May 22, 2026 • 27 mins
You can grow up in church, know all the right words, and still feel like you’re failing in secret. That’s why this conversation with songwriter Lewis Huggins hits so close to home. We talk about the quiet burden so many people carry: trying harder, performing for approval, and walking out of worship still exhausted inside. Lewis shares how music started as a kid singing hymns, then slowly became a way to survive insecurity, self-hate, and the pressure to be “enough.”
Lewis doesn’t clean up the story. He walks us through alcohol as “liquid courage,” the slide into drugs, and the painful reality of living a double life. Then he describes the moment that woke him up for good: days without sleep, being high, and a terrifying physical crash that made him believe he might die. What happens next opens the door to the core message of the show: addiction is often tied to identity, and healing begins when you finally believe God’s love is real for you, not just for other people.
We also dig into Lewis’s songwriting process and his song “Endless Worth,” including the line that sums up grace: God is faithful when we’re not. If you’re battling relapse, anxiety, shame, or suicidal thoughts, we speak directly to you with practical spiritual next steps rooted in worship, focus, and the finished work of Jesus. If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find these stories.
Thank you for listening! Please help us by sharing this podcast with your friends and telling someone about what Jesus has done for you. If you would like to share your story, visit our website https://thepromoter.org/
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Announcer (00:01):
It's time now to get the hell out of your life.
A weekly broadcast with realpeople, sharing real struggles,
and offering real hope.
Today's show will encourage,inspire, and empower you to face
life's challenges with a boldconfidence and renewed hope now.
Ron Meyers (00:22):
Hello, my friends, and welcome to Get the Hell Out
of Your Life.
I love my show because I get totalk to everyday people who
will actually share theirproblems from the past and how
they turned them all over toGod.
And today you're going to hearfrom Lewis Huggins.
You know, a lot of people sitin church every week, carrying
(00:44):
burdens nobody else can see.
They sing the songs, smile atthe people around them, and they
still walk out feelingexhausted inside.
Well, today you're going tohear from Lewis Huggins, a man
who discovered that his identitywas never supposed to be built
on performance, religion, ortrying harder.
It was always meant to be foundin Christ.
(01:05):
Jesus said, Come to me, all whoare weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest.
No pressure, no shame, justrest.
So if you've been strugglingwith fear, anxiety, addiction,
self-hate, or feeling likeyou're never enough, this
conversation is for you.
Lewis Huggins (01:27):
I grew up in church.
I remember as far back as I canremember being in church.
I remember from I was aboutsix, about five, six years old,
I remember being in the altarwith my mom that time.
I remember being in a church ofGod.
You know, it's a denomination,it's not a it's just a
denomination.
I just remember the thoughtsthat I was having as I was
kneeling down beside her and shewas praying for me.
(01:49):
What kind of thoughts were youhaving?
I remember being told thatJesus was coming back.
He was gonna he was gonnareturn.
And that excited me.
For some reason at that age, Imean I was I was I I started
having dreams at that point.
And my mom was a a godly, agodly woman.
She still is.
And I remember hearing thehearing the choir sing, you
know, in the church and and andhearing people singing and and
(02:12):
and the music that they playedback then.
I mean, back then it was justthe hymns.
There wasn't a lot of the a lotof the choruses that we hear
today and all the songs, youknow.
And I remember the the songcalled I'll Fly Away.
It's and you probably know it.
Ron Meyers (02:23):
Right, yeah.
Lewis Huggins (02:24):
It's very old.
It's been around for years.
And that had an impact on you.
Yeah, it had an impact on me.
I re I remember I they I I Ibegan singing in the church at
one point.
The piano player was was wasthere and I was with her and I
was sitting with her and and Istarted singing.
And I was like, this is this isThis is awesome.
You know, I I love doing this.
You know, I I just I'm I'msitting there singing and and
(02:45):
then eventually after a fewweeks of just sitting there, you
know, periodically with her,they asked me to sing in the
church.
And I was around nine.
Eight, nine.
And I sang I'll fly away.
I sang I sang that song and uhthat one time and from then on
out I just wanted to sing.
You know, and it was myconnection to to music and to my
(03:06):
mom and to to my faith at thatpoint.
I I really didn't accept Christat that point.
I mean, beyond you know, it's astatement of faith.
I mean, I you know, it they sayto say the sinner's prayer, you
know.
So I really didn't say thesinner's prayer at that point,
but at the age at the age of 12I did.
You know, things from then onkind of changed a little bit.
I I I was still singing inchurch.
I was going to church everyweekend and every Wednesday and
(03:27):
every night that my mom wouldtake me.
I wasn't really able to do someof the other things that the
kids and my my kids in the otherparts of the school could do.
I couldn't go out to the moviesand do things like that.
We were very legalistic in ourviews or in and in the views of
the church, at least at thatpoint.
I kind of had trouble withthat, you know, not being able
to be involved and, you know,kind of do what other people
(03:47):
were doing.
But at the same time, it was agood thing, I think, because it
was teaching me what I should doand what I shouldn't do, and in
a way, legalism is not good foranybody, you know, man-made
legalism, but you know, pureholiness and and and and Christ
and pure Christianity is.
From that point on, age of 12,you know, I hit puberty, you
(04:08):
know, change things changed.
You know, I began feeling likeI wasn't enough, like I needed
something.
I I had to Did you get intodrugs?
I did.
After after a point, it firstbegan with alcohol.
Made you feel good, huh?
Made me feel good.
Some people call it liquidcourage.
Liquid courage.
And it did everything that thatI really wanted it to, or
(04:28):
whatever.
It did everything that Icouldn't do.
I was I didn't feel like I wasenough.
So you didn't like yourself.
I didn't like myself, really.
