Ditching the Demons, Embracing Forgiveness, and Walking in the Light, Ginger Howze's Story (Part 3)

Ginger's story has such an incredible ending, God works so many miracles, rebuilds so many relationships, and restores deep joy in Ginger's heart.  Praise the Lord for his goodness and mercy!

Transcript

Phil Shuler: 0:00

HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the Safe House Ministries podcast, where we share stories of the power of God to change lives through Safe House Ministries. Safe House Ministries is based out of Columbus, Georgia, and we are a ministry that exists to love and serve people who have been affected by addiction, homelessness, and incarceration. I'm your host, Phil Shuler, the Director of Development for Safe House Ministries here in Columbus, Georgia. Safe House serves over 1, 100 people each month as they transition back into our community. Safe House provides an abundance of services including 213 beds for homeless individuals and families, case management for obtaining job skills and long term employment. Over 300 hot meals every day, free clothing, and so much more. One of the most incredible services that Safe House provides is our free 9 12 month intensive outpatient substance abuse program, which is state licensed, CARF accredited, and has no wait list. Almost 100 percent of individuals staying in our shelters who follow our three phase program become fully employed within a few months. And 68 percent of individuals who stay at least one night with us End up finding work and moving into their own home. Thank you for being with us today and listening to our podcast. We hope you enjoy this week's episode.

Ginger: 1:12

And Jeff ended up getting pulled over. He was working a landscaping job and he got pulled over at work for um, like a taillight or something. And he had an old warrant and so they picked, they picked him up and he ended up going to jail. So he calls me again. I'm still staying at the, at the people's house at this time. I was obviously a lot to deal with when I was high. I'm already very hyper, so, um, a little bit of dope. I was up for days, I mean, just one line and I'm up two, three days and when everybody else could just go, go to bed. And so the sleep deprivation hitting, um, I'm hallucinating, I'm spastic, I'm, you know, I was a lot to deal with. Um, and so people didn't really want me around. They just did because of Jeff.'cause Jeff's always just even an addiction. He's just, just Jeff, he's just great. Yeah. Everybody loves Jeff House. Um, and uh, so he got picked up and called me and was like, this is it. You know, um, he's like, I got locked up and you know, I got probation violation or whatever. I don't know how long I'm gonna be in, so I'm calling his probation officer.'cause I'm scared to death now because I'm so codependent on him, like to protect me. It was just, uh, me and him against the world. And I knew that where we're staying, it was because of him. And, I was scared to death. So you know, I'm calling his probation officer. I'm like, please let him out before you know Chris, you know, blah, blah, blah. And Wow. Yeah. So, um, and then after about a week,'cause he, I mean he's solid, been using meth for almost 30 years, like a needle. He quit. He, he, he gave the needle up, about a year before we quit getting high, which is, which is huge'cause from what I understand and what I've seen people actually get hooked on the needle, if that makes sense. Yeah. I never really got that, but I, I, I, I've seen it with my own eyes. So he just got, he kind of got just sick of shooting dope. So he finally quit that after that many years. And, but then he called me, I guess it had been two weeks, and he called me and said. This is it because this is the first time he had had some clarity and kind of dried out and rested and slept and been eating. And he said, this is what we've been praying for. He was like, I'm done. We're done.

Phil: 3:13

Wow.

Ginger: 3:13

Yeah. So it was the biggest blessing of our lives that he got arrested. So.

Phil: 3:18

Wow.

Ginger: 3:18

And here I have two little, uh, trash bags of my little worldly possessions that I've been stealing clothes outta the goodwill boxes, you know, and everybody, I'm in room fulls of people that don't want me there. Everybody's getting high. And I had one girlfriend, I love you, Kim Clegg, who wasn't, uh, wasn't getting high, and, um, she was

both: 3:37

just there, but she wasn't getting high. She, no, she was

Ginger: 3:39

just a friend. We've been friends for so many years. Um, we used to party and stuff together, but it never got her like me. And she left that stuff alone a long time ago. It was never like a thing for her. but her, uh, she lived with her mom. granny who's older, and, uh, granny was like, you know, they were on a super tight budget, bare, barely getting by. And of course I can't stay there, but I show up'cause I was like, this, I have to kick dope on the outside. He's inside, like, this is our chance. So I just show up and I'm like, I have nowhere to go. Like, can I stay here? And, and she was like, she kinda looked around and she was like, just so every night I would lay on the floor on the other side of her room. So her mom didn't know that I was there. Yeah. And I literally kicked, kicked dope at, uh,

both: 4:17

so you were out of the house during day out outta the houses, out of the drug house in the evening. Yeah. So we would just

