September 30, 2025 • 30 mins
Ginger shares some crazy stories this week, including a time when she and her trap house gang were making shake and bake in a tiny shed and someone through a bottle at the door of the shed which became an instant blaze of fire in the door! If you enjoy listening to this episode, please share and give us a 5-star review! Thanks so much!
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Episode Transcript
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Phil Shuler (00:00):
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
(00:03):
Safe House Ministries podcast,where we share stories of the
power of God to change livesthrough Safe House Ministries.
Safe House Ministries is basedout of Columbus, Georgia, and we
are a ministry that exists tolove and serve people who have
been affected by addiction,homelessness, and incarceration.
I'm your host, Phil Shuler, theDirector of Development for Safe
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
(00:24):
Safe House serves over 1, 100people each month as they
transition back into ourcommunity.
Safe House provides an abundanceof services including 213 beds
for homeless individuals andfamilies, case management for
obtaining job skills and longterm employment.
Over 300 hot meals every day,free clothing, and so much more.
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
(00:45):
provides is our free 9 12 monthintensive outpatient substance
abuse program, which is statelicensed, CARF accredited, and
has no wait list.
Almost 100 percent ofindividuals staying in our
shelters who follow our threephase program become fully
employed within a few months.
And 68 percent of individualswho stay at least one night with
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
(01:07):
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
Ginger (01:12):
I lived in a shed with him in Crawford, Alabama, uh,
for three months with No, thedead of summer.
No, uh, running water.
No power.
No.
Yeah.
both (01:22):
Like an actual shed.
An shed.
Kind of a actual, yeah, like antiny actual
Ginger (01:26):
shed.
An outdoor shed.
Yep.
Phil (01:29):
Wow.
Ginger (01:30):
Yeah.
And I used to, um, at nighttimeI would run through a field to
the house, that the people thatlet us, let him stay in the shed
or whatever, let us stay there,they were great.
sometimes I would be able to goin and take showers and stuff.
They were, they were, they weregood to me.
Wow.
And, uh, but a lot of times Iwould just run through the field
at nighttime and go get in theirhose and ba Yeah.
Yep.
Wow.
(01:50):
Yeah.
And then, um,
both (01:52):
did they let you go in for the restroom too, or was that
Yeah.
Ginger (01:54):
Yeah, we could do that sometimes, but most, most of the
time it was in a bucket.
both (01:58):
Wow.
Ginger (01:58):
Mm-hmm.
both (01:59):
What a life.
That's crazy.
Ginger (02:01):
Especially coming from where I came from and like, and,
and you know, the shame I usedto get shamed at, at different,
like.
Drug houses I had, I would gopla places that certain people
wouldn't get high if I walked inthere.
Because you were always the waythey were like, uh, they were
like, what are you doing here?
You look like a school teacher.
You know, you, you don't belonghere.
What are you doing slumminghere?
Like, they would think I was apolice, would think I like you
(02:23):
looked too good.
Yeah.
I guess to be, yeah.
I, I sure didn't think so.
And my mama sure didn't thinkso.
I was a hundred and thirty two,a hundred thirty five pounds.
I'm five 11, you know?
I don't know.
They just, wow.
Yeah.
But I even shamed, and thenagain, I'm taking that, I'm
like, I'm even getting shamed.
Shame, because
both (02:37):
you'd look too good.
You didn't, don't even fit inwith us.
Don't
Ginger (02:39):
even, right, right.
Yeah.
So it just, but you're living
both (02:41):
in a shed.
I'm living in a shed
Ginger (02:43):
pooping in a bucket.
both (02:44):
Wow.
You
Ginger (02:45):
know?
Um, yeah, it, it, it got, it gotreally, really bad.
Um, so Robbie and I didn't speakfor, there was like some
physical alter altercations,and, police were called and
things like that.
both (02:56):
So you, you were kind of still kind of on and off with
and Robbie on and off and then,
Ginger (02:59):
yeah, and it was weird because like I've got this whole
other much older boyfriend andthen we would all go back to our
old house to get high that hasno power, no water of his super
nice house.
Like, it, it just evil,terrible, sinful, horrible
things.
Yeah, just horrible.
Yeah.
And then, um, wow.
Then Robbie ended up, havinghis, you know, I don't wanna
(03:21):
tell his testimony, but he endedup, getting some help and so he
got, uh, cleaned two yearsbefore I did.
So at this time, my dad startedhaving, you know, my parents had
had Jackson for many years, andI would, they, they never kept
Jack from me.
I would see, see him sometimes Iwould have nowhere to go, and
they would let me stay there,and then I would totally take
advantage of them.
(03:41):
And, you know, when you're in a,in addiction, it's just,
everything's about me.
Wow.
And if you had told me that Iwas selfish, I would've never
thought that because I was soloving.
And, you know, given I lovepeople and I'll help people and
do anything for somebody.
But no, I was the mostself-centered person.
Ev everything was about me andhow I was feeling and, wow.
And a lot of people get addictedto the lifestyle.
(04:04):
I always hated that part becauseWhen you
both (04:06):
say the lifestyle, you mean like the, just the
lifestyle, the hustling, the,the sexual craziness.
Yeah.
All of it.
All of it.
The adrenaline from
Ginger (04:14):
Yeah.
Just, just being out there.
Yeah.
Like, um, hitting licks.
That's what it's called.
Like when you, oh, we got, wegot this place, we're gonna hit
a lick, which means you're gonnago get a, come up like steal
copper or rob something or
both (04:26):
get a lick.
It's like go, just like hit a,commit a crime.
Yeah.
Ginger (04:28):
Commit a crime.
We're gonna hit a lick.
Yeah.
Because it's like
both (04:31):
an adrenaline rush and yeah.
Ginger (04:32):
So, and so because of that, I thought everybody was my
friend.
I was always trying to makefriends.
You know, there's no friends inthe, for the most part,
everybody's out for themselves.
Your stuff's getting stolen.
You're stealing everybody'sstuff.
They're stealing your stuff,
both (04:44):
and they're all acting like, it's like so much every to
that.
And everybody would steal
Ginger (04:47):
your quote unquote friend would have your dope in
their pocket and in helping youlook for it.
You know what I mean?
You know that they have it.
Wow.
They just, it's just horriblestuff.
But I was constantly getting myfeelings hurt and, you know, all
this different stuff.
It just, it was, it wasdefinitely not, not for me, but
I was in it for 20 years.
both (05:05):
Wow.
Yeah.
20 years.
20 years.
I'm still learning.
Yeah.
And I, uh, really don't have agreat or deep understanding of
what that world is like.
Mm-hmm.
But, I picture it maybe withsome similarities to, because
I'm studying the old test in theBible mm-hmm.
And I think about paganreligions and mm-hmm.
Um, the worship of false gods.
(05:26):
I, I really believe that thosewere demonic influences and that
just like the things that wouldhappen at the temples of those
false gods, the craziness, thesexual insanity, like, I don't
know.
It just seems like maybe thereare some similarities to that
world of darkness in drugs andnot just similarities.
Ginger (05:45):
You are, you are right on meth is, it truly is a portal
to a whole demonic underworld.