Wow.
Ron Meyers (04:37):
Even though you knew who Jesus was and you confessed
him as your Lord and Savior,you didn't realize that how much
he loved you or your identity.
Is that correct?
Lewis Huggins (04:46):
I'm not I don't want to put words in your mouth.
That's about it because of andand my I don't think my mom and
dad at that point could conveythat to me.
Ron Meyers (04:52):
I don't what was the turning point in your life?
What happened?
Because I hear your songs andyou write these songs.
And so there this music thatyou write and listeners, you'll
hear a little bit, you startedcoming out in these songs, your
pain and your hurt.
And is that why you wrote?
Lewis Huggins (05:10):
Absolutely.
There's all different kinds tosides to, I think, to a person
and their and and what comes outof them, their their artistry.
But the but my connection toGod, my connection to Christ has
the been the driving force,basically.
Everything else in the songs isjust kind of uh how I I uh I
process and lack of process, youknow.
(05:31):
Sometimes it's not uh itdoesn't come out the way I want
it to, but so do you write thesesongs and they're good
listeners?
Ron Meyers (05:38):
He's got a good voice, but you write them
whether people listen to them orthey don't, because it's it's
healthy for you.
I can tell when you and I talkon the telephone.
Lewis Huggins (05:48):
Yeah, yeah.
Ron Meyers (05:49):
And what what goes into writing a song?
Are you just doing somethingand all of a sudden you have
these thoughts that I've got toget this done on paper before I
forget it?
Lewis Huggins (05:58):
Or it's been different ways.
And I mean, and early on it wasa little bit different.
Things were, you know, in mymind and the way I worked and
the way my body and my mindworked, you know, whenever
you're younger, things kind ofcome a little faster for you.
You know, you you're kind ofyou have a drive.
But now in the let in thelatter years, here lately,
whenever I would write, I wouldjust have to wait on God.
(06:21):
You know, I'd have to wait onhim to give me something.
And if it if it didn't come, itdidn't come.
Ron Meyers (06:25):
And but when it came, you knew it was not.
Lewis Huggins (06:28):
I knew I knew he was speaking.
I knew that it was him becauseit couldn't be me.
It's it coming out of me, butit couldn't be.
If it were me, then it wouldn'tjust it wouldn't come out the
way it comes, you know.
Ron Meyers (06:39):
Amen.
Lewis Huggins (06:40):
It wouldn't be about him.
You know, I've written songsabout me, I have, but it's it's
about him.
Ron Meyers (06:45):
It's about so what do you want to come out in your
songs?
What's their there's a when youlook at your songs after you
write them, what's what's theunderlying theme in all your
songs?
Hope.
Hope.
Were you ever at a point inyour life where you didn't have
hope?
Can you can you elaborate onthat?
Lewis Huggins (07:03):
I can.
It's tough to talk about, but Ia couple of years ago, I really
got deep in in and I mean I waswriting songs, I was I was in
the church a bit.
I I wasn't in church enough.
And this has been an ongoingthing.
I see it differently now.
I see for I see it for what itis, and I was I was at a point
(07:24):
where I I was I was living adouble life and I knew it.
I knew that I was off track.
Ron Meyers (07:29):
So you were singing and praying about one thing, but
yet you were doing somethingelse behind closed doors that
nobody else knew about.
Lewis Huggins (07:38):
I was.
I was and and that'd beterrible for you.
I could I couldn't tell any howcould I tell my mom and my dad
who's Christians and who whohave lived their lives in a way
whole you know, holy, and I'mout here, I'm claiming Christ in
church, and I'm doing it'scomplete opposite of what I
believed and what I should bedoing.
It's like it's like Paul talksabout, you know, you do the
(08:00):
things that you don't want todo, and the things that you
would do, you do them not.
It's the same fight, you know.
Ron Meyers (08:05):
But you think were you on a roller coaster ride
with your love for Jesus?
Did you think he loved you oneday and the next day he didn't
love you?
Lewis Huggins (08:13):
Did you I was a bit like that, yes.
It's it's been difficult to getout of that legalistic type of
idea of of being of where I'vegot to do something for the
salvation that he's alreadyprovided.
You know, I've got to be enoughfor it.
It it can't be enough for me.
Ron Meyers (08:28):
I did anybody ever tell you that Jesus just wants
you to be yourself?
Just just be you, just be you,Lewis.
That's what he created me tobe, and he gave me a gift.
And I think so many people inlife, other people have an
influence on us, and it can be agood influence, but it can be a
(08:48):
bad influence because if we'retold long enough, well, God
doesn't like that, and youshouldn't do that, and you need
to do this, we never reallyunderstood stand the the true
character nature of love of Godand his amazing grace that we
will all fall, we'll stumble,but it doesn't change the gift
that he's given you of singing,of writing music.
(09:09):
It doesn't change the fact thathe is madly in love with Lewis
Huggins, and there's nothing youcan do that can stop that love.
And love is very powerful, isit?
And I I can tell by talking toyou over the last couple of
years that you're starting toreally get this love thing with
Jesus.
It's he's the audience you'retrying to please.
(09:31):
Right?
Lewis Huggins (09:32):
Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.
The turning point, the realturning point was a couple years
ago, I had been up for two orthree days in my house, in my in
my trailer.
I was messed up.
I was I was high.
I knew the truth.
I knew what was going on, Iknew that I was doing wrong.
I knew that that this was notthe best for me, that God that
got God didn't want me to do allof what I was doing, but I was
(09:54):
I was being I was I was beinghard headed.
You know, we I just I wasn'tthinking at all.
I was I was out of my head.