Ginger: 4:21

kind of h it was okay to hang out during the day. Me and her would just, uh, we just hung out. But at nighttime I wasn't supposed to be like staying there. But, um, yeah, Kim Clegg is a huge part of my testimony and story. So from

both: 4:32

that point you had stopped getting high anymore. Yeah. Then, and you were trying to just get clean on the outside then? I was just trying

Ginger: 4:36

to get clean when Jeff said, I was like, this is our chance, you know, uh, we have to do this together or, um, or not. And, and this is kind of what we've been praying for. And then to hear him. Being the lead in that. It's like what I've been praying for. You know what I mean? You know, man to lead, you know? and, you know, I would go down and see him and stuff like that. And, and then, uh, he got out. So he got, I think he did two months, little over two months in jail. Um, we both had a little mental clarity called his mom. He got sentenced to the, uh, DRC program, which I had been in as well. and he called his mom. He said, look, we, I'm never gonna make it. If I go back to where I was, you know, I, I want this, I want this program. And, um, you know, I have, I have a curfew, I have all these things I have to do meetings, church, blah, blah, blah. So, um, and he said, ginger has nowhere to go. So his mom, uh, on a tight budget, my mother-in-law now, um, let us stay there. And she said, you can do this meetings, blah, blah, blah. So we lived, we did two to three, uh, NA meetings a day. So

both: 5:32

you, did you, were you in a, a formal program yourself? No. Or you were just going to The meetings was time. I was just going

Ginger: 5:37

to the meetings. I was just. Doing. Yeah. We just completely, you did it with him? With him. We, we, we let every person go. And there was a, Jeff had a really good friend, our, our friend that let us stay there, Brian, and they're, they're still friends today, but, you know, and he's doing really good. But there was just activity, you know what I mean? At the house and when you're, when you're, that you just disa disassociated from all of that. You have to just, I mean, we, we, we deleted probably 300 people off our Facebook and just a whole new way of life. We, we, we wanna know how you're not getting high every day. I want what you have. And, and then in the meetings, um, we were wanting to find our own church home, you know, something just little younger for us somewhere. Yeah. And, uh, we, we were asking somebody at a NA meeting and they were like, you've never heard of the fort church? And I was like, no, I've never lived here. My whole life. Never heard. So, um, we, we said, well, we'll go visit that first. And we had a list of four different churches and we weren't there 20 minutes. And Jeff was like, we're we're home. Yeah. So we ended up getting bap uh, baptized together on Easter of, 2019. Yep. Wow. Yeah, we've been ever since we're, we're super involved in the church. That's just been a, our network is amazing. We wouldn't be here, uh, today without, that is awesome. The support and yeah. God has orchestrated, uh, an amazing, friend, friend and, friendships and support and accountability.

Phil: 6:55

Yeah. You know,

Ginger: 6:55

I, because we, you need some people in your life that are telling you, Hey, that's, that's, that's, you're, you're, you're getting crazy over there. You're looking, you know, getting outta line over there. That's not, um, so they helped

both: 7:04

you when you were at risk of going back Yes. To the darkness, yes. Those new friends helped you kind of stay the course.