I mean, I, I have.
No doubt about that.
I have, it's the only time in mylife I have actually seen the
face of demons, like vividdemons.
Uh, that happened to me threetimes.
Of course, you have, you seeshadow people, you hear people
(06:06):
like, oh, the shadow people areout.
Us that are in recovery now cankinda laugh about those things,
you know?
which is, uh, may sound sick,but that's just'cause everybody
that's been in it, you're like,oh yeah, well I saw this one
time, you know, an Easter bun.
I mean, I literally saw anEaster bunny dancing by the
mailbox at four o'clock in themorning.
'cause I'd been up for fourdays, you know?
Um, so it wasn't just the, thedope That's so terrible.
(06:27):
It's, that was the sleepdeprivation as well, you know?
days and days and days noteating, nothing.
And, um, just dope, you know.
but the meth is very much a, asexual drug.
There was a lot of stuff.
So that part was always hard forme because, I wasn't, not that
I'm like better or anything, butI just wa I didn't, I wasn't
raised like that, you know whatI mean?
Yeah.
So I, I still had all of that,my upbringing down in there.
(06:50):
So even though you're
both (06:50):
high and Yes.
Like participating in all thosebehaviors, right.
You still in the back of yourmind,
Ginger (06:55):
right?
I still wanted one person.
Like I never slept around.
I didn't, and so there a lot ofthe guys were not used to a
female, like paying for herdope.
And so I would be like, oh, Idon't, uh, no, I, I have money
because most of
both (07:08):
females like slept with you.
Like Yeah, yeah.
They just do sexual fingers.
And I speaking for all
Ginger (07:12):
drugs I'm saying in the circle that I ran in.
Yeah.
So lemme just say that'cause Idon't wanna, you know, offend
anybody, but that, that's prettymuch the norm.
that they would just have sexwith somebody and just to get
high or whatever.
And, um, I, I just never didthat.
That part was hard.
So they would always try me up.
And then, we'll, we'll talkabout my, my husband now, um,
that I'm, uh, the love of mylife.
(07:32):
The most wonderful man ever.
Um, uh, actually, Robbieintroduced, so Robbie, we all
met in addiction.
Robbie met my husband now, Jeff,in addiction.
We were all running in the samecircles.
Wow.
Yeah.
And so, so like
both (07:45):
you guys were interacting in some of those same houses and
Yeah.
The same circles.
Ginger (07:48):
Yeah.
We were all kind of getting,high together.
And then he introduced me toJeff and so we kind of, like, I
fell in love with Jeff almostjust immediately, you know?
it was really weird.
We talk about that.
I just saw the man that he istoday in him.
both (08:01):
Like, you knew what he could be.
Ginger (08:02):
I, I did.
I just saw it instantly becausehe, but he.
I was very loyal.
Like I'm just with him.
So, um, we've been really, evenin the midst of the midst of
world, that was my, that was myboyfriend, even though he was So
you started
both (08:16):
dating Jeff?
Yeah, I
Ginger (08:17):
started dating Jeff and, um, I was very loyal to him,
110%.
And of course he was not,because it's a very sexual drug.
And I was al you know, there wasa lot of, uh, cheating and, you
know, things like that, whichwere super, super, super hurtful
for me.
Um, but you know, that was justa lifestyle and that's not who
he is today, obviously drugs,especially with men.
(08:38):
Um, meth really is is really asexual, just yuck, you know?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
But that was hurtful.
But I was, I was just loyal withhim.
So, and, and again, I'm stillthinking the code of ethics as
friendships should be, and like,he would be gone off with some
other girl, you know, and I'mcrying and stuff.
And so his fr other friends arelike, trying to get with me, and
I'm like, that's your friend.
(08:59):
I don't know.
That's my, even though he's overthere with somebody else, you
know, that's, that's, I'm inlove with him and that's who I'm
with, you know?
So.
Wow.
You really
both (09:05):
were a bit of an oddball in that world.
Oh,
Ginger (09:07):
very much was, yeah.
And I got my feel, uh, you know.
Were
both (09:10):
you, did that also affect your self image?
Like, were they just, did peoplemake fun of you and give you a
hard time about that?
Well,
Ginger (09:15):
kind of, yeah.
They would just try, try me up.
I heard you're too good, youknow, you think you're too good
or whatever.
Or, um, had, I had one guy askme, he said, um, I just wanna,
uh, I need to meet your mom.
And I was like, don't you eversay my mom's name outta your
mouth again?
You know?
But he said, well, she must bethe reason that you're so stingy
with all of that.
And I said, she is.
She's the reason that, you know,she taught you better.
(09:35):
She taught me.
Yeah.
She taught me that.
It, that's something special,you know, that you do.
Yeah.
So, um.
Anyway, uh, so I, the, thelifestyle part of that.
both (09:44):
Wow.
It just
Ginger (09:45):
ran me down through there.
It was tough, you know?
That's a
both (09:47):
fascinating, I would say dichotomy, I guess.
Mm-hmm.
That, that you're living in thedarkness and evil off the deep
end in these parts of your life.
Mm-hmm.
But this other part, you weretrying to, trying to stay on the
right path.
I was.
And the straight and narrow, andI was,
Ginger (10:03):
yeah.
Oh, no, I was not perfect, don'tget me wrong.
I was, I was a horrible,horrible thief.
Um, there were some, two peoplein particular, two couples in
particular that really lookedout for me.
And I mean, there's, I, I wouldsteal from them, you know, just
all of the things, things Iwould never, never do.
I had no respect for anybodyelse.
and that's just part of thatlifestyle.
You'd sit something down andyour stuffy, you know, I mean,
(10:25):
just gone and, and vice versa,you know?
So, um, and you're justbouncing, like, where did you
live during bounce around thistime?
Just bounce around.
We, we, Jeff and I were able tostay with a really good, friend
of his, Brian and Alicia.
They were, they were amazing tous.
They took us in and, let us staythere and really helped us out.
Otherwise, I would be on thestreet, which, before meeting
Jeff, I was a couple of times Ijust couldn't find anywhere to
(10:45):
stay.
Literally sleeping on thestreets.
Literally sleeping on thestreet.
Yeah.
Um, wow.
Actually one like in the woodssomewhere?
Yeah, in the woods.
And then, um, one time up undera, underpass, which I
ironically, um, is right by myhouse on, um, uh, Edgewood Road.
By, uh,
both (11:00):
where you current?
Your current house?
Yeah.
Where I
Ginger (11:01):
currently live now.
Yeah.
Um, yeah.
Wow.
So you
both (11:04):
spent many nights, I guess in
Ginger (11:06):
just, just one night.
It was with the older boyfriendthat I had after the one that
was nice to me and taught me howto make, make dope.
Um, yeah, we, we had beenwalking for.
A whole 24 hours and we're outtadope and nowhere to stay.
And it was starting to rain andhe was like, we're just gonna
have to go up here.
And I remember just sittingunder there like squalling my
eyes out and I just kept sayingI was rocking back and forth.
(11:28):
I was like, I'm not supposed tobe here.
I'm not supposed to be here.