And I'd been up for two orthree days and I was lying in
bed, not even trying to sleep,and I was holding my phone in
one hand and my and my my armwas over to one side and my body
started my my my my right armstarted falling weak and my body
(10:16):
I felt like I was sinking in aI mean it felt like I was I I
was leaving a very basically myright arm was falling weak like
I was about to have a stroke andI um I knew something was going
on and I said God I I don'twant to die please God you He
saved me from that He I could Icould have died I I was at that
(10:37):
point I did I'd had enough Thiswas at the very bottom of where
I was at and I could I know Icould have passed I know that
was I was and that was my wakeup call you know and I said from
then on out things I can't dothis anymore I've got to live
the life I got to God God saveme from from that I mean I and
uh I I woke up and that's been acouple years ago and and this
(10:58):
was during the time that Iwasn't talking to anybody.
Don't get me down a rabbit holehere.
I'm just I'm just telling youwhat happened.
No, no, but it's it's good.
And I appreciate your honestyand transparency.
Like I said, it was justbasically uh my body was wanting
to do one thing and my spiritwanted me to do another, and I
was between a and now look atit, it's worked.
Ron Meyers (11:18):
You've written new new songs, and we're gonna talk
about one in just a minute.
And you're here, you're in thestudio, look great, look like
you got a fancy new haircut, anduh you look great, and you
you're a little nervous, buteverybody be I'm I get nervous,
but I appreciate you, Lewis, andwe become friends.
Now, this song that you we'regonna give the little taste of
(11:40):
it to the listeners in a minute.
What's it called?
Endless worth.
Endless worth.
Lewis Huggins (11:44):
What's it about and why did you write it?
It began with just some wordsthat I'd written on the on a
page, and I I brought it to afriend who's a who's a
songwriter.
He's he lives in Wilcox andhe's he's an unknown.
He's trying to find his way.
He's he's really talented.
And and I had had a chordstructure.
I brought in a chord structure,I brought in some words, and it
(12:05):
was it was a song that wasabout Jesus, about about just
about him, and about and abouthope.
But just about hope, and abouthim.
It had nothing to do withbasically what I was going
through at that time, which isthe best songs that I think I
can write because it's it'sabout him anyway.
Ron Meyers (12:21):
It's not so when people listen to that, you want
them to feel that hope.
Lewis Huggins (12:26):
I want them to feel that hope.
I want them to know there's athere's a point in that song,
and and this was my line.
It said, He's faithful whenwe're not.
Ron Meyers (12:34):
Yeah, that's scripture.
He's faithful when we'refaithless.
That that's so true.
And well, let's take a littleclip and we'll listen to a
little bit and we'll come backand talk.
All right.
Well, that was great, Lewis.
(15:27):
Wow.
So is this your calling then inlife?
You wanna you wanna writesongs?
I want to write songs, but Iwant to write songs.
Lewis Huggins (15:35):
And sing and sing.
Ron Meyers (15:36):
That's yeah, you you you you when you sing, get
behind that mic, it's like awhole new you comes out.
It doesn't seem like the littlenervous Lewis that's sitting
here in the studios.
God just the Holy Spirit justtakes over, doesn't he?
Lewis Huggins (15:52):
He does.
He does.
The gifts and the callings ofGod are without repentance, as
they as the scripture says.
You know, we can think that welose it, we can think that we
we've we've gone too far theother way.
You know, we can think that weuh we're we're not enough, but
it's all about him.
It's all about what he's doneand what he's given us the to
work with.
It's about what's in our hand.
(16:12):
You know, he gave he gave Mosesa staff, and and Moses was
talking about how he stutteredand all this kind of stuff, and
he said, well, that gave him thepower, gave him the uh the
fire, the anointing to do whathe was supposed to do.
Ron Meyers (16:24):
Actually, after all the years I've done these shows,
I find that some of the storiesthat people tell, that God did
some of the most uh amazingthings to the most broken people
out there.
And because again, you'retalking this ministry, this
radio show is all about tryingto talk to broken people.
So right now, Lewis, there'ssome broken people listening,
(16:47):
and you can share your heartwith someone right now that's
thinking about taking thatdrink, maybe even wanting to do
something silly with their life.
You've got the microphone, givethat person some hope.
Lewis Huggins (16:59):
A lot of people in addiction, and this is what I
understand, and this is whatI've experienced.
A lot of people that haveaddictions in life, a lot of
people that have problems stemfrom the fact that they don't
know their identity in God.
They really don't know how muchGod loves them.
It says that God so loved theworld that he gave his only
begotten son that whoever wouldbelieve in him shall not perish
but have everlasting life.
(17:20):
God does not hate the addicted.
He loves the addicted, he lovesthe broken.
That's why he came.
He didn't come for the forthose for those that didn't need
a physician or realize thatthey really needed one.
He came for those that did.
He didn't come for those thatthought they had it all together
because the Phariseesapparently didn't have it all
together.
I find hope in Christ because Irealize that I am not enough,
(17:41):
but he is.
He's more than enough.
And sounds like a new songcoming up.
Ron Meyers (17:47):
He's more than enough.
He's more than enough.
Well, you know, the title ofthis show is Get the Hell Out of
Your Life.
So how does a person get thehell out of their life?
Lewis Huggins (18:00):
If you're broken right now and you're you're
you're suicidal, or you're oryou're you're thinking about
taking a drink or you're you'reyou're you're chasing the next
high, I know what that's like.
I know what it's like to livethat life.
And there is hope in Christbecause of what I mean.
You need to take your mind offof what you're feeling right
now, or what or what's going onin your life right now at this
(18:22):
point, and put your attention onGod.
Just just realize that what Godhas done already 2,000 years
ago for you.
And it's not about what's goingon around you.
There's all kinds of stuffgoing on around us.