Ginger: 7:10

Absolutely. Um, and then I was we found an apartment on our own. Um, and of course, Jeff and I are both felons, so you had to have like twice the, twice the rent, twice the, all this stuff. But the biggest thing, oh wow. We saved up. But the biggest thing is that no one would give us a chance. Because of you have to do a background check. So we, I getting, getting upset'cause I, my whole goal was I'm getting my son back, I'm getting my son back, you know? Yeah. Um, um, from, from his dad where we would share custody, but he, you know, I want him in my house. So, um, we were riding through, my mom and dad were taking me, uh, to look at apartments and we, uh, had, had just been turned down for three, we rode through Spring Creek Village, which is off Veterans Parkway, right over there by North Side. And there was a girl that was, um, like a younger girl, um, right. She was around my age, maybe about five or six years younger. And she was cleaning out apartment and just in a truck and was in and out of this apartment. So for some reason, I mean, it was like the Lord just highlighted to her and I just yelled at my mom. I was like, stop the car. Stop the car. Mom was like, what? I said, I'm gonna go talk to her. So I just got out and I just took a breath and I said, look, I said, I'm a, I'm a good mom. I'm in recovery and I need a chance to get my son back. My, my boyfriend and I are both felons. No one will give us a chance, and we desperately need this. Like, you know, I'm crying and stuff. And she just stopped and was hanging on my every word and, I said, do you have to do a background check here? And she said, yes. And I said, we have, you know, the, the double deposit, we have the rent. And I was like, you have my word. We will never be one day late on the rent. We just need someone to give us a shot. And, um, and I said, you have to have a background check here. And she said, yes. And I mean, I just tears coming down my eyes and I looked down and then she said, um, well, you know, my aunt, it manages the, uh, the property. And she said, um, lucky for you. She's at the beach until Tuesday. She said, be in, be in the office first thing in the morning. And she said, I'll run it through. I mean, I leapt on her, like jumped in her arms. Yeah. I was like, oh my God, thank you. So, um, yeah, it was just amazing. And so Jeff and I moved in. I got, I was able to get Jackson's, um, we had everything we own was given to us by friends and family. We still have a lot of that stuff. It's very special to me. Um, and I fussed and fussed over getting Jackson's room ready and all his superhero stuff. And, um, you know, I've been just praying for this day for, for so many year, for almost seven years at that time. And, uh, and he, I, so I called his dad. I was like, it's ready. Can you, can you bring him? Of course, you know, he had lost, lost belief in me and I, all the empty promises, I'm gonna get you back and all that. And he was for a long time, obviously very angry at me and he was just kind of self-preservation. He was just not allowing himself to just believe it anymore. He is like, you always say that, and he was real cold to me and stuff, which was really hard, but rightly so. and his dad came and dropped him off and he kinda, I just, I, I mean, mental image of him just walking in and he's kind of looking around'cause it was a nice apartment. and he's looking around and then I had his door shut and I had like, a little superhero, superhero stuff. and I had some like Marvel sign on his door. And, um, he, he opens the bedroom door, he like pauses for a minute. I was like, that's your room. And he, um, opens the door and he's like, I can just see his little head. He's looking around like this. And then he just, he stops and he turns around and he said, you did, sorry. I knew I was gonna cry. He said, uh, you did real good mom. It, everything looks great. And he just like, dove on the bed with a big smile and giggled. And I didn't want him because he was very, um, cringey all the time. You know, he is in junior high. Uh, I mean, uh, just starting at, at Northside, I'm sorry. that's why we picked that apartment because I wanted him to go to Northside. He was starting high school.

Phil: 10:50

Yeah.

Ginger: 10:50

And so I said, thanks buddy. And so I didn't want him to see me.'cause he is like, you're so emotional. So I went in the bathroom and like put my hands over my mouth and like crumpled in a heap and like, God. And I just were just, I mean, I was just praising him. I had both hands in the air and I'm like, thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. You know? just, it's just unbelievable. And j he has, the Lord has healed the rela the hurts and mine and Jackson's relationship. Like every now and again, I'll try to bring up stuff. He was like, mom, that's, that's not who you are. That's so, you know, that's so over with. I love you. He is like, I don't, you know, uh, it's, he was like, um, and God bless my parents. It goes back to my parents again. That has so much to do with them because Jackson even told me, he said, you know, the whole time you and dad were in addiction and I was with Mimi and big dude, he said, uh, I always knew how loved I was. I knew that you and dad loved me so much. And he was like, Mimi And big dude used to tell me all the time. Your mom loves you so much. Your mom is just sick. They could always differentiate the attic from their daughter. And they, um, god blessed and were able to do that for my son. and then got him into counseling that whole time. So he was with a great, uh, a great therapist for great rapport with, um, uh, Dr. Kevin. And, uh, so that made a huge impact. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Very blessed in that aspect. Yep. Wow.

