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FROM PRISON TO PURPOSE

A Journey of Transformation Through Faith

There is hope beyond your darkest moment—a new life waiting for you!

INTRODUCTION

My path to destruction started much earlier than most can imagine. I was 7 years old when I started smoking Marijuana. Then I started smoking cigarettes. Then I started drinking alcohol and by the time I was 15, I was using all the drugs. At seven years old – an age when most kids are starting second grade, I was already getting high.

I grew up in Spanish Harlem. The neighborhood itself seemed designed to swallow up kids like me.

Poverty, violence, and drugs were as much a part of daily life as breathing. When my mom later moved us to the Lower East Side, things only got worse. Drugs were sold on every corner—dealers making transactions in plain daylight, not even trying to hide. For a young kid without guidance, this environment became my education.

By the time I was a teenager, my life was completely out of control. You know, at the same time, I was guzzling 40 ounces of beer, smoking crack in a pipe, sniffing heroin, smoking angel dust, popping acid, smoking blunts with angel dust and or crack. I mean, I was consuming all of this stuff at the same time for years as a teenager in the streets of New York.

At 16, I moved out of my mom’s house and shortly after got hit by a truck. I ended up in the hospital, and I saw my right leg and my knee were swollen beyond measure, all the skin was gone on my right thigh and my knee, and the nurse said that I had been at the hospital for 9 days. I was awake for the 9 days, but didn’t know who I was. Nine days where my life hung in the balance.

That wasn’t even rock bottom yet. I ended up going to Rikers Island around 20 times before finally getting a 6-year prison sentence in New York. My lifestyle had caught up with me in the way it always does.

Today, I travel internationally sharing this testimony, helping others find their way out of darkness. Since 2009, I’ve been to prisons in the Dominican Republic, the United States, Romania, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and soon Colombia with many more countries in the near future. The same God who rescued me from the streets, from certain death, from prison cells—He’s reaching for you too.

My name is Pastor Lucho, and this is my story. Not because it’s special, but because it proves that no one—absolutely no one—is beyond the reach of God’s transforming power.

THE DARK REALITY

In the streets of New York, I was living a nightmare disguised as freedom. At 16, I moved out of my mom’s house, thinking I was breaking free from rules and limitations. I wanted to be my own person, make my own decisions. Instead, I became enslaved to substances that were destroying me from the inside out. What felt like independence, was actually a prison with invisible bars.

Every drug you can name—I was taking them all simultaneously. This wasn’t casual use; this was full immersion. I was guzzling 40 ounce beers while smoking crack in a pipe, while sniffing heroin, while using angel dust, while popping acid, while smoking blunts laced with even more drugs. My body was a chemistry experiment that should have killed me many times over. And for years—not days or weeks—but years, this was my daily existence as a teenager.

My criminal lifestyle escalated quickly. The drugs needed money, and the money needed crimes. What started as small offenses grew into something much darker. I found myself taking out a knife against police officers—a moment of madness that should have ended my life. Anyone who’s done what I did in Florida—they all died. When you threaten cops with a weapon, they’re trained to shoot and kill you. It’s not like in movies where people get second chances. In real life, those confrontations end in death.

The streets taught me to be hard, to never show weakness. But beneath that tough exterior was a broken kid looking for something to fill the emptiness. Each high was shorter than the last. Each crime was less satisfying. Each day was darker than the one before.

I should have gotten at least 30 years in prison with no way around that sentence based on my crimes. The legal system doesn’t look kindly on someone threatening law enforcement with a deadly weapon. That’s the kind of charge that puts you away for decades, especially with my record. Thirty years—that would have meant I’d still be in prison today, instead of ministering to others.

The emptiness inside me was growing like a black hole, consuming everything. I was searching for something to fill the void, but everything I tried only made the hole deeper. Drugs, violence, crime—they promised fulfillment but delivered only temporary numbness followed by deeper pain.

The life I was living wasn’t just destroying me—it was leaving destruction in its wake. Hurt people hurt people, and I was hurting badly. It was a path with only two destinations: prison or death. And somehow, I was racing toward both at the same time, as if determined to see which would claim me first.

There’s a special kind of loneliness that comes from being surrounded by other broken people. We were all searching for the same thing, all failing to find it, all pretending we were living the life we wanted. But in those quiet moments, in the come-downs, in the sick mornings and empty nights, the truth was impossible to ignore: this was no way to live, and it couldn’t continue much longer.