There's there's there'sdarkness all around and there's
evil all around, but the lightis much brighter than what we
can ever even think or imaginein our heads.
(18:44):
There is hope.
Ron Meyers (18:46):
There is hope.
Lewis Huggins (18:46):
If all of hell is breaking loose in your life,
give praise to God.
Just just give the praise thatHe's worthy, He's worthy of
praise.
And you'll find it if you'llworship Him and give Him praise,
you'll find it that stuffthat's going on in your mind
will grow dim in the light ofHis glorious praise.
Ron Meyers (19:03):
Is that what happens when you're writing songs?
You're taking your mind off allthe evils of the world, and
you're right there.
You're in communion with God,with Jesus, and He's speaking.
Well, like David in the Psalms,you know.
David, the Psalms, he had sometroubles in his life.
You think you had troubles?
He had troubles, but thosePsalms sometimes are so
(19:24):
beautiful to read because yourealize that we all struggle,
everybody struggles.
I don't care who they are,because the Pope, Billy Graham.
We we're human.
Absolutely.
And I'm so proud of you, Lewis.
You're doing such a good thingand coming in here and sharing
your story.
How can people hear your music?
Lewis Huggins (19:44):
They could go to Rex's website, he's got a
website, and they can hear someof the songs that we've put
together.
I I co-wrote with him and I'vedone on my own some of the songs
that I've written on my own.
I am proud of the ones thatI've done with him because he's
really talented.
He's a talented guy.
Ron Meyers (19:58):
Well, listeners, if you need to get in touch with
Lewis or have a question, sendme an email.
Send me an email.
I'll get it to Lewis.
Lewis, before we go, I wouldlove for you to pray for our
listeners.
Would you do that?
Lewis Huggins (20:11):
Yes.
Yes, I would.
Lord God, Jesus, Father, I wantto thank you for what you've
done for the hopeless and thebroken, for the addicted, for
those in pain, and for thosethat are diseased and think that
life is over when it's just thebeginning, because that's
exactly the reason why you came.
You came that we might havelife and have it more
(20:32):
abundantly.
Satan comes to steal, kill, anddestroy, but you came that we
might have life.
So, God, I thank you and Ipraise you for what you have
done.
And I I pray for whoever'slistening out there.
If they find themselves, itdoesn't matter where they're at,
what kind of what's going onaround them, that I pray that
they'll know that there's hope.
I could have lost my life acouple of a couple of years ago,
(20:54):
and I deserve to, but Godbrought me through.
God brought me through, and heis a faithful God, even when
we're not faithful to him.
He he loves us.
So, God, I pray that you'llbless whoever's out there
listening right now and uh bewith him in Jesus' name.
I pray, amen.
Announcer (21:16):
You're listening to Get the Hell Out of Your Life
with your host, Ron Myers.
Real stories, real struggles,and real hope.
What's your story?
We're looking for stories ofhope and overcoming life's
struggles with God's grace.
Your story validates God'slove, mercy, restoration, and
(21:38):
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Speaker 2 (22:00):
Every war, there are casualties and wounded, missing
in action, and POWs.
The spiritual war we asChristians are involved in is no
different.
Our walk with God can beglorious, but it also makes us
targets for the enemy's attacks.
So, what is our duty when afellow soldier falls or is
trapped behind enemy lines?
That's when they need us most.
And in most armies, the missionis clear: go in and rescue the
(22:22):
troops in danger.
But it's been said thatChristians are the only army
that shoots its wounded.
Instead, we must not give up onthose missing in action or
those wounded either by theirown actions or the actions of
others.
The worst thing we can do isattack them or give up on them.
Because it's been proven manytimes that even those who've
deserted usually do return tothe ranks.
(22:43):
But often, though they arescarred, they eventually prove
to have more wisdom, valor, andhonor than before they left.
Don't shoot the wounded.
Ron Meyers (23:21):
Well, listeners, as I close out today's show, I want
to read a few things that Lewissaid that really are
outstanding.
He said a lot of people thathave addictions in life, a lot
of people that have problemsstem from the fact that they
don't know their identity inGod.
(23:42):
They really don't know how muchGod loves them.
The Bible says that God soloved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son, and thatwhoever would believe in him
shall not perish but haveeverlasting life.
God does not hate the addicted.
That's why he came.
(24:04):
God came for the weary, thebroken, the tired, the ones that
(24:39):
really don't know what they'regonna do with their life.
And I want you to know,friends, your identity is not
addiction, it's not mistakes,it's not your failures, your
shame, or your worst night.
If you belong to Christ, listento this.
You gotta remember this (24:52):
you are forgiven, accepted, loved,
and made new because of whatJesus already finished, finished
on the cross.
Your worth is not based on howwell you perform, it's based on
Him.
Jesus is enough.
And for the weary personlistening right now, hear these
(25:14):
words from Jesus one more time.
Come to me, all you who areweary and burdened, and I will
give you rest.
For I am gentle and humble inheart, and you will find rest
for your souls.
That's grace and that's hope.
I was at that point one time inmy life, and I thanked God in
(25:36):
1999 that I found the realJesus.
He loved me how I was, he wasgoing to indwell his spirit in
me and then begin to discipleand tutor me to do the things
I'm doing now.
I never in my life dreamedabout doing radio or podcast,
(25:56):
but Jesus had a plan.
And he has a plan for you, hehas a plan for your children.
So have hope.
Have hope.
Don't give up.
Jesus is enough.
I will be back next week withanother grace-filled episode of
Get the Hell Out of Your Life.
Available wherever you listento podcasts.
(26:18):
Until next week, this is RonMyers reminding you.
And when you give your heart toJesus, not only do you get the
hell out of your life, but lifebegins to make sense.