both: 12:11

Yep. And he's 20 now. He's 20,

Ginger: 12:13

yes. And he's, so from that

both: 12:14

point, did you kind of share custody with Robbie or, yeah, so we've

Ginger: 12:17

always, So talk about mending a relationship. So I mean, like I told you, the ugliness was horrible between Robbie and I for, uh, stay away order. We didn't speak for like almost two years. We couldn't go around each other and stuff. And then, god, uh, through Jackson, you know, God started really heal, healing us. Um. Uh, our relationship and we co-parent. Great. Uh, like I said, he introduced me to Jeff, so he actually, when we got clean, he got Jeff the job at Pratt Whitney. So they work together at Pratt and Whitney. Wow. Um, I still give Robbie haircuts all the time. He cuts our grass. He, he has a riding lawnmower and he loves to cut grass. He, he's like, you want me to cut your grass? I'll come over. Yeah. So he comes over and cuts grass. We all watch, uh, football together. Like, if I cook a big dinner, I'll tell Robbie, come over and, you know, eat with us. And, um, this Sunday actually we're going to Atlanta. Me, Jeff, Jackson and his dad Robbie, are all going, um, to a Chavelle concert. My son loves Chavelle, he loves rock music. So we're all four gonna, uh, you know, go together. And that's a huge blessing, not just for Robbie and I, but especially for Jackson. Wow. You know? Yeah. So God is that, I mean, no way we could have tried to do any of this on our own. We tried, you know, but it is nothing but God. nothing but God.

both: 13:29

It really is a miraculous transformation,

Ginger: 13:31

miraculous transformation in so many areas of, of, of my life. Yeah.

both: 13:35

Wow. Yeah. So when does your story intersect with Safe House Ministries?

Ginger: 13:41

So I actually met, um, Neil Richardson, the, I think it was either the second or the last time I was in jail. my parents had called, of course, they're worried about me and I'm in there, you know, um, for stealing from them and stuff. And so I guess they had reached out to, to the chaplain and, uh, were worried about me. So he, here comes this guy, you know, and I've, I'm coming off of drugs and I'm not wanting to hear anything anybody's gotta say. And you, you step it through these one metal door and you're in like this little small pod and the other door. So he steps in. I'm like not looking around. And he is like, well, your parents are real worried about you. And I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah. You know, that kind of thing. And um, so he's trying to talk to me and I'm, I'm not paying him any attention and looking around and, and then he starts sharing about, he was like, well, you know, when I was on cocaine all those years, and I was like, huh, I'm sorry, what'd you say? Wait, this, that you're the chaplain. Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, okay. So now, you know, but instantly, and that's what, like peer support is like lived experience now, you know, you're not just some guy that's studied it out of a book trying to tell me about, you know, this, this dude's lived it, you know, he knows like, uh, we can speak the same language here. So I was very receptive and you know, he gave me a Bible and we, we talked for a while and stuff. So, after I got clean in, uh, 2019, of course I had many more years of using after that. But that was, um, our first introduction. I wanna say it was like 2015 is when I met Chap in the jail. and then, when I got, In 2019, I actually got hired on, John Haw got me a job at, in 2020 with, connections through New Horizons, to be a, a, a recovery, coach. And I was so excited about that'cause I was like, you know, I can use my lived experience. And I was just on fire for that. And um, and then, uh, COVID hit and the pandemic hit and shut everything down. So they kept pushing back my, my, my hire date, kept pushing it back. And then finally I was like, look, I have to get a job. Like we need money. So, um, a girlfriend of mine, Cameron was working at Safe House Ministries and was like, Hey, we've got a position open for case management. and I was like, I'm on it, you know? And she was like, chap, she said, I brought your name up to Chap. And Chap was like, yeah, I know. Yeah, that's great. Send her on. So interviewed and got the job and I started as case manager for the men's shelter, which at that time was the Grace House. And um, I just absolutely loved it, you know? it was such a blessing to. To do that and had a, had a great rapport, uh, rapport and, and then just kind of moved around, you know, here and there. things like the schedule and different things like that just weren't really working out. And uh, you know, I was feeling overwhelmed trying to catch up with notes and it still run my household and dogs and kid and, you know, all that. So Neil, um, you know, I'm crying'cause I'm like, I don't wanna leave Safe House, you know, and he's like, calm down, you know, he is. He's like, settle down, let's just pray about it and we'll, we'll talk tomorrow. You know? So, uh, he said, I might have something else for you. So he, uh, called the next day and, and um, you know, had the, what is it called? housing, like housing manager or whatever. Yeah. Connections manager. I'm sorry, I just wanna totally blank. Um, or I could work in the lab with. McCoy.

Phil: 16:39

Yeah.

Ginger: 16:39

Doing drug tests and I was like, I'd rather, you know,'cause of course I have a huge rapport with the, you know, with the clients and I was like, I wanna be, you know, with them where I can better serve them. So I did that. Yeah. And I loved it.

both: 16:50

So that's when you became like the mm-hmm. The supervisor for the connections team?

