When you meet Gage Rael today, you see a man devoted to his family, his faith, and his calling as a builder in Midland. He’s the teammate others look to for encouragement, the father his sons admire, and a living reminder that God can redeem any story. But Gage will be the first to tell you that his path to this life was anything but easy. 

Gage was born in Pueblo, Colorado, and grew up in a difficult environment. His mother became pregnant at 16, and the family faced constant struggles. Surrounded by negative influences, Gage found himself following the wrong crowd and living by his own rules. “I thought I was in control,” he remembers. “But I was really headed toward destruction.” 

That road eventually led to federal prison. Arrested in 2017 for selling drugs, Gage spent two years incarcerated — two years alone with his thoughts, his regrets, and a Bible. “I was completely broken,” he says. “But in that isolation, the Lord started to do something new. I opened my heart, and He began to give me light again.” 

When Gage was released, his grandfather in Midland offered him a fresh start. Though hesitant to leave his home and young son, Gage prayed and felt God nudging him to take the leap. In June 2019, he arrived in Midland with no driver’s license, on probation, and searching for a second chance. 

He started roughnecking in the oil field, learning hard lessons about work ethic and humility. Before long, he applied for a position with Betenbough Homes. Chris Flores, then the detail manager, saw potential in Gage and helped him navigate the process, even driving him to the DMV to get his license. Gage was hired as a detail technician that September, and he began to feel like he belonged. 

But old habits die hard. During a trip back to Colorado for Thanksgiving, Gage made a mistake. He smoked marijuana. When he returned to work, he failed a drug test and lost his job. “It crushed me,” Gage admits. “But the way Ryan Whitworth, my general manager at the time, handled it — that changed everything. He came out to the parking lot, hugged me, and said, ‘Don’t let this send you back down the wrong path. We don’t know if this separation is forever.’” 

“Letting him go was a tough one,” remembers Ryan. “But I believed with all my heart it was right. I had a peace about it and knew the Lord would use it. Gage needed that wake-up call.”  

That moment lit a fire in Gage. Determined to prove his growth, he stayed clean, paid for monthly drug tests himself, and sent them to Chris as proof. For seven months, he kept in touch, praying for another opportunity. In August 2020, during the height of COVID, that opportunity came. Ryan and Chris decided to give him a second chance, and Gage never looked back. 

“The culture here is different,” Gage says. “When I came back to Betenbough, there was no judgment — just love. They believed in me before I believed in myself.” 

Eighteen months later, Gage was promoted to builder. His hard work and leadership were evident, but more importantly, his faith had taken root. He had regained custody of his son, proposed to his long-distance girlfriend Beth, and bought their first home together in Midland. “If you’d told me in 2016 that I’d be here today, I’d have thought you were crazy,” he laughs. “But God had to break me down to build me up.” 

Now, Gage is known as a “locker room leader” on his team. He’s a steady, genuine presence who holds others accountable with grace. In July he shared his testimony at a Jumpstart. Lora Robertson, Midland/Odessa area director, says, “His story is one of grace, redemption, and growth. It impacted our team, and I believe it would be impactful for the whole company!”  

“A lot of people respect him,” observes Chris. “Gage is not afraid to call things out as they are. He’s good at holding others accountable. That was offered to him, and now he offers it to others.” 

Gage’s son recently prayed during a frame tour, thanking God for his dad’s job, for Betenbough, and for the people who helped their family. “That moment wrecked me,” Gage says. “To hear my son thank God for the company that gave me a second chance — it showed me how far the Lord has brought us.” 

“Gage is a picture of generational change,” Ryan emphasizes. “He’s getting spiritually fed here, and he’s spiritually feeding his family at home.” 

Today, Gage lives a life overflowing with gratitude. His home is full of laughter, love, and light, which is a stark contrast to the darkness he once knew. “The love in my home is priceless,” he says. “I tell people all the time, if you open your heart to the Lord, anything can happen.”