Announcer (26:44):
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(27:05):
Hell Out of Your Life.
Real people, sharing realstruggles, and offering real
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Speaker 3 (27:13):
Hi, I'm Dr.
Andrew Farley, host of theGrace Message.
Got a Bible question,struggling with a personal
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and offering real hope.
Today's show will encourage,inspire, and empower you to face
life's challenges with a boldconfidence and renewed hope now.
Ron Meyers (00:22):
Hello, my friends, and welcome to Get the Hell Out
of Your Life.
I love my show because I get totalk to everyday people who
will actually share theirproblems from the past and how
they turned them all over toGod.
And today you're going to hearfrom Lewis Huggins.
You know, a lot of people sitin church every week, carrying
(00:44):
burdens nobody else can see.
They sing the songs, smile atthe people around them, and they
still walk out feelingexhausted inside.
Well, today you're going tohear from Lewis Huggins, a man
who discovered that his identitywas never supposed to be built
on performance, religion, ortrying harder.
It was always meant to be foundin Christ.
(01:05):
Jesus said, Come to me, all whoare weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest.
No pressure, no shame, justrest.
So if you've been strugglingwith fear, anxiety, addiction,
self-hate, or feeling likeyou're never enough, this
conversation is for you.
Lewis Huggins (01:27):
I grew up in church.
I remember as far back as I canremember being in church.
I remember from I was aboutsix, about five, six years old,
I remember being in the altarwith my mom that time.
I remember being in a church ofGod.
You know, it's a denomination,it's not a it's just a
denomination.
I just remember the thoughtsthat I was having as I was
kneeling down beside her and shewas praying for me.
(01:49):
What kind of thoughts were youhaving?
I remember being told thatJesus was coming back.
He was gonna he was gonnareturn.
And that excited me.
For some reason at that age, Imean I was I was I I started
having dreams at that point.
And my mom was a a godly, agodly woman.
She still is.
And I remember hearing thehearing the choir sing, you
know, in the church and and andhearing people singing and and
(02:12):
and the music that they playedback then.
I mean, back then it was justthe hymns.
There wasn't a lot of the a lotof the choruses that we hear
today and all the songs, youknow.
And I remember the the songcalled I'll Fly Away.
It's and you probably know it.
Ron Meyers (02:23):
Right, yeah.
Lewis Huggins (02:24):
It's very old.
It's been around for years.
And that had an impact on you.
Yeah, it had an impact on me.
I re I remember I they I I Ibegan singing in the church at
one point.
The piano player was was wasthere and I was with her and I
was sitting with her and and Istarted singing.
And I was like, this is this isThis is awesome.
You know, I I love doing this.
You know, I I just I'm I'msitting there singing and and
(02:45):
then eventually after a fewweeks of just sitting there, you
know, periodically with her,they asked me to sing in the
church.
And I was around nine.
Eight, nine.
And I sang I'll fly away.
I sang I sang that song and uhthat one time and from then on
out I just wanted to sing.
You know, and it was myconnection to to music and to my
(03:06):
mom and to to my faith at thatpoint.
I I really didn't accept Christat that point.
I mean, beyond you know, it's astatement of faith.
I mean, I you know, it they sayto say the sinner's prayer, you
know.
So I really didn't say thesinner's prayer at that point,
but at the age at the age of 12I did.
You know, things from then onkind of changed a little bit.
I I I was still singing inchurch.
I was going to church everyweekend and every Wednesday and
(03:27):
every night that my mom wouldtake me.
I wasn't really able to do someof the other things that the
kids and my my kids in the otherparts of the school could do.
I couldn't go out to the moviesand do things like that.
We were very legalistic in ourviews or in and in the views of
the church, at least at thatpoint.
I kind of had trouble withthat, you know, not being able
to be involved and, you know,kind of do what other people
(03:47):
were doing.
But at the same time, it was agood thing, I think, because it
was teaching me what I should doand what I shouldn't do, and in
a way, legalism is not good foranybody, you know, man-made
legalism, but you know, pureholiness and and and and Christ
and pure Christianity is.
From that point on, age of 12,you know, I hit puberty, you
(04:08):
know, change things changed.
You know, I began feeling likeI wasn't enough, like I needed
something.
I I had to Did you get intodrugs?
I did.
After after a point, it firstbegan with alcohol.
Made you feel good, huh?
Made me feel good.
Some people call it liquidcourage.
Liquid courage.
And it did everything that thatI really wanted it to, or
(04:28):
whatever.
It did everything that Icouldn't do.
I was I didn't feel like I wasenough.
So you didn't like yourself.
I didn't like myself, really.
Wow.
Ron Meyers (04:37):
Even though you knew who Jesus was and you confessed
him as your Lord and Savior,you didn't realize that how much
he loved you or your identity.
Is that correct?
Lewis Huggins (04:46):
I'm not I don't want to put words in your mouth.
That's about it because of andand my I don't think my mom and
dad at that point could conveythat to me.
Ron Meyers (04:52):
I don't what was the turning point in your life?
What happened?
Because I hear your songs andyou write these songs.
And so there this music thatyou write and listeners, you'll
hear a little bit, you startedcoming out in these songs, your
pain and your hurt.
And is that why you wrote?
Lewis Huggins (05:10):
Absolutely.
There's all different kinds tosides to, I think, to a person
and their and and what comes outof them, their their artistry.
But the but my connection toGod, my connection to Christ has
the been the driving force,basically.
Everything else in the songs isjust kind of uh how I I uh I
process and lack of process, youknow.
(05:31):
Sometimes it's not uh itdoesn't come out the way I want
it to, but so do you write thesesongs and they're good
listeners?