Ginger: 16:53

Yeah. Yeah.

both: 16:54

Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

Ginger: 16:55

I, I loved it. Um,

both: 16:57

and what were you overseeing at that point?

Ginger: 16:59

I was, um, kind of overseeing just the day to day coming in of the, when they would come in, making sure they were getting scanned correctly. Um, the shower program, you know, uh, checking things out. I, I, I did a lot with the clothing closet, um, with Ms. Peggy the most. Uh, uh, a amazing volunteer that's ever been. Yeah, she's great. Um. And, uh, so that, and then, um, drew and I at the time were doing, um, like housing and stuff, and then I would also do some stuff with Trinity House. And, you know, it was a lot, you know, you know, there was high activity at the Yeah. At the Safe house. But I, you know, I loved it, but at that time I had not been on my, A DHD medicine. And I think looking back when I started studying for my CPS exam, I, you know, I told my mom, I'm like, I'm gonna need to, to get back on my medicine. And, and, uh, you know, I've told Jamie Lee, I was like, you know, it would've been, I, I would've been able to better handle. I think things, if I had been back on my medicine, but it was still just the most amazing, um, experience. And uh, you know, I just, I'm, I just wholeheartedly love the safe house and how many lives they change. And, um, just that, like, like Neil has always said, it's the, the last door that's always open. You know what I mean? Yeah. They don't, yeah. That's what I love. You don't have to look a certain way. You don't have to be a certain way. You don't have to. Not be on mental health meds, you know, or, or that kind of thing to get in. Yeah. It's just, you just have to be ready and, and willing and, and come on, and we're gonna love on you and we're gonna, shine the light of the Lord and, and, and connect you with resources and really change your life. I, i love it. That's

both: 18:35

awesome. Yeah. Yeah. You're not currently an employee anymore of Safe House, but you are on the board, right? Yes.

Ginger: 18:42

That was a huge blessing, um, because I was, that was really hard for me. I mean, I cried for weeks after I left the Safe, safe House because, I just, you know, that many years spending with, in relation with, with the clients and stuff like that, and, Jackson always tells me when we go downtown, he was like, you're just famous with all the, the homeless people. You know, they're like, miss Ginger, you know, I'm running, you know, hugs and stuff, but honestly, the Lord put a calling on my life to the, uh, to the homeless when I was like 19. I worked at 12th Street, uh, deli and Catering.

Phil: 19:10

Yeah.

Ginger: 19:10

And at that time back then there was, uh, you never came downtown. There was no, it's not like it is now or uptown. And that was the first time I'd ever seen someone homeless and they were like, digging in the dumpster. Well, that was not okay with me. You know, it just, so, uh, my mom laughs, um, over the, the period of the next four months. It was during the winter, so I would go in and take pans of food and like, uh, right in the box, God loves you. Um, you know, don't give up. Things like that. And I would leave hot food out there and, um. And then I would go home and take all my mom's blankets. She was like, where are all my blankets going? And, and, and to this day, still jackets too. Jeff has certain jackets he'll hide from me'cause I like, keep them in my car and I'll just pull over and, you know, it's just a great way to say hey. Like, you're, you're, you're thought about, you're cared about, you're loved. God loves you. I love you. You know, um, people need to hear that. And people need, uh, my dad laughed, but hugs will change the world. You know, there's so, so many people that don't get any human contact. A lot of elderly people that are shut in, homeless people are looked over. Yeah. Um, and that you need human touch. You need to know that you're cared about. So I, I'll be quick to give you, you know, whatever's going on. I'm gonna give you a hug, give you a jacket, tell you you're loved, you know, so, um, yeah.

both: 20:20

Wow. Yeah. That's awesome. well, we're glad you're on the board now for Safe House. Me too.

Ginger: 20:25

That's an ama That was an amazing honor. Yeah. I, I'm grateful for Jamie Lee for, for suggest suggesting that.

both: 20:31

You have just an amazing story. Like, um, I appreciate you sharing just all the years and what you went through and where you are now.

Phil: 20:42

Yep.

both: 20:42

think about all that you've been through and if you would just pull out a few key lessons that you could share that others would really benefit from hearing and just receiving.

