Five Seconds Changed His Life

Greely, Colorado

“I didn’t understand what was going on. I had just seen my dad, you know, not in his right mind. And I remember calling the police on him,” recalls Jason Rangel.

His father was drug addicted and violent. The episode that led to his father’s arrest left Jason angry and empty, without a male figure in his life.

“My dad was in jail when I was going through puberty,” remembers Jason. “I just remember not having him there, you know, when I needed him.”

Despite the chaos in his home life, Jason’s aunt took him to church where he found stability and hope.

“I just remember serving the Lord. I remember loving the Lord, talking to the Lord and just being a, you know, a good Christian at such a young age,” says Jason.

Without encouragement at home, his commitment didn’t last. By 15 he turned away from his young faith and found his self-worth in the opposite sex.

“I really became sexual with females,” says Jason. “I really just, you know, I couldn’t get enough. I was having sex with my first girlfriend and it just, you know, progressed from there. And then the next girlfriend, the next girlfriend, the next girlfriend,” says Jason. “It was like, I knew I had, you know, purposely walked away from God.”

By his early 20’s, Jason had two kids with a high school girlfriend. Still, something was missing. His emptiness and desire for sexual conquest brought more pain and destruction.

“It was just a real tumultuous relationship,” remembers Jason. “I was always, you know, unfaithful to her. I just didn’t care about my children, you know, like I should have. I wasn’t a good father. Caught up with the world, you know, caught up with these guys I was hanging out with, in and out of jail, my life just took a turn for the worse fast, you know,” says Jason. “I just—was out of control.”

His choices quickly caught up with him. It wasn’t long before his girlfriend moved out and took their kids with her.

“I took that really hard when she took my kids to California,” says Jason. “I love my children, you know, I always loved them and that affected me negatively.”

Struggling to cope with losing his family, Jason turned to drugs. 

“A guy at work offered me some drugs and I remember just saying ‘yes’ you know,” says Jason. “And I just real easily said ‘yes’ and I never had said yes to drugs before. And, I just opened the door that I couldn’t close.”

Sadly, his life closely resembled that of his father’s.

Jason eventually married another woman and had two more children. His pattern of drug abuse and sex addiction continued for the next 14 years.

“I did my best to take care of my children, but you know, I was also a selfish father, you know,” says Jason. “I thought I was entitled to something like drinking and drugs and, you know, being unfaithful—and I just remember it was just a process that just started like a, chain reaction, just—it just got worse and worse.”

“Years later my children were, you know right at nine and 10 years old,” continues Jason. “I just remember them coming home. I’d be at the house, you know, high out of my mind. And I remember my children seeing that. And I just remember, you know, reflecting back to my childhood, you know, and seeing the same thing growing up,” says Jason. “And it was like I just knew that I felt really bad, you know. I knew that I had messed up.”

Soon after, his wife filed for divorce and took the kids leaving Jason alone once again, and devastated.

“When she left, it was—I took it really hard. Yeah, you know, I just felt worthless,” reflects Jason. “I felt—you know, every time I used drugs, every time I would—I'd do that, I just remember, I would think about my failures as a teenager, you know, with school and I remember the enemy just used that against me to keep using drugs, keep messing up,” says Jason. “And it was always—it was just like an endless cycle of hurt and pain and just hopelessness. I felt hopeless. I just felt my life was over and—I really felt it was time to end it. You know, I just didn’t want to live anymore. That’s how bad it got,” says Jason.

Jason was looking for a way to kill himself when he heard from God.

“I remember I was sitting in my car, and I was just staring at this building and—and for whatever reason, God just spoke to me right there and, you know, God opened up my mind for I believe, it was like five seconds,” says Jason. “I don’t know, it was fast. But He opened up my mind and I saw things for what they really are, you know,” says Jason.

“I remember when I felt that in my heart, I just felt like a sensation of hope,” says Jason. “I just started praying, ‘God, I’m sorry. You know, I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. I’m sorry for hurting my family. I’m sorry for, you know, for not giving my life to you,’” says Jason. “And I gave my life back to God at that moment.”

Jason got a new start. He was set free from drugs and sex addiction as he was filled with the love and satisfaction he had always been looking for—in his heavenly father.

“I believe, you know, our hearts and our souls, in every human being are screaming, for, you know, for God,” says Jason. “We’re crying for God and the Holy Spirit, cause that’s where He belongs is right here, you know (tapping on his chest). And I believe when He’s not there (and) we don’t ask him, you know, into our hearts, we replace him with other things like drinking, drugs, pornography,” says Jason. “You know, we have to fill that hole with something. Once you put God there and ask him in, to reside there, He takes away all that emptiness that you feel, you know. And He’s definitely done that for me,” says Jason.

Today Jason is reunited with all four of his children and his father. He wants everyone to know the hope he found through a relationship with his heavenly father.

“I’m thankful that I have a purpose in life. I’m thankful that He’s given me a purpose in my life, and I’m thankful that-uh-He's given me hope,” says Jason.