Ron Meyers (05:38):
He's got a good voice, but you write them
whether people listen to them orthey don't, because it's it's
healthy for you.
I can tell when you and I talkon the telephone.
Lewis Huggins (05:48):
Yeah, yeah.
Ron Meyers (05:49):
And what what goes into writing a song?
Are you just doing somethingand all of a sudden you have
these thoughts that I've got toget this done on paper before I
forget it?
Lewis Huggins (05:58):
Or it's been different ways.
And I mean, and early on it wasa little bit different.
Things were, you know, in mymind and the way I worked and
the way my body and my mindworked, you know, whenever
you're younger, things kind ofcome a little faster for you.
You know, you you're kind ofyou have a drive.
But now in the let in thelatter years, here lately,
whenever I would write, I wouldjust have to wait on God.
(06:21):
You know, I'd have to wait onhim to give me something.
And if it if it didn't come, itdidn't come.
Ron Meyers (06:25):
And but when it came, you knew it was not.
Lewis Huggins (06:28):
I knew I knew he was speaking.
I knew that it was him becauseit couldn't be me.
It's it coming out of me, butit couldn't be.
If it were me, then it wouldn'tjust it wouldn't come out the
way it comes, you know.
Ron Meyers (06:39):
Amen.
Lewis Huggins (06:40):
It wouldn't be about him.
You know, I've written songsabout me, I have, but it's it's
about him.
Ron Meyers (06:45):
It's about so what do you want to come out in your
songs?
What's their there's a when youlook at your songs after you
write them, what's what's theunderlying theme in all your
songs?
Hope.
Hope.
Were you ever at a point inyour life where you didn't have
hope?
Can you can you elaborate onthat?
Lewis Huggins (07:03):
I can.
It's tough to talk about, but Ia couple of years ago, I really
got deep in in and I mean I waswriting songs, I was I was in
the church a bit.
I I wasn't in church enough.
And this has been an ongoingthing.
I see it differently now.
I see for I see it for what itis, and I was I was at a point
(07:24):
where I I was I was living adouble life and I knew it.
I knew that I was off track.
Ron Meyers (07:29):
So you were singing and praying about one thing, but
yet you were doing somethingelse behind closed doors that
nobody else knew about.
Lewis Huggins (07:38):
I was.
I was and and that'd beterrible for you.
I could I couldn't tell any howcould I tell my mom and my dad
who's Christians and who whohave lived their lives in a way
whole you know, holy, and I'mout here, I'm claiming Christ in
church, and I'm doing it'scomplete opposite of what I
believed and what I should bedoing.
It's like it's like Paul talksabout, you know, you do the
(08:00):
things that you don't want todo, and the things that you
would do, you do them not.
It's the same fight, you know.
Ron Meyers (08:05):
But you think were you on a roller coaster ride
with your love for Jesus?
Did you think he loved you oneday and the next day he didn't
love you?
Lewis Huggins (08:13):
Did you I was a bit like that, yes.
It's it's been difficult to getout of that legalistic type of
idea of of being of where I'vegot to do something for the
salvation that he's alreadyprovided.
You know, I've got to be enoughfor it.
It it can't be enough for me.
Ron Meyers (08:28):
I did anybody ever tell you that Jesus just wants
you to be yourself?
Just just be you, just be you,Lewis.
That's what he created me tobe, and he gave me a gift.
And I think so many people inlife, other people have an
influence on us, and it can be agood influence, but it can be a
(08:48):
bad influence because if we'retold long enough, well, God
doesn't like that, and youshouldn't do that, and you need
to do this, we never reallyunderstood stand the the true
character nature of love of Godand his amazing grace that we
will all fall, we'll stumble,but it doesn't change the gift
that he's given you of singing,of writing music.
(09:09):
It doesn't change the fact thathe is madly in love with Lewis
Huggins, and there's nothing youcan do that can stop that love.
And love is very powerful, isit?
And I I can tell by talking toyou over the last couple of
years that you're starting toreally get this love thing with
Jesus.
It's he's the audience you'retrying to please.
(09:31):
Right?
Lewis Huggins (09:32):
Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.
The turning point, the realturning point was a couple years
ago, I had been up for two orthree days in my house, in my in
my trailer.
I was messed up.
I was I was high.
I knew the truth.
I knew what was going on, Iknew that I was doing wrong.
I knew that that this was notthe best for me, that God that
got God didn't want me to do allof what I was doing, but I was
(09:54):
I was being I was I was beinghard headed.
You know, we I just I wasn'tthinking at all.
I was I was out of my head.
And I'd been up for two orthree days and I was lying in
bed, not even trying to sleep,and I was holding my phone in
one hand and my and my my armwas over to one side and my body
started my my my my right armstarted falling weak and my body
(10:16):
I felt like I was sinking in aI mean it felt like I was I I
was leaving a very basically myright arm was falling weak like
I was about to have a stroke andI um I knew something was going
on and I said God I I don'twant to die please God you He
saved me from that He I could Icould have died I I was at that
(10:37):
point I did I'd had enough Thiswas at the very bottom of where
I was at and I could I know Icould have passed I know that
was I was and that was my wakeup call you know and I said from
then on out things I can't dothis anymore I've got to live
the life I got to God God saveme from from that I mean I and
uh I I woke up and that's been acouple years ago and and this
(10:58):
was during the time that Iwasn't talking to anybody.
Don't get me down a rabbit holehere.
I'm just I'm just telling youwhat happened.
No, no, but it's it's good.
And I appreciate your honestyand transparency.
Like I said, it was justbasically uh my body was wanting
to do one thing and my spiritwanted me to do another, and I
was between a and now look atit, it's worked.
Ron Meyers (11:18):
You've written new new songs, and we're gonna talk
about one in just a minute.