And um, I have a, a studentbible that my sister gave me
many years ago and it has my,um, it actually says ginger
goolsby still.
'cause she gave it to me.
I, I think right around the timeI got out of the Bradley Center
and I had that Bible, whichironically everything I ever
owned was stolen, obviously 10times over and, and, and the
(11:49):
lifestyle and bouncing aroundand, from Brian, Alicia to ano
another, A person's house andhere, there and yawn and, uh,
but that bible I still have.
And, recently I was looking upsomething because I liked the
translation of it a little, alittle better.
And I mean, my heart juststopped.
I, I started reading all thescriptures and I would write the
date, just literally like cryingout to the Lord.
(12:11):
I remember sitting in that roomand I used to just read and
like, yeah.
Yeah.
And, and I mean, of course I washigh.
And then the So
both (12:18):
you would, you would periodically spend time trying
to read that bible?
Oh yeah.
During those years.
Oh, during
Ginger (12:23):
those years, yeah.
Definitely.
Especially the last year ofJeff.
And i's using, it was, it washorrible.
It had quit being fun years ago.
Is that the
both (12:32):
darkest Yeah, that was the darkes.
That
Ginger (12:34):
was the darkest and uh.
I mean, he and I would begetting high and, and I would be
crying.
I mean, I hated it.
I, I hated it, but I, I didn'tknow how to Wow.
I, like, I couldn't stop, youknow what I mean?
and then of course the guilt andshame of being away from
Jackson.
And then that was really hardbecause Robbie got clean.
He, he went through the drugcourt program and he got clean
two years before I did.
(12:55):
So my dad started having somepretty severe health issues
during that time.
And so, my parents gave Jacksonback to Robbie.
wow.
Yeah.
And he would bring, God blesshim, he would let me see Jack.
But the house, the house that wewere staying at, um, there was
drug activity obviously, so Iwas not gonna let him come
inside.
So I can remember just thedesperation of wanting to spend
(13:17):
time with my son and he couldn'teven come in.
Like we didn't have anywhere togo.
So there was like a, a church,um, with a swing set across the
street from where the, the drugactivity house was.
And we would, um, Robbie wouldbring him and let me, like, we
would swing and I tried to make,you know, make it as, as good as
I could.
And it was really Wow.
(13:39):
Dark, dark times.
Yeah.
both (13:41):
Uh, if, if you are willing, would you maybe just
think about a couple of specificstories of instances that were
some of the craziest things thatyou experienced during that
time?
Ginger (13:51):
let me think.
there's so many.
Yeah.
I got, the first one I'll thinkof is, um, Hooked up with this
one guy, just like, not hookedup, but you know, hanging out
with him.
And, um, he used to deal methand, uh, this was after Robbie
and I, the stay away orders werenot talking and stuff like that.
I had been with him 20 years,you know, so I'm just kind of
out, out not knowing how to act,you know, and, um, really bad
(14:13):
on, I mean, just high, justterrible.
And so I never knew the, the,the scrapping and the, the
things that, the hustling, thehitting licks and all that
different stuff that, that youdo to get high.
So they would steal copper.
So I remember one night, and I'mlike, they're like, you've ever
heard of scrapping?
You are from the other side ofthe track.
I'm like, what do you mean theother side of the track?
I just don't know what you'retalking about.
(14:34):
So we would spend hours andhours running through the woods
and I'm carrying like grills andtire, like, you know, rims and
there was an abandoned house andI'll never forget, they were
like, climb up on that ladderquick.
We were cutting copper out ofthe house.
And and I was like, are you surethis is.
Not live.
And he was like, man, it's anabandoned house.
I cut that thing and fell offthat ladder.
(14:55):
Yeah.
But yeah, I had cut a wire andit was, there was power running
to it, so that was quite a, youknow, of course they laugh and
then they hear a car coming andthey take off and they're like,
get that stuff.
So I'm the one carrying the mostmetal, and it was just, just
ridiculous, you know?
And I just wanted everybody tobe my friend, so I never got
money.
I was, I would help do all thisstuff and then I wouldn't really
(15:16):
get any, you know, anything outof it.
Um, I mean, they, they, youknow, get high with me, roll a
bowl or something like that, butthey were getting the money and
all that.
It just, you know, it was, itwas dark.
And then, let's see, um, anothertime, so this was probably the
most shocking, and this is whenI was like, another time that I
can just remember really likethe.
(15:38):
I felt the Holy Spirit kind ofwash over me.
Um, and in hindsight, lookingback and just being so panic,
like I wanted to run screaming.
Um, we were in the, I never,shot dope, but Jeff, my husband,
was on the needle for like 20plus years.
He, he shot.
both (15:52):
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
So you, you did, you smoked it?
I smoked
Ginger (15:55):
it or snorted it, things like that.
I would eat it.
You could even eat it.
Yeah.
But, um, I, you know, I justnever done the needle'cause I
didn't wanna up the ante, youknow, I didn't wanna get worse.
Like, it's bad.
That's like a whole new
both (16:04):
level.
Ginger (16:04):
Yeah.
Oh, that's a whole new level.
And, and just the way, and it'smore of a sexual thing.
Like, I just saw, you know, howit did.
I was like this, nah, no, no,this is bad enough what I got
going on.
You know?
Um, and it was never a judgment.
I mean, we're all, you know,addicts and we're all getting
high there, you know, it'snothing like that.
But it's just, I didn't want, Ididn't wanna take it there, you
know?
Yeah.
But I, I had been out somewhereand I walked in and there's like
(16:26):
just a room full.
It's probably like nine or 10people all sitting around, uh,
on couches and, you know, floorand stuff.
And, everybody in there wastrying to, it is called trying
to hit yourself.
They were trying to find veins.
And so they were digging,digging on the stuff.
There's like bleeding and I feltlike I was going to have an
anxiety attack.
This girl, um, bless her heart,I don't even know her name, but
(16:49):
she, she probably weighed 85pounds soaking wet.
She, she looked horrible and Iwas thinking, this, this is,
keep it up.
This is you're, this is whereyou're heading, you know?
and she like laid back.
She was sitting next, she cameand sat next to me and like
threw her leg up in the air andtook a men's neck tie.
And like, she was panickingbecause they, she couldn't hit a
(17:10):
vein, you know what I mean?
You're not eating, drinking,you're, you know, you've been
shooting dope.
Your veins are blown and.
Um, and she threw her leg in theair and she's tied, started
tying that men's neck tie allthe way up, like gladiator style
upper leg, and was trying to hitit.
And I just, it was like timefroze and I'm just looking
around and I'm like, I like,what am I doing?
(17:32):
You know?
and again, it was never like ajudgment thing.
I don't judge people.
Um, I, I never really have, notthen, not now, but um, it was
almost just like, you, you getout of here now.
You know what I mean?
This is, this is not where youbelong.
Phil (17:47):
Yeah.
Like,
Ginger (17:47):
I felt like God was saying, there's so much more for
you.
You know?
Wow.
yeah, that was, that wasprobably the one of the most
shocking.
There's just.
Many others I've seen.
yeah, just really scary stuff.
I've seen a guy get hit in thehead, um, with a hammer five or
six times.
