Jason Pratt's Story "417 Testimonies of Jesus Christ" Episode 11 With Preston Camron Dennis Eversen

In this episode of "417 Testimonies of Jesus Christ", hosts Preston Cameron and Dennis Everson interview guest Jason Pratt, who shares his testimony of overcoming addiction and crime through his faith.Background & Substance AbuseEarly Childhood Influences [[01:27 Opens in a new window ]]: Jason shares that he grew up in a small town in the Missouri Bootheel with a devout Southern Baptist mother and a backroad Baptist father. He drank his first beer at age 3.Escalation to Crime [[02:05 Opens in a new window ]]: By age 12, he drank beer every weekend; by 14, he began using methamphetamine; and by 21, he was hauling drugs cross-country in semi-trucks.Incarceration & Initial ConversionFirst Prison Sentence [[03:07 Opens in a new window ]]: Facing a methamphetamine distribution case and an assault on a law enforcement agent, he was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2012.Ozark Correctional Center [[03:53 Opens in a new window ]]: Transferred to the Ozark Correctional Center ("Ozark Christ Camp") in 2016, he attended a chapel service where he surrendered his life to Christ and was baptized.Relapse After Release [[07:07 Opens in a new window ]]: After his release in August 2017, he quickly fell back into drug abuse and sales within two weeks after stepping outside of his faith.Arrest and the Turning PointMarrying Tracy [[09:05 Opens in a new window ]]: He met his wife, Tracy, who held him accountable and was the first person to tell him "no."The Arrest in Black Rock [[11:24 Opens in a new window ]]: While fleeing toward Texas under intense distress, he was arrested at a convenience store in Black Rock, Arkansas.15-Year Sentence Threat [[17:02 Opens in a new window ]]: Facing 15 years in prison as a persistent offender, a judge offered him a final opportunity to enter a recovery program instead.Recovery, Faith, and MinistryAdult & Teen Challenge [[20:07 Opens in a new window ]]: Entering the Hope Homes program in Springfield, Missouri, Jason fully committed his life to God during a men's summit where he experienced the Holy Spirit [[22:04 Opens in a new window ]].Barnabas Barbecue [[37:40 Opens in a new window ]]: After managing the kitchen at Hope Homes and working with Light for the Lost, an anonymous donor bought him a smoker. He founded Barnabas Barbecue, a local Springfield ministry that cooks for the homeless and raises funds for faith-based recovery programs [[38:44 Opens in a new window ]].Current Service & Ready Now Recovery [[41:24 Opens in a new window ]]: Jason actively leads Ready Now Recovery groups at Ozark Correctional Center and Passion Assembly of God, where he was also voted in as a deacon [[45:34 Opens in a new window ]].Key Scriptures & Conclusion [[47:49 Opens in a new window ]]: Jason references John 21:17 ("If you love me, feed my sheep") and Philippians 1:6, concluding the broadcast with a prayer [[50:30 Opens in a new window ]].