Ginger: 20:56

Okay. Um, and definitely the first one would be get out of your own way. that was a big one for me. Um, I would, you can be your own worst enemy, um, and you can really block what God has for you in your life, um, by trying to do things your way, um, on your time, um, things like that. So once I really, surrendered. Like truly surrendered. Like I could say, you know, foxhole prayers and, oh, if you just get me outta this, or I, you know, this, that, the other, um, but truly surrendered, like, I am nothing without you. I cannot do this. I cannot make it. Um, I, you know, I just, I need you and, and, you know, asking for forgiveness for all my sins and giving that, all that guilt and shame over, um, to him, um, that was super freeing. You know, and, another lesson that I shared earlier is, is it's painful. but own your own mess there. There's power in that. There's power in taking some of the stigma, you know, away or the shame, for the things you you've done. You don't have to keep beating yourself up about it. But it's like when, you know, uh. S secrets aren't good, you know, and sometimes I know for myself we can be, we can lie. The lies we tell ourselves are beyond what we'd tell anybody else. You know? Um, so just really getting real with yourself and, and owning, owning the mess. Like, okay, this is because of this, you know, nobody, it's not because of my childhood, this, that, or the other. This happened to me. I'm, I'm driving this ship here and, and I've made some poor choices and I own that and I want forgiveness and I wanna change. And then you're getting the solution, you know?

Phil: 22:35

Yeah. Yeah.

Ginger: 22:36

So those are probably the biggest things. But, um, also, I, I don't wanna, leave without saying where I work now. Yeah,

Phil: 22:42

yeah,

Ginger: 22:43

yeah. So I, I ended up getting my certified peer specialist, so I'm a CPS, uh, mh for mental health. I'll soon be getting my, uh, also for addiction. Um, my cares, um, gonna be doing that, so I'm really excited about that. But I work for Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network. Um, we're based out of, uh, we're in the home office is in Tucker, um, up by Atlanta. And, um, we have, respite centers and all types of services all over the state of Georgia. And peer support, respite centers, um, all kinds of stuff. Yeah. We, we just do a whole lot and it's been such a blessing. I just celebrated a year that I've been with them.

Phil: 23:19

Wow.

Ginger: 23:20

Yeah. And, uh, I, I just, I love it. I get to use my lived experience and, and, uh, shine the hope of recovery, mental health, recovery and addiction, uh, substance abuse recovery. Yeah. Um, they so often go hand in hand. Yes, they do. They do. Absolutely. And so I have peers that I see at West Central Regional Hospital here in Columbus, and then I have some peers that are in the community. Which is a huge blessing. So the goal is we start working with peers while they're in the hospital. And once someone gets out of the hospital, then they're just kind of on their own. They go to maybe a group home is usually the next step. And then, you know, from there, but as peer, uh, peer specialists, we're able to follow them into the community so we can make those connections, we can help with resources. We keep, you know, kind of whatever goals they wanna work on. Um, so that's really special about peer support. Yeah, and I get as much from them as they do from me, so I just, I love it. That's awesome.

Phil: 24:14

Yeah.

both: 24:14

Yeah. That's really awesome, man. anything else you want to add here, uh, before we leave?

Ginger: 24:20

Well, my goodness, I've talked your ears off, so

both: 24:23

it's been so good.

Ginger: 24:24

Oh, good. Thank you, Phil. Thank you, Phil. Glory to God. Um, it's,

both: 24:26

uh, I've said it many times, but, um, I mean, I may have some proximity by bias, but, uh, but I think this is one of the, my favorite just stories to have heard and just. Thank you. Wow. What a great testimony mean. It really is

Ginger: 24:40

in all areas of my life and it's just, God is just amazing to me when I catch myself, you know, complaining about, I have so much laundry to do. Oh, this house is a mess. I mean, I just stop cold. I'm like, I get to do laundry. You know what I mean? I'm not diving in a goodwill box and God is so, so, uh, that's a blessing. But when I tell people, um, that I'm grateful for what I went through, I'm grateful for the, the 20 year addiction because it made me who I am today. And it has made me so grateful for, I think things the smallest of things that people take for granted.