Yeah.
both (18:03):
Like someone just started down Yeah.
Started beating on him with ahammer beating.
Yeah.
Ginger (18:06):
And I'm, I'm trying to like get this sword that was
nailed off the wall because itwas a guy I thought he was, it
was killing him.
It was pouring down rain.
You could hear like, wow, wow.
I don't see how he didn't die.
And I'm trying to get this,snatch this thing off.
'cause I was like, I got onechance to hit this guy.
You're
both (18:19):
gonna use the sword and slice.
I was just that fella with thehammer.
Yeah.
I
Ginger (18:22):
mean, he was kill, I mean, I was just screaming, like
screaming.
You're, you're killing him.
It was, there're just so muchviolence, so much.
I guess
both (18:30):
you weren't able to get that sword down.
No, I was not able
Ginger (18:32):
to get that thing off.
And then the, um, and thenactually what happened, I've
only had a man put their handson me twice in my life.
Um, both were in addiction.
Neither was with somebody I waswith.
but his.
Girlfriend screamed when she sawme running around his mom, I'm
sorry, it was his mom, uh,screamed.
It was an older lady and he, hegot up and went running over.
(18:52):
He's like, oh, you and hitsomebody.
And went, bow punched me rightin my eye.
both (18:55):
This was the guy with the hammer?
Yeah, with
Ginger (18:56):
the hammer.
And so of course scared me todeath.
I'm like, oh my he's fixing tokill me.
But he punched me right in theeye and I was so worried about
this other guy.
I run, this is when I was livingin, in the field, in, in the
shed.
So I go running through thefield to the big house and I'm
like, call 9 1 1.
They almost killed this guy, youknow?
And, and he was like, are you,you know,'cause my adrenaline
was going.
He was like, are you okay?
I didn't even realize I'd beenhit, but apparently it was like
(19:18):
a good shiner.
So, yeah.
Really?
Wow.
both (19:22):
I know it's, wow.
Mm-hmm.
and you have all kind of storieslike that?
Oh yeah.
Ginger (19:27):
Yeah.
They're endless.
Just really terrible stuff.
I've been in a, a shed, theycall it shake and bake.
It's like Stu Fed and, Lie andbatteries and all kind of stuff
anyway.
Um, and you shake it in a Cokebottle and it, and then there's
other steps to it, but we'lljust leave it at that.
And, uh, then you drink it.
No, you, you, you like dry itout, you put it in a plate and
(19:47):
then you put, I don't wanna giveall the recipes out here.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
So yeah.
Phil, whatcha are you trying toget me to do?
both (19:52):
So is that why when I go to the drugstore, I have to like
show my license to get that'slike Sudafed or whatever.
That's
Ginger (19:58):
exactly why.
Because it's made from, yep.
Yep.
Um, and, uh, so anyway, he wentto, like burp the bottle.
You have to like, let off someof this stuff.
We're in this dirt basement,like up under the house that
they had put a couch down.
It was like, you know, real low,like a typical yucky base
basement that they tried to makea little, you know, room out of.
(20:18):
And he's standing in.
they had, uh, tiki tiki hut,like grass hut stuff over the
door.
It had an actual door to gooutside, but there was like this
tiki hut stuff.
'cause you know.
Putting the, putting in a vibearound there and, yeah.
Um, and so he was shaking thebottle and he went to Burp.
And when he did it just caughton fire.
Like, like wow.
Two.
And he got so nervous.
(20:39):
So he threw it, and when hethrew it, it, that was the only
exit out, like, is that door andthat whole thing is on fire.
Wow.
Well, my fight or flight hit andI, I, I jumped over the couch,
like one foot on the coffeetable.
I threw elbows, knocked this guydown.
I'm like, it scared me so bad.
'cause I was like, we're gonnaburn today.
Like, but it was split second.
(21:00):
I mean, that thing caught onfire and that thing was burning
and I just, you bolted, bustedthrough it.
Busted.
Just busted right through it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Wow.
Yeah, there's, it's, it's a lot,Phil.
Wow.
Just every sin imaginable.
It really is.
And I love the correlation withthe Bible that you were talking
about.
That's exactly, especially meth.
Meth, I just say, it really is,just a demonic, demonic drug.
(21:23):
Yeah.
I, yeah, because I've done a lotof other drugs.
I've done, you know, not thatall drugs are terrible.
I'm not saying they're not, butsomething about meth, it just
cracks open some ugly, sinfulportal.
That is really scary stuff.
Wow.
both (21:37):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We, uh, we're probably veryfortunate that we aren't able to
understand and see all thathappens in the, in the spiritual
world.
Absolutely.
Ginger (21:46):
Yeah.
I got, yeah, very much so.
yeah,
both (21:49):
I can imagine though, just the crazy, I don't know what it,
what it might be like, just thedevil and the demons just.
Laughing and just Oh, yeah.
Manipulating and just
Ginger (21:59):
that demon face that I saw three being in those places.
Yeah.
Oh.
Uh, he, he like taunted me.
It was a glass, little glass cutout in a, a, a door and it, we
had been out in the garage and,uh, I'd come back in and I
turned to go back out, out.
And it literally like the littlesquare window and it just, and
his face was
both (22:17):
like, you could see it beginning to rise
Ginger (22:19):
in the window.
Yes.
And right in the window andstare at me and that.
And at first I was like, youknow, everybody's like, that's
sleep.
Deion, you know, people arelaughing.
I was like, that was a freakingdemon.
Like demon.
I mean, look, I have chills now,like, scared me so bad.
You would think it was scare mestraight.
And this was a window or amirror or This was a, it was a
window.
It was just a little smallcutout of a door.
Um, you know, like a little,yeah.
One glass pane.
(22:39):
And it just raised a, and theway it, it looked at me and then
another time, but it, I, I sawthat same demon three, three
different times.
It was always that same exactface.
Once it was.
With the shower curtain, likecame back and it was that demon.
Wow.
So like laughing and like youwere in the shower and you
pulled the shower curtain.
Yeah.
And I, and I, I, because Ithought I heard something and I
went to do like this, and it wasthat same, just that fa and like
(23:02):
mocking me.
It was the most tr I, I wouldlove, I, I mean, I wouldn't love
to, but I think it would be soneat to have a sketch artist
that does, like, for the policesketches to actually see if they
could drive, because it's sovivid in my mind.
It's terrifying.
If you
both (23:16):
can, like, would you describe, like what did it look
like?
Um,
Ginger (23:18):
it, I never really saw a body.
It was just the head, but just acontorted face.
It had like real dark, darkskin.
It was just a dark, a darknessand like real big black eyes,
but like a lot of, like, he wasjust this, but it almost had
like a joker smile.
Oh.
it's just hard.
I mean, I can ViiV vividly seeit, but it was, it was
(23:40):
terrifying.
And there's, I just firmlybelieve that was a demon because
I've seen many shadow people.
I've had sleep deprivation allof the time.
Like you,
both (23:50):
you've, you, you feel like you know the difference between
hallucinations and Yes.
And that demons.
Yes.
I
Ginger (23:54):
definitely do.
