
— Ryan (@rcam_tv) March 14, 2024
“I started OnlyFans about four years ago, and I climbed to the top 0.01 percent,” she said.
“I’m not saying that to brag. I’m saying that the devil can truly give you things in this life. He has a budget, though. He can only go so far.”
Ray shared how she did “corn” — a pseudonym for “porn” — for four years, showing herself all over the internet and making shocking statements, including saying that she loves to cheat.
But a person she refers to as her current “partner” shared God’s love with her and brought her back to Christ.
“The devil will give you these things that trip you up, and money in front of your face, and these worldly friends, your family that isn’t there for you. But don’t be discouraged because God has a better plan for your life,” she said.
“We are all given a choice. I choose Jesus,” Nala wrote in the caption on a video showing her being baptized.
@naladaddyy We are all given a choice. I choose Jesus. #christian #jesus #babtized ♬ Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) – Hillsong UNITED & TAYA
Comments on the internet went from praising God to skepticism to outright mocking.
Praise God! Praying this is true!
— Ben Zeisloft (@BenZeisloft) March 14, 2024
You’re a sucker lmao
— Austyn Hamilton (@AHamiltonMonkey) March 15, 2024
Some pointed out that it sounded like Ray was in a sexual relationship with her “partner” in her testimony.
I guess I missed that part where she stated she was being intimate with her boyfriend? And like most people who follow Jesus, sometimes it takes time to polish the edges.
— Ryan (@rcam_tv) March 15, 2024
Others, understandably, just didn’t believe her.
Still I don’t trust her, too many women have pulled this facade and made me look like a fool for defending them.
— Hayden G. Latemore (@Haydogg10) March 15, 2024
But those of us who know how God can change a life are praying and hoping that this time, this lost child will stay.
That’s amazing. With this one I resonated with, born and raised in the church, attending my dad’s Bible studies twice a week, attending church 3 times a week, it felt like A LOT, enough to make me feel like I didn’t want to hear it again or be in church AT ALL lol. sneaking out…
— XRP_Empress 👑 (@cocogocrypto) March 15, 2024
She may not be a religious scholar, and she may never do everything right — few of us, if any, can claim that they have.
And making a choice is a lot easier than living it out every day.
But one thing that we can be sure of is that if she has taken one step toward Jesus, he will take a million to give her the opportunity to save her life.
Whether the Christian community will do the same is yet to be seen.