THE TURNING POINT

My transformation happened in stages, with both advances and setbacks along the way. The first major turning point came during my New York prison sentence when I was 20 years old. During those 38 months behind bars, God did something miraculous—He delivered me from drugs and cigarettes. After years of being completely controlled by substances, I suddenly found freedom from their grip.

But my journey wasn’t straightforward. When I came out of prison in New York at 23 in 1993, I got back into drinking. For eight years, I lived in this half-transformed state—free from some of my old chains, but still bound by others. Then came the Florida incident with the police officers that should have ended with me dead or facing decades in prison.

I can tell you the exact moment everything truly changed for good. It wasn’t during a church service. It wasn’t while reading the Bible. It was in the cold reality of the Florida state prison, where I arrived on January 5, 2001, recognizing how close I had come to losing everything—my life, my freedom, my future—and somehow being spared.

I realized that God had spared my life—twice. First, from the encounter with the police that should have ended with me dead. Those officers had every reason, every right, every training protocol telling them to shoot me. But they didn’t. Then from the 30-year sentence I deserved but somehow avoided. I served until April 2005, but it could have been so much longer.

That’s when I said, “I’m not playing no more games.” It wasn’t a bargain with God—it was a recognition of grace so unexpected, so undeserved, that it could only be divine intervention.

Everybody that did the same stupid thing in Florida that I did, they all died. You take out a knife to stab two cops who are trained to shoot and kill you. So God definitely spared my life then. I was supposed to definitely get at least 30 years, no way around that. God spared me that misery and I was like, “I am not playing no more games.”

It wasn’t an overnight transformation. Let me be clear about that. It was a process of surrender—of finally hearing God say, “Stop looking at what other people are doing or not doing. Focus on what I’m doing within you.” For so long, I had been comparing myself to others, justifying my actions, blaming my circumstances. But when I finally looked inward and recognized what God was doing in my heart, everything shifted.

When I laid back and listened—really listened—I felt God saying, “This is now. You are going to start getting your breakthrough.” The opportunities that I was praying for to reach people were going to start coming through. I took a step back, and then I felt like towards the end of 2024 that God said, “this is how you are going to start getting your breakthroughs.”

After my release in April 2005, I began my ministry work. The first changes were internal. My thought patterns began to change. The anger that had fueled me for so long began to subside. I began to see people differently—not as threats or marks, but as human beings with their own struggles, their own pain.

Jesus didn’t just change my circumstances; He completely transformed my perspective.

The same anger that once fueled violence became passion for helping others. The street smarts that once helped me survive now help me identify people in need. Nothing was wasted—even my darkest experiences became tools for reaching others in similar darkness.

The turning point wasn’t just about escaping my old life—it was about discovering my purpose. And that purpose, I came to understand, was inextricably linked to the very darkness I had endured. The depths to which I had fallen became the measure of God’s redemptive power, a testimony that would resonate with others who believed themselves beyond saving.

NEW LIFE REALITY

Today, my life looks nothing like my past. Where I once took lives, I now help restore them. Where I once dealt poison, I now offer hope.

The transformation isn’t just in what I do—it’s in who I am at the core of my being. The change is so complete that sometimes it feels like I’m remembering someone else’s life when I think about my past.

I have what I call a radar—it’s in my DNA now—to pick up on people who are struggling. If there’s a family in need, I sense it almost immediately. It’s like God repurposed the street instincts that once helped me survive and redirected them toward serving others. I can walk into a room and almost immediately identify who’s hurting, who needs help, and who’s putting on a brave face while falling apart inside.

Recently, I received a $500 gift card for expenses. In my old life, that would have disappeared into drugs within hours. Instead of using it for myself, I’m taking it to Florida to bless an elderly pastor couple in their 70’s who I know are struggling financially. They’ve been serving God faithfully for decades, and now they’re facing hardship. Being able to help them brings me a joy that no drug could ever approach. This is what real fulfillment feels like—giving instead of taking, blessing instead of cursing.

In 2024, I started seeing breakthroughs in ministry that I never thought possible. I’ve traveled to multiple countries sharing my testimony. From local prisons to international conferences, God has opened doors for me to tell my story of transformation. Each time I speak, I watch the same realization dawn in people’s eyes—the understanding that if God could transform someone like me, then there’s hope for them too.

The opportunities to reach people keep expanding. I’ve spoken in places where my criminal record should have barred me from entry. I’ve been welcomed by communities that once would have feared someone with my background. I’ve sat across from powerful people who make decisions that affect thousands, sharing how God can change even the most hardened heart.

My prison ministry isn’t just about sharing words—it’s about showing people a living example of transformation. When inmates see someone who’s been where they are now living a completely different life, it gives them hope that change is possible for them too. I don’t preach at them from a position of moral superiority; I stand beside them as someone who understands their struggle intimately.