I definitely do.
Wow.
Mm-hmm.
I, um,
both (23:57):
I can only imagine, I mean, Satan and the demons that
serve him know mm-hmm.
They know what's gonna happen tothem in the end.
Like they know they've lost.
Oh, they do.
They know that.
Mm-hmm.
When Jesus comes back ineternity, they're going to the
lake of fire.
Right.
Right.
And so the only, I don't evenknow what you would call it.
It's, it's not joy, it's just, Idon't know.
They're just the only thing thatthey clinging to is Right.
(24:21):
I think just manipulating andhurting people.
Oh, yeah.
Like, and just laughing at the,because I, because it hurts God.
And, and that's their way ofYes.
Hurting the heart of God if theycan hurt and destroy people's
lives.
Ginger (24:34):
Right.
But the ironic, well, it's notironic.
To touch on what you just said,that was at the end, like I
said, the last nine months ofour using was horrendous.
So that deem same demon.
I saw three different times andit just so happened that was
nine months before wesurrendered.
Um, and, and got clean, Jeff andI, and but in that nine months
(24:56):
we were constantly talking aboutlike he and I would, Jeff was
doing landscaping at the timeand we would draw out like
landscaping.
It was always when we get clean.
When we get clean.
'cause we had been together forfive years and my parents never
heard his name.
I purposely kept him completelyaway from my parents, you know,
he was like, am I ever gonnameet your parents?
I was like, not when we're high.
(25:18):
So it was always like, wow.
We knew like we wanted so muchbetter and we would dream about
and like, this is what our housewill look like and this is what
our flower beds are look like.
It was always when we get clean.
Wow.
Like, yeah.
So, and because of that, andthen all of a sudden it was like
that demon was taunting me like.
You think you, so the three
both (25:35):
times you saw that demon were during this last nine
months That Yes, during that
Ginger (25:38):
last, never in the 20 years have I ever seen that.
Wow.
But it's like, you know, I saythat all the time.
You know, the devil doesn't messwith you when he's already got
you.
I was already living and runningin sin.
I didn't, it was just darknessand another day.
You know?
Um, it's, that's why people, Ithink, uh, sometimes have a hard
time when they're first saved orthey first surrender and give
(25:59):
their life to Christ, get readybecause, you know, that's when
the, the, the devil is, is nothappy about that.
You know, he, he wants you backand, and, and things can get
really tough, you know,sometimes.
but that's what it was.
It was like, he was like, ah,you think you're going somewhere
I you're mine kind of a thing.
Wow.
Because it never showed up everin all those years of using.
(26:20):
But that last nine months, itwas, it was taunting me.
both (26:23):
Now, were you a believer in Christ?
Already at that point of yourlife?
Ginger (26:28):
Always.
There's never been a cha uh,never been a time in my life
that I've ever even
both (26:33):
So when you were little, little, you trusted Christ as
your savior gave your life tohim.
Mm-hmm.
Ginger (26:38):
The whole time.
Like, and I know that's crazy tosay, but, um, yeah, I, I, I've
never doubt, I've never had adoubtful faith.
I've never, um, I was runningfrom God because I, because,
well, just because it was likeI, because I wasn't living
right.
And I was sinning and I wasshameful, and so I just kept,
kept running from him.
But, you know, I just constantlypursuing me, you know?
(27:01):
Wow.
And, and there's so manysituations that, that it, it is
just nothing but God.
And especially now in recovery,like, um, coming up on seven
years in January, um, lookingback and like just seeing his
hand orchestrate, like ineverything.
It's just, it's, it's justunbelievable.
Um, Jeff ended up.
Because again, so for ninemonths we were like, when we
(27:22):
get, we have, you know, I'm sosick of this.
And Jeff ended up getting pulledover.
He was working a landscaping joband he got pulled over at work
for um, like a taillight orsomething.
And he had an old warrant and sothey picked, they picked him up
and he ended up going to jail.
So he calls me again.
I'm still staying at the, at thepeople's house at this time.
I was obviously a lot to dealwith when I was high.
(27:44):
I'm already very hyper, so, um,a little bit of dope.
I was up for days, I mean, justone line and I'm up two, three
days and when everybody elsecould just go, go to bed.
And so the sleep deprivationhitting, um, I'm hallucinating,
I'm spastic, I'm, you know, Iwas a lot to deal with.
Um, and so people didn't reallywant me around.
(28:04):
They just did because of Jeff.
'cause Jeff's always just evenan addiction.
He's just, just Jeff, he's justgreat.
Yeah.
Everybody loves Jeff House.
Um, and uh, so he got picked upand called me and was like, this
is it.
You know, um, he's like, I gotlocked up and you know, I got
probation violation or whatever.
I don't know how long I'm gonnabe in, so I'm calling his
(28:25):
probation officer.
'cause I'm scared to death nowbecause I'm so codependent on
him, like to protect me.
It was just, uh, me and himagainst the world.
And I knew that where we'restaying, it was because of him.
And, you know, um, I was scaredto death.
So I, um, you know, I'm callinghis probation officer.
I'm like, please let him outbefore you know Chris, you know,
blah, blah, blah.
And Wow.
Yeah.
So, um, and then after about aweek,'cause he, I mean he's
(28:47):
solid, been using meth foralmost 30 years, like a needle.
He quit.
He, he, he gave the needle up,um, about a year before we quit
getting high, which is, which ishuge'cause from what I
understand and what I've seenpeople 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.
(29:08):
So he just got, he kind of gotjust sick of shooting dope.
So he finally quit that afterthat many years.
And, but then he called me, Iguess it had been two weeks, and
he called me and said.
This is it because this is thefirst time he had had some
clarity and kind of dried outand rested and slept and been
eating.
And he said, this is what we'vebeen praying for.
He was like, I'm done.
We're done.
(29:28):
And that is the end of part twoof Ginger's story.
Next week you will hear themiraculous turnaround that God
did in her life and in Jeff'slife.
You will not wanna miss it.
It's, it is an amazing story ofredemption and all that God did
to get ginger from that place ofdarkness into the place of joy
(29:50):
and light and wonder that Gingerand Jeff are at now.
Thanks for being here this weekand we will see you back here
next week.
Phil Shuler (29:57):
We look forward to being with you again next week
as we share another testimonyabout the power and the goodness
of God to change lives throughSafe House Ministries.
if you are someone listening tothis podcast that loves to hear
these stories of the greatthings that God is doing in
changing people's lives for thebetter, and if you would like to
be a part of that work, pleasereach out to us You can reach us
(30:20):
at 2101 Hamilton Road, Columbus,Georgia, 31,904.
You can call us at seven oh sixthree two two.
3 7, 7 3, or you can email us atinfo@safehouse-ministries.com.
Microphone (Samson Q2U Mi (30:35):
Thank you so much for being with us
this week for the renew restoreand rejoice podcast of safe
house ministries, we pray thatGod will bless you this week.
And we look forward to havingyou back with us again next week
for a new episode.
HellO, and welcome to Renew, Restore, Rejoice, the
(00:03):
Safe House Ministries podcast,where we share stories of the
power of God to change livesthrough Safe House Ministries.