Phil: 25:12

Yeah. You know,

Ginger: 25:13

Jeff and I even, it sounds weird, but we get excited about, not excited, but we're happy to pay bills. I know that sounds really weird. But like, just being like, oh, boom. You know, put that on autopay. We got a car payment. Boom. You know, that's a blessing. Like when you, yeah. Just all those things are a really big deal and, and it, and it feels good to be a part of that and, and a contributing member of society, like filing taxes, you know, just all those things when you've been just running in the darkness for 20, 30 years, it's, it's, it's good to be here. Yeah. God is good.

both: 25:43

It really where you were mm-hmm. Really affects your perspective. It does. Uh, and that, that's, that's a valuable thing to, to have. It is, it is so many people that have not experienced that darkness.

Ginger: 25:56

Right.

both: 25:57

There's so unhappy and complaining about their lives. Right. That they have no idea. No idea. Yeah. Yeah. It just reminds me of just some of the missions trips I've taken. I would go in, uh, Dominican Republic and we were just going through some dirt roads and highways through the sugarcane fields, and there was this little shack over in the distance, and I saw. What probably couldn't have been a little girl that was older than maybe eight, nine years old. Wow. And she was, had her little brother standing right in front of her and he was in a bucket. And he might've been 2, 3, 4 years old. She was just giving'em a bath in the bucket. Yeah. But when you meet the kids and you meet the people, they're so happy. Yes. They're so joyful. And just their perspective. Right. You know, and then we leave the mission field, come back to America and, and everybody has everything literally

Ginger: 26:47

Right.

both: 26:48

And they're just Yeah. Grumpy and complaining. Mm-hmm. And just, it's, it's true. But it's that perspective.

Ginger: 26:54

It really is. It really is. And, and that, and, you know, um, another lesson is just kind of bloom where. Where you are. You know, this didn't all happen overnight for Jeff and I, you know, we, we bought the hou we, we own a home now, but we bought the house that my mom grew up in. Like that, just to even hear me say that. Like, who, what? Look at God. That's just crazy. but yeah. So, uh, but it was, it was some hard, hard days, you know? Um, working hard, just doing the next right thing. I still to this day say that I can't tell you how many times a day if a situation comes up. It's like a, a cadence in my head next Right thing. Do the next right thing.'cause that's, that's what got us through each minute by minute when we were first getting in recovery and it worked and it works today. Yeah. You know, so just, um, but wherever you are, you can, you can make things happen Right. Where you're at, you know? Wow. Yeah. That's because God is good. That

both: 27:48

is awesome. Yeah. Praise the Lord.

Ginger: 27:50

Yeah.

both: 27:50

any other comments or any other

Ginger: 27:51

No. You better cut me off, Phil. Right. Sit here and gave all day. Thank you.

both: 27:55

You mind if I close this in? Word of prayer? Please

Ginger: 27:56

do. Thank

both: 27:57

you. Father, thank you so much for just your greatness and your love and your goodness. Thank you that you're in control, Lord, that you love us. As Romans says, you love us, even you loved us even while we were your enemies. Yes. Even in the midst of the things that we have done that are so deeply hurtful to your heart, you love us through those things beyond those things. Thank you for the miracle you've done in, in, uh, in Jeff's life for the miracle you've done in Ginger's life, for just the amazing things that you have done in Jackson's life and with Ginger's parents and so many others. Lord, there's so many. Connected stories of amazing lives that Ginger has just touched on all around her and her story is so amazing itself. I, I pray that you would just use these podcast episodes and that you would use Ginger story to make a profound impact in the lives of those that would hear it, and that if there's any that are struggling in darkness themselves, Lord, whether it's homelessness, whether it's drug addiction, or whether it's just. Maybe even depression of, of any kind. Lord, use the message of these podcasts and this story to, to reach them, Lord, and to show them your love. I pray that you would just do great things in Ginger's life and Jeff's life as they continue forward, that you would just continue to bless their lives greater than they could ever imagine, and use them to be such a positive influence on the lives of so many more. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

Ginger: 29:43

Amen.

Phil Shuler: 29:45

We look forward to being with you again next week as we share another testimony about the power and the goodness of God to change lives through Safe House Ministries. if you are someone listening to this podcast that loves to hear these stories of the great things that God is doing in changing people's lives for the better, and if you would like to be a part of that work, please reach out to us You can reach us at 2101 Hamilton Road, Columbus, Georgia, 31,904. You can call us at seven oh six three two two. 3 7, 7 3, or you can email us at info@safehouse-ministries.com.

Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone)-2: 30:23

Thank you so much for being with us this week for the renew restore and rejoice podcast of safe house ministries, we pray that God will bless you this week. And we look forward to having you back with us again next week for a new episode.