The change in my life has created ripple effects I never could have anticipated. Family relationships that were destroyed by my past behavior have been restored—not perfectly, but progressively. People who once crossed the street to avoid me now seek my counsel. Communities that once suffered because of me now benefit from my presence.

But perhaps the most profound change is internal. The peace I now experience—a peace that persists even in difficulty, even in pain—is something my former self couldn’t have comprehended. The constant noise of craving, of anger, of fear has been replaced by a quietness of spirit that feels like coming home after a lifetime of wandering.

I’m not claiming perfection. I still struggle, still make mistakes, still need grace daily. But the foundation has changed from sand to solid rock.

In my darkest days, if someone had described the life I’m living now, I would have laughed in their face. It would have seemed impossible, a fantasy as unreachable as the stars. Yet here I am, living proof that transformation isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a reality available to anyone willing to surrender to God’s redemptive power.

YOUR JOURNEY

Right now, you might be thinking your situation is too far gone. That your mistakes are too big, too numerous, too devastating. That transformation might be possible for others, but not for you. Maybe you’re thinking, “You don’t know what I’ve done. You don’t know how many chances I’ve already wasted. You don’t know how many people I’ve hurt.”

Let me tell you something important: I’ve sat with murderers who found forgiveness. I’ve prayed with drug dealers who became ministers. I’ve wept with abusers who became advocates for the abused. I’m living proof that no one—absolutely no one—is beyond redemption. The same God who reached into my darkness can reach into yours, no matter how deep, no matter how long you’ve been there.

Your story isn’t finished yet. The chapter you’re in right now—no matter how dark, how painful, how seemingly hopeless—it’s not the final word on your life. There are pages yet to be written, and they can tell a story of transformation beyond anything you can currently imagine.

Here’s how you can start your journey of transformation today:

• Acknowledge the reality of where you are without judgment. You can’t begin a journey without honestly facing your starting point. Don’t minimize your situation, but don’t condemn yourself either. Simply acknowledge the truth of your current reality.
• Believe that change is possible for you specifically. Not just for others, not just in theory, but for you—with your particular history, your specific struggles, your unique circumstances. The power that transformed my life is not limited by your past or present.
• Connect with someone who can walk alongside you. Transformation isn’t meant to be a solitary journey. Find someone who has walked this path before, someone who can offer guidance without judgment, support without enabling, truth without condemnation.
• Decide today that you’re ready for a new beginning. Transformation begins with a decision. Not a feeling, not an emotion, but a concrete choice to move in a new direction. You don’t need to feel ready—you just need to be willing.
• Expect resistance, but commit to persistence. Change isn’t easy. Old habits, old thought patterns, old relationships will pull you back toward familiar territory. Real transformation requires daily, sometimes hourly, commitment to a new path.
• Forgive yourself as you move forward. Your past mistakes don’t define you unless you let them. Acknowledge them, learn from them, make amends where possible, then leave them behind as you step into a new identity.

Prayer is simply talking to God. You don’t need special words or formal language. God isn’t impressed by eloquence—He responds to honesty. Try this: “God, if you’re real, show me. If transformation is possible for me, help me take the first step. I don’t know if I believe yet, but I’m willing to find out.”

Remember that transformation is a process, not an event. There will be setbacks. There will be days when it feels like nothing has changed. But if you persist, if you keep moving forward even when progress seems slow, you’ll look back one day and be amazed at how far you’ve come.

Your journey won’t look exactly like mine. Your transformation will have its own timeline, its own challenges, its own victories. But the power behind that transformation—God’s redeeming love—remains constant and available to all who seek it.

Don’t wait for the perfect moment to begin. Don’t wait until you feel worthy. Don’t wait until you’ve hit rock bottom. The journey toward transformation can begin right now, exactly where you are, exactly as you are.

CONTACT & CONNECT

Ready to talk about your own journey?

Sometimes the first step is simply sharing your story with someone who will listen without judgment. I’m here to listen, to pray with you, to help you find resources for your specific situation, or to simply be a voice on the other end of the line reassuring you that you’re not alone.

“Your past mistakes don’t define your future potential. The darkness of your yesterday doesn’t determine the brightness of your tomorrow. There is hope and purpose waiting for you, a transformation so complete that your life becomes a testimony of God’s redemptive power.”

“Only Jesus has the power to save! His name is the only one in all the world that can save anyone.” – Acts 4:12

Pastor Lucho, From Prison to Purpose Ministries

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