Safe House Ministries is basedout of Columbus, Georgia, and we
are a ministry that exists tolove and serve people who have
been affected by addiction,homelessness, and incarceration.
I'm your host, Phil Shuler, theDirector of Development for Safe
House Ministries here inColumbus, Georgia.
(00:24):
Safe House serves over 1, 100people each month as they
transition back into ourcommunity.
Safe House provides an abundanceof services including 213 beds
for homeless individuals andfamilies, case management for
obtaining job skills and longterm employment.
Over 300 hot meals every day,free clothing, and so much more.
One of the most incredibleservices that Safe House
(00:45):
provides is our free 9 12 monthintensive outpatient substance
abuse program, which is statelicensed, CARF accredited, and
has no wait list.
Almost 100 percent ofindividuals staying in our
shelters who follow our threephase program become fully
employed within a few months.
And 68 percent of individualswho stay at least one night with
us End up finding work andmoving into their own home.
(01:07):
Thank you for being with ustoday and listening to our
podcast.
We hope you enjoy this week'sepisode.
Ginger (01:12):
I lived in a shed with him in Crawford, Alabama, uh,
for three months with No, thedead of summer.
No, uh, running water.
No power.
No.
Yeah.
both (01:22):
Like an actual shed.
An shed.
Kind of a actual, yeah, like antiny actual
Ginger (01:26):
shed.
An outdoor shed.
Yep.
Phil (01:29):
Wow.
Ginger (01:30):
Yeah.
And I used to, um, at nighttimeI would run through a field to
the house, that the people thatlet us, let him stay in the shed
or whatever, let us stay there,they were great.
sometimes I would be able to goin and take showers and stuff.
They were, they were, they weregood to me.
Wow.
And, uh, but a lot of times Iwould just run through the field
at nighttime and go get in theirhose and ba Yeah.
Yep.
Wow.
(01:50):
Yeah.
And then, um,
both (01:52):
did they let you go in for the restroom too, or was that
Yeah.
Ginger (01:54):
Yeah, we could do that sometimes, but most, most of the
time it was in a bucket.
both (01:58):
Wow.
Ginger (01:58):
Mm-hmm.
both (01:59):
What a life.
That's crazy.
Ginger (02:01):
Especially coming from where I came from and like, and,
and you know, the shame I usedto get shamed at, at different,
like.
Drug houses I had, I would gopla places that certain people
wouldn't get high if I walked inthere.
Because you were always the waythey were like, uh, they were
like, what are you doing here?
You look like a school teacher.
You know, you, you don't belonghere.
What are you doing slumminghere?
Like, they would think I was apolice, would think I like you
(02:23):
looked too good.
Yeah.
I guess to be, yeah.
I, I sure didn't think so.
And my mama sure didn't thinkso.
I was a hundred and thirty two,a hundred thirty five pounds.
I'm five 11, you know?
I don't know.
They just, wow.
Yeah.
But I even shamed, and thenagain, I'm taking that, I'm
like, I'm even getting shamed.
Shame, because
both (02:37):
you'd look too good.
You didn't, don't even fit inwith us.
Don't
Ginger (02:39):
even, right, right.
Yeah.
So it just, but you're living
both (02:41):
in a shed.
I'm living in a shed
Ginger (02:43):
pooping in a bucket.
both (02:44):
Wow.
You
Ginger (02:45):
know?
Um, yeah, it, it, it got, it gotreally, really bad.
Um, so Robbie and I didn't speakfor, there was like some
physical alter altercations,and, police were called and
things like that.
both (02:56):
So you, you were kind of still kind of on and off with
and Robbie on and off and then,
Ginger (02:59):
yeah, and it was weird because like I've got this whole
other much older boyfriend andthen we would all go back to our
old house to get high that hasno power, no water of his super
nice house.
Like, it, it just evil,terrible, sinful, horrible
things.
Yeah, just horrible.
Yeah.
And then, um, wow.
Then Robbie ended up, havinghis, you know, I don't wanna
(03:21):
tell his testimony, but he endedup, getting some help and so he
got, uh, cleaned two yearsbefore I did.
So at this time, my dad startedhaving, you know, my parents had
had Jackson for many years, andI would, they, they never kept
Jack from me.
I would see, see him sometimes Iwould have nowhere to go, and
they would let me stay there,and then I would totally take
advantage of them.
(03:41):
And, you know, when you're in a,in addiction, it's just,
everything's about me.
Wow.
And if you had told me that Iwas selfish, I would've never
thought that because I was soloving.
And, you know, given I lovepeople and I'll help people and
do anything for somebody.
But no, I was the mostself-centered person.
Ev everything was about me andhow I was feeling and, wow.
And a lot of people get addictedto the lifestyle.
(04:04):
I always hated that part becauseWhen you
both (04:06):
say the lifestyle, you mean like the, just the
lifestyle, the hustling, the,the sexual craziness.
Yeah.
All of it.
All of it.
The adrenaline from
Ginger (04:14):
Yeah.
Just, just being out there.
Yeah.
Like, um, hitting licks.
That's what it's called.
Like when you, oh, we got, wegot this place, we're gonna hit
a lick, which means you're gonnago get a, come up like steal
copper or rob something or
both (04:26):
get a lick.
It's like go, just like hit a,commit a crime.
Yeah.
Ginger (04:28):
Commit a crime.
We're gonna hit a lick.
Yeah.
Because it's like
both (04:31):
an adrenaline rush and yeah.
Ginger (04:32):
So, and so because of that, I thought everybody was my
friend.
I was always trying to makefriends.
You know, there's no friends inthe, for the most part,
everybody's out for themselves.
Your stuff's getting stolen.
You're stealing everybody'sstuff.
They're stealing your stuff,
both (04:44):
and they're all acting like, it's like so much every to
that.
And everybody would steal
Ginger (04:47):
your quote unquote friend would have your dope in
their pocket and in helping youlook for it.
You know what I mean?
You know that they have it.
Wow.
They just, it's just horriblestuff.
But I was constantly getting myfeelings hurt and, you know, all
this different stuff.
It just, it was, it wasdefinitely not, not for me, but
I was in it for 20 years.
both (05:05):
Wow.
Yeah.
20 years.
20 years.
I'm still learning.
Yeah.
And I, uh, really don't have agreat or deep understanding of
what that world is like.
Mm-hmm.
But, I picture it maybe withsome similarities to, because
I'm studying the old test in theBible mm-hmm.
And I think about paganreligions and mm-hmm.
Um, the worship of false gods.
(05:26):
I, I really believe that thosewere demonic influences and that
just like the things that wouldhappen at the temples of those
false gods, the craziness, thesexual insanity, like, I don't
know.
It just seems like maybe thereare some similarities to that
world of darkness in drugs andnot just similarities.
Ginger (05:45):
You are, you are right on meth is, it truly is a portal
to a whole demonic underworld.
I mean, I, I have.
No doubt about that.
I have, it's the only time in mylife I have actually seen the
face of demons, like vividdemons.
Uh, that happened to me threetimes.
Of course, you have, you seeshadow people, you hear people
(06:06):
like, oh, the shadow people areout.