And you're here, you're in thestudio, look great, look like
you got a fancy new haircut, anduh you look great, and you
you're a little nervous, buteverybody be I'm I get nervous,
but I appreciate you, Lewis, andwe become friends.
Now, this song that you we'regonna give the little taste of
(11:40):
it to the listeners in a minute.
What's it called?
Endless worth.
Endless worth.
Lewis Huggins (11:44):
What's it about and why did you write it?
It began with just some wordsthat I'd written on the on a
page, and I I brought it to afriend who's a who's a
songwriter.
He's he lives in Wilcox andhe's he's an unknown.
He's trying to find his way.
He's he's really talented.
And and I had had a chordstructure.
I brought in a chord structure,I brought in some words, and it
(12:05):
was it was a song that wasabout Jesus, about about just
about him, and about and abouthope.
But just about hope, and abouthim.
It had nothing to do withbasically what I was going
through at that time, which isthe best songs that I think I
can write because it's it'sabout him anyway.
Ron Meyers (12:21):
It's not so when people listen to that, you want
them to feel that hope.
Lewis Huggins (12:26):
I want them to feel that hope.
I want them to know there's athere's a point in that song,
and and this was my line.
It said, He's faithful whenwe're not.
Ron Meyers (12:34):
Yeah, that's scripture.
He's faithful when we'refaithless.
That that's so true.
And well, let's take a littleclip and we'll listen to a
little bit and we'll come backand talk.
All right.
Well, that was great, Lewis.
(15:27):
Wow.
So is this your calling then inlife?
You wanna you wanna writesongs?
I want to write songs, but Iwant to write songs.
Lewis Huggins (15:35):
And sing and sing.
Ron Meyers (15:36):
That's yeah, you you you you when you sing, get
behind that mic, it's like awhole new you comes out.
It doesn't seem like the littlenervous Lewis that's sitting
here in the studios.
God just the Holy Spirit justtakes over, doesn't he?
Lewis Huggins (15:52):
He does.
He does.
The gifts and the callings ofGod are without repentance, as
they as the scripture says.
You know, we can think that welose it, we can think that we
we've we've gone too far theother way.
You know, we can think that weuh we're we're not enough, but
it's all about him.
It's all about what he's doneand what he's given us the to
work with.
It's about what's in our hand.
(16:12):
You know, he gave he gave Mosesa staff, and and Moses was
talking about how he stutteredand all this kind of stuff, and
he said, well, that gave him thepower, gave him the uh the
fire, the anointing to do whathe was supposed to do.
Ron Meyers (16:24):
Actually, after all the years I've done these shows,
I find that some of the storiesthat people tell, that God did
some of the most uh amazingthings to the most broken people
out there.
And because again, you'retalking this ministry, this
radio show is all about tryingto talk to broken people.
So right now, Lewis, there'ssome broken people listening,
(16:47):
and you can share your heartwith someone right now that's
thinking about taking thatdrink, maybe even wanting to do
something silly with their life.
You've got the microphone, givethat person some hope.
Lewis Huggins (16:59):
A lot of people in addiction, and this is what I
understand, and this is whatI've experienced.
A lot of people that haveaddictions in life, a lot of
people that have problems stemfrom the fact that they don't
know their identity in God.
They really don't know how muchGod loves them.
It says that God so loved theworld that he gave his only
begotten son that whoever wouldbelieve in him shall not perish
but have everlasting life.
(17:20):
God does not hate the addicted.
He loves the addicted, he lovesthe broken.
That's why he came.
He didn't come for the forthose for those that didn't need
a physician or realize thatthey really needed one.
He came for those that did.
He didn't come for those thatthought they had it all together
because the Phariseesapparently didn't have it all
together.
I find hope in Christ because Irealize that I am not enough,
(17:41):
but he is.
He's more than enough.
And sounds like a new songcoming up.
Ron Meyers (17:47):
He's more than enough.
He's more than enough.
Well, you know, the title ofthis show is Get the Hell Out of
Your Life.
So how does a person get thehell out of their life?
Lewis Huggins (18:00):
If you're broken right now and you're you're
you're suicidal, or you're oryou're you're thinking about
taking a drink or you're you'reyou're you're chasing the next
high, I know what that's like.
I know what it's like to livethat life.
And there is hope in Christbecause of what I mean.
You need to take your mind offof what you're feeling right
now, or what or what's going onin your life right now at this
(18:22):
point, and put your attention onGod.
Just just realize that what Godhas done already 2,000 years
ago for you.
And it's not about what's goingon around you.
There's all kinds of stuffgoing on around us.
There's there's there'sdarkness all around and there's
evil all around, but the lightis much brighter than what we
can ever even think or imaginein our heads.
(18:44):
There is hope.
Ron Meyers (18:46):
There is hope.
Lewis Huggins (18:46):
If all of hell is breaking loose in your life,
give praise to God.
Just just give the praise thatHe's worthy, He's worthy of
praise.
And you'll find it if you'llworship Him and give Him praise,
you'll find it that stuffthat's going on in your mind
will grow dim in the light ofHis glorious praise.
Ron Meyers (19:03):
Is that what happens when you're writing songs?
You're taking your mind off allthe evils of the world, and
you're right there.
You're in communion with God,with Jesus, and He's speaking.
Well, like David in the Psalms,you know.
David, the Psalms, he had sometroubles in his life.
You think you had troubles?
He had troubles, but thosePsalms sometimes are so
(19:24):
beautiful to read because yourealize that we all struggle,
everybody struggles.
I don't care who they are,because the Pope, Billy Graham.
We we're human.
Absolutely.
And I'm so proud of you, Lewis.
You're doing such a good thingand coming in here and sharing
your story.
