Swimming in Fire

Depression, drugs, and a life without purpose drove nineteen-year-old Mason Mangum to fall to his knees and cry out to God, “I’m done. Take control.” It was a last-ditch effort for help. Even though he was raised by a loving Christian family and believed in God, Mason didn’t know what it meant to live by God’s principles. His teenage years were a struggle. He was the teen who was constantly changing schools and hanging out with the wrong crowd. “I was always depressed, always in trouble, and I never knew what was wrong with me. I was never happy. I wasn’t just playing with fire, I jumped in and swam in it,” Mason recounts.

As Mason prepared to attend art school in Houston where he would study film, he was accepted by a major talent agency in Texas for acting. He planned to finish school and sign with the agency, but Mason felt God wanted him to go in a different direction: the military. Though his friends did not understand his decision to join the Marines, Mason chose to give up his dreams and be obedient to God. Mason had no idea why God wanted him in the military, but he knew that when he tried to control his own life, it turned into a mess. This time, he was handing the reigns over to God.

“Over the four years in the military, I watched my biggest weaknesses become my most profound strengths. Everything changed as I began to find purpose,” Mason reflected.” “I never thought in a million years that the military would help me in what I’m doing now, but I find it more than coincidental that what I gave up turned out to be the jump-start for my career. I think that’s the grace of God.”

Military service was incredibly challenging; a roller coaster ride of the best and worst experiences of his life. God protected him through combat and became more real than ever during the most trying of times.

Mason’s choice to put God in charge of his life would end up providing the leadership skills needed for success in his film career. While stationed at Camp Pendleton, Mason found Saddleback Church and his faith began to mature. He learned to use the Bible as a “how-to-guide” to turn himself into a God-directed man of purpose. Once his military service ended, he began working on his childhood dreams of directing and producing in the film industry. His new career in the film industry happened faster than he could have imagined, and two of his films won awards. “I believe with every bone in body all of these [awards] are from God.”

A few months ago, Mason began feeling something big was getting ready to happen and he shared the feeling with his family. He felt God was prompting him to start a new business in childhood safety apps; however, this would require capital he did not have because, at that time, he was carrying $15,000 in debt.

During a Sunday morning at Saddleback, Mason heard Pastor Rick teach on tithing. Mason had always been against tithing because he felt the church didn’t really need his money. Until then, he was unaware of the Bible verse Malachi 3:10 which said, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” Mason had never heard God say “test me” before, and he was intrigued. So, for the first time, he tithed. After giving only two times, he received a disability check from the Marine Corps for $25,000 – a check which was not supposed to arrive until at least six months later. This was enough to pay off all of his debt and provide enough capital to start his business.

During a service a few months later, Pastor Rick spoke about the body being a temple. Smoking was a nagging habit that Mason had tried to quit multiple times. But this new biblical perspective shifted Mason’s outlook and he decided to honor God by trying to quit one more time. He has never had another cigarette.

Once a life of pain and struggle, dangerously close to the fire, Mason’s life is now a life of joy, peace and excitement. He volunteers with the youth ministry at Saddleback Los Angeles to remind himself to always keep God first and his career second. As Mason shares his personal story with others, he hopes people know that when they follow God’s purposes, amazing things will happen. “When you find your purpose with God, nothing will stand in your way. He will move mountains for you. You have a direct line to him through prayer. Just ask Him.”