Us that are in recovery now cankinda laugh about those things,
you know?
which is, uh, may sound sick,but that's just'cause everybody
that's been in it, you're like,oh yeah, well I saw this one
time, you know, an Easter bun.
I mean, I literally saw anEaster bunny dancing by the
mailbox at four o'clock in themorning.
'cause I'd been up for fourdays, you know?
Um, so it wasn't just the, thedope That's so terrible.
(06:27):
It's, that was the sleepdeprivation as well, you know?
days and days and days noteating, nothing.
And, um, just dope, you know.
but the meth is very much a, asexual drug.
There was a lot of stuff.
So that part was always hard forme because, I wasn't, not that
I'm like better or anything, butI just wa I didn't, I wasn't
raised like that, you know whatI mean?
Yeah.
So I, I still had all of that,my upbringing down in there.
(06:50):
So even though you're
both (06:50):
high and Yes.
Like participating in all thosebehaviors, right.
You still in the back of yourmind,
Ginger (06:55):
right?
I still wanted one person.
Like I never slept around.
I didn't, and so there a lot ofthe guys were not used to a
female, like paying for herdope.
And so I would be like, oh, Idon't, uh, no, I, I have money
because most of
both (07:08):
females like slept with you.
Like Yeah, yeah.
They just do sexual fingers.
And I speaking for all
Ginger (07:12):
drugs I'm saying in the circle that I ran in.
Yeah.
So lemme just say that'cause Idon't wanna, you know, offend
anybody, but that, that's prettymuch the norm.
that they would just have sexwith somebody and just to get
high or whatever.
And, um, I, I just never didthat.
That part was hard.
So they would always try me up.
And then, we'll, we'll talkabout my, my husband now, um,
that I'm, uh, the love of mylife.
(07:32):
The most wonderful man ever.
Um, uh, actually, Robbieintroduced, so Robbie, we all
met in addiction.
Robbie met my husband now, Jeff,in addiction.
We were all running in the samecircles.
Wow.
Yeah.
And so, so like
both (07:45):
you guys were interacting in some of those same houses and
Yeah.
The same circles.
Ginger (07:48):
Yeah.
We were all kind of getting,high together.
And then he introduced me toJeff and so we kind of, like, I
fell in love with Jeff almostjust immediately, you know?
it was really weird.
We talk about that.
I just saw the man that he istoday in him.
both (08:01):
Like, you knew what he could be.
Ginger (08:02):
I, I did.
I just saw it instantly becausehe, but he.
I was very loyal.
Like I'm just with him.
So, um, we've been really, evenin the midst of the midst of
world, that was my, that was myboyfriend, even though he was So
you started
both (08:16):
dating Jeff?
Yeah, I
Ginger (08:17):
started dating Jeff and, um, I was very loyal to him,
110%.
And of course he was not,because it's a very sexual drug.
And I was al you know, there wasa lot of, uh, cheating and, you
know, things like that, whichwere super, super, super hurtful
for me.
Um, but you know, that was justa lifestyle and that's not who
he is today, obviously drugs,especially with men.
(08:38):
Um, meth really is is really asexual, just yuck, you know?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
But that was hurtful.
But I was, I was just loyal withhim.
So, and, and again, I'm stillthinking the code of ethics as
friendships should be, and like,he would be gone off with some
other girl, you know, and I'mcrying and stuff.
And so his fr other friends arelike, trying to get with me, and
I'm like, that's your friend.
(08:59):
I don't know.
That's my, even though he's overthere with somebody else, you
know, that's, that's, I'm inlove with him and that's who I'm
with, you know?
So.
Wow.
You really
both (09:05):
were a bit of an oddball in that world.
Oh,
Ginger (09:07):
very much was, yeah.
And I got my feel, uh, you know.
Were
both (09:10):
you, did that also affect your self image?
Like, were they just, did peoplemake fun of you and give you a
hard time about that?
Well,
Ginger (09:15):
kind of, yeah.
They would just try, try me up.
I heard you're too good, youknow, you think you're too good
or whatever.
Or, um, had, I had one guy askme, he said, um, I just wanna,
uh, I need to meet your mom.
And I was like, don't you eversay my mom's name outta your
mouth again?
You know?
But he said, well, she must bethe reason that you're so stingy
with all of that.
And I said, she is.
She's the reason that, you know,she taught you better.
(09:35):
She taught me.
Yeah.
She taught me that.
It, that's something special,you know, that you do.
Yeah.
So, um.
Anyway, uh, so I, the, thelifestyle part of that.
both (09:44):
Wow.
It just
Ginger (09:45):
ran me down through there.
It was tough, you know?
That's a
both (09:47):
fascinating, I would say dichotomy, I guess.
Mm-hmm.
That, that you're living in thedarkness and evil off the deep
end in these parts of your life.
Mm-hmm.
But this other part, you weretrying to, trying to stay on the
right path.
I was.
And the straight and narrow, andI was,
Ginger (10:03):
yeah.
Oh, no, I was not perfect, don'tget me wrong.
I was, I was a horrible,horrible thief.
Um, there were some, two peoplein particular, two couples in
particular that really lookedout for me.
And I mean, there's, I, I wouldsteal from them, you know, just
all of the things, things Iwould never, never do.
I had no respect for anybodyelse.
and that's just part of thatlifestyle.
You'd sit something down andyour stuffy, you know, I mean,
(10:25):
just gone and, and vice versa,you know?
So, um, and you're justbouncing, like, where did you
live during bounce around thistime?
Just bounce around.
We, we, Jeff and I were able tostay with a really good, friend
of his, Brian and Alicia.
They were, they were amazing tous.
They took us in and, let us staythere and really helped us out.
Otherwise, I would be on thestreet, which, before meeting
Jeff, I was a couple of times Ijust couldn't find anywhere to
(10:45):
stay.
Literally sleeping on thestreets.
Literally sleeping on thestreet.
Yeah.
Um, wow.
Actually one like in the woodssomewhere?
Yeah, in the woods.
And then, um, one time up undera, underpass, which I
ironically, um, is right by myhouse on, um, uh, Edgewood Road.
By, uh,
both (11:00):
where you current?
Your current house?
Yeah.
Where I
Ginger (11:01):
currently live now.
Yeah.
Um, yeah.
Wow.
So you
both (11:04):
spent many nights, I guess in
Ginger (11:06):
just, just one night.
It was with the older boyfriendthat I had after the one that
was nice to me and taught me howto make, make dope.
Um, yeah, we, we had beenwalking for.
A whole 24 hours and we're outtadope and nowhere to stay.
And it was starting to rain andhe was like, we're just gonna
have to go up here.
And I remember just sittingunder there like squalling my
eyes out and I just kept sayingI was rocking back and forth.
(11:28):
I was like, I'm not supposed tobe here.
I'm not supposed to be here.
And um, I have a, a studentbible that my sister gave me
many years ago and it has my,um, it actually says ginger
goolsby still.
'cause she gave it to me.