How can people hear your music?
Lewis Huggins (19:44):
They could go to Rex's website, he's got a
website, and they can hear someof the songs that we've put
together.
I I co-wrote with him and I'vedone on my own some of the songs
that I've written on my own.
I am proud of the ones thatI've done with him because he's
really talented.
He's a talented guy.
Ron Meyers (19:58):
Well, listeners, if you need to get in touch with
Lewis or have a question, sendme an email.
Send me an email.
I'll get it to Lewis.
Lewis, before we go, I wouldlove for you to pray for our
listeners.
Would you do that?
Lewis Huggins (20:11):
Yes.
Yes, I would.
Lord God, Jesus, Father, I wantto thank you for what you've
done for the hopeless and thebroken, for the addicted, for
those in pain, and for thosethat are diseased and think that
life is over when it's just thebeginning, because that's
exactly the reason why you came.
You came that we might havelife and have it more
(20:32):
abundantly.
Satan comes to steal, kill, anddestroy, but you came that we
might have life.
So, God, I thank you and Ipraise you for what you have
done.
And I I pray for whoever'slistening out there.
If they find themselves, itdoesn't matter where they're at,
what kind of what's going onaround them, that I pray that
they'll know that there's hope.
I could have lost my life acouple of a couple of years ago,
(20:54):
and I deserve to, but Godbrought me through.
God brought me through, and heis a faithful God, even when
we're not faithful to him.
He he loves us.
So, God, I pray that you'llbless whoever's out there
listening right now and uh bewith him in Jesus' name.
I pray, amen.
Announcer (21:16):
You're listening to Get the Hell Out of Your Life
with your host, Ron Myers.
Real stories, real struggles,and real hope.
What's your story?
We're looking for stories ofhope and overcoming life's
struggles with God's grace.
Your story validates God'slove, mercy, restoration, and
(21:38):
forgiveness.
We want to help you share yourstory with the world.
Visit our website,thepromoter.org, and click on
the share your story link andsubmit your story.
Your testimony of God's amazinggrace will change a person's
destiny for eternity.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Every war, there are casualties and wounded, missing
in action, and POWs.
The spiritual war we asChristians are involved in is no
different.
Our walk with God can beglorious, but it also makes us
targets for the enemy's attacks.
So, what is our duty when afellow soldier falls or is
trapped behind enemy lines?
That's when they need us most.
And in most armies, the missionis clear: go in and rescue the
(22:22):
troops in danger.
But it's been said thatChristians are the only army
that shoots its wounded.
Instead, we must not give up onthose missing in action or
those wounded either by theirown actions or the actions of
others.
The worst thing we can do isattack them or give up on them.
Because it's been proven manytimes that even those who've
deserted usually do return tothe ranks.
(22:43):
But often, though they arescarred, they eventually prove
to have more wisdom, valor, andhonor than before they left.
Don't shoot the wounded.
Ron Meyers (23:21):
Well, listeners, as I close out today's show, I want
to read a few things that Lewissaid that really are
outstanding.
He said a lot of people thathave addictions in life, a lot
of people that have problemsstem from the fact that they
don't know their identity inGod.
(23:42):
They really don't know how muchGod loves them.
The Bible says that God soloved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son, and thatwhoever would believe in him
shall not perish but haveeverlasting life.
God does not hate the addicted.
That's why he came.
(24:04):
God came for the weary, thebroken, the tired, the ones that
(24:39):
really don't know what they'regonna do with their life.
And I want you to know,friends, your identity is not
addiction, it's not mistakes,it's not your failures, your
shame, or your worst night.
If you belong to Christ, listento this.
You gotta remember this (24:52):
you are forgiven, accepted, loved,
and made new because of whatJesus already finished, finished
on the cross.
Your worth is not based on howwell you perform, it's based on
Him.
Jesus is enough.
And for the weary personlistening right now, hear these
(25:14):
words from Jesus one more time.
Come to me, all you who areweary and burdened, and I will
give you rest.
For I am gentle and humble inheart, and you will find rest
for your souls.
That's grace and that's hope.
I was at that point one time inmy life, and I thanked God in
(25:36):
1999 that I found the realJesus.
He loved me how I was, he wasgoing to indwell his spirit in
me and then begin to discipleand tutor me to do the things
I'm doing now.
I never in my life dreamedabout doing radio or podcast,
(25:56):
but Jesus had a plan.
And he has a plan for you, hehas a plan for your children.
So have hope.
Have hope.
Don't give up.
Jesus is enough.
I will be back next week withanother grace-filled episode of
Get the Hell Out of Your Life.
Available wherever you listento podcasts.
(26:18):
Until next week, this is RonMyers reminding you.
And when you give your heart toJesus, not only do you get the
hell out of your life, but lifebegins to make sense.
Announcer (26:44):
Today's show was produced by Ron Myers
Ministries, a listener-supportedministry.
For a copy of today'sbroadcast, please visit our
website, thepromoter.org.
And would you prayerfullyconsider making a tax-deductible
donation so that we maycontinue to share stories of
God's amazing grace with theworld?
And join us next week foranother broadcast of Get the
(27:05):
Hell Out of Your Life.
Real people, sharing realstruggles, and offering real
hope.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Hi, I'm Dr.
Andrew Farley, host of theGrace Message.
Got a Bible question,struggling with a personal
issue, wondering about a trickyverse?
At BibleQuestions.com, you'llget clear, grace-based answers
in 10 seconds or less.
No fluff, no confusion, justpractical biblical truth.
(27:33):
Ask anything, anytime, andexperience the power of God's
love.
Visit BibleQuestions.com.
That's BibleQuestions.com.
Your go to for biblicalclarity.
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