I, I think right around the timeI got out of the Bradley Center
and I had that Bible, whichironically everything I ever
owned was stolen, obviously 10times over and, and, and the
(11:49):
lifestyle and bouncing aroundand, from Brian, Alicia to ano
another, A person's house andhere, there and yawn and, uh,
but that bible I still have.
And, recently I was looking upsomething because I liked the
translation of it a little, alittle better.
And I mean, my heart juststopped.
I, I started reading all thescriptures and I would write the
date, just literally like cryingout to the Lord.
(12:11):
I remember sitting in that roomand I used to just read and
like, yeah.
Yeah.
And, and I mean, of course I washigh.
And then the So
both (12:18):
you would, you would periodically spend time trying
to read that bible?
Oh yeah.
During those years.
Oh, during
Ginger (12:23):
those years, yeah.
Definitely.
Especially the last year ofJeff.
And i's using, it was, it washorrible.
It had quit being fun years ago.
Is that the
both (12:32):
darkest Yeah, that was the darkes.
That
Ginger (12:34):
was the darkest and uh.
I mean, he and I would begetting high and, and I would be
crying.
I mean, I hated it.
I, I hated it, but I, I didn'tknow how to Wow.
I, like, I couldn't stop, youknow what I mean?
and then of course the guilt andshame of being away from
Jackson.
And then that was really hardbecause Robbie got clean.
He, he went through the drugcourt program and he got clean
two years before I did.
(12:55):
So my dad started having somepretty severe health issues
during that time.
And so, my parents gave Jacksonback to Robbie.
wow.
Yeah.
And he would bring, God blesshim, he would let me see Jack.
But the house, the house that wewere staying at, um, there was
drug activity obviously, so Iwas not gonna let him come
inside.
So I can remember just thedesperation of wanting to spend
(13:17):
time with my son and he couldn'teven come in.
Like we didn't have anywhere togo.
So there was like a, a church,um, with a swing set across the
street from where the, the drugactivity house was.
And we would, um, Robbie wouldbring him and let me, like, we
would swing and I tried to make,you know, make it as, as good as
I could.
And it was really Wow.
(13:39):
Dark, dark times.
Yeah.
both (13:41):
Uh, if, if you are willing, would you maybe just
think about a couple of specificstories of instances that were
some of the craziest things thatyou experienced during that
time?
Ginger (13:51):
let me think.
there's so many.
Yeah.
I got, the first one I'll thinkof is, um, Hooked up with this
one guy, just like, not hookedup, but you know, hanging out
with him.
And, um, he used to deal methand, uh, this was after Robbie
and I, the stay away orders werenot talking and stuff like that.
I had been with him 20 years,you know, so I'm just kind of
out, out not knowing how to act,you know, and, um, really bad
(14:13):
on, I mean, just high, justterrible.
And so I never knew the, the,the scrapping and the, the
things that, the hustling, thehitting licks and all that
different stuff that, that youdo to get high.
So they would steal copper.
So I remember one night, and I'mlike, they're like, you've ever
heard of scrapping?
You are from the other side ofthe track.
I'm like, what do you mean theother side of the track?
I just don't know what you'retalking about.
(14:34):
So we would spend hours andhours running through the woods
and I'm carrying like grills andtire, like, you know, rims and
there was an abandoned house andI'll never forget, they were
like, climb up on that ladderquick.
We were cutting copper out ofthe house.
And and I was like, are you surethis is.
Not live.
And he was like, man, it's anabandoned house.
I cut that thing and fell offthat ladder.
(14:55):
Yeah.
But yeah, I had cut a wire andit was, there was power running
to it, so that was quite a, youknow, of course they laugh and
then they hear a car coming andthey take off and they're like,
get that stuff.
So I'm the one carrying the mostmetal, and it was just, just
ridiculous, you know?
And I just wanted everybody tobe my friend, so I never got
money.
I was, I would help do all thisstuff and then I wouldn't really
(15:16):
get any, you know, anything outof it.
Um, I mean, they, they, youknow, get high with me, roll a
bowl or something like that, butthey were getting the money and
all that.
It just, you know, it was, itwas dark.
And then, let's see, um, anothertime, so this was probably the
most shocking, and this is whenI was like, another time that I
can just remember really likethe.
(15:38):
I felt the Holy Spirit kind ofwash over me.
Um, and in hindsight, lookingback and just being so panic,
like I wanted to run screaming.
Um, we were in the, I never,shot dope, but Jeff, my husband,
was on the needle for like 20plus years.
He, he shot.
both (15:52):
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
So you, you did, you smoked it?
I smoked
Ginger (15:55):
it or snorted it, things like that.
I would eat it.
You could even eat it.
Yeah.
But, um, I, you know, I justnever done the needle'cause I
didn't wanna up the ante, youknow, I didn't wanna get worse.
Like, it's bad.
That's like a whole new
both (16:04):
level.
Ginger (16:04):
Yeah.
Oh, that's a whole new level.
And, and just the way, and it'smore of a sexual thing.
Like, I just saw, you know, howit did.
I was like this, nah, no, no,this is bad enough what I got
going on.
You know?
Um, and it was never a judgment.
I mean, we're all, you know,addicts and we're all getting
high there, you know, it'snothing like that.
But it's just, I didn't want, Ididn't wanna take it there, you
know?
Yeah.
But I, I had been out somewhereand I walked in and there's like
(16:26):
just a room full.
It's probably like nine or 10people all sitting around, uh,
on couches and, you know, floorand stuff.
And, everybody in there wastrying to, it is called trying
to hit yourself.
They were trying to find veins.
And so they were digging,digging on the stuff.
There's like bleeding and I feltlike I was going to have an
anxiety attack.
This girl, um, bless her heart,I don't even know her name, but
(16:49):
she, she probably weighed 85pounds soaking wet.
She, she looked horrible and Iwas thinking, this, this is,
keep it up.
This is you're, this is whereyou're heading, you know?
and she like laid back.
She was sitting next, she cameand sat next to me and like
threw her leg up in the air andtook a men's neck tie.
And like, she was panickingbecause they, she couldn't hit a
(17:10):
vein, you know what I mean?
You're not eating, drinking,you're, you know, you've been
shooting dope.
Your veins are blown and.
Um, and she threw her leg in theair and she's tied, started
tying that men's neck tie allthe way up, like gladiator style
upper leg, and was trying to hitit.
And I just, it was like timefroze and I'm just looking
around and I'm like, I like,what am I doing?
(17:32):
You know?
and again, it was never like ajudgment thing.
I don't judge people.
Um, I, I never really have, notthen, not now, but um, it was
almost just like, you, you getout of here now.
You know what I mean?
This is, this is not where youbelong.
Phil (17:47):
Yeah.
Like,
Ginger (17:47):
I felt like God was saying, there's so much more for
you.
You know?
Wow.
yeah, that was, that wasprobably the one of the most
shocking.
There's just.
Many others I've seen.
yeah, just really scary stuff.
I've seen a guy get hit in thehead, um, with a hammer five or
six times.
Yeah.
both (18:03):
Like someone just started down Yeah.
Started beating on him with ahammer beating.
Yeah.
Ginger (18:06):
And I'm, I'm trying to like get this sword that was
nailed off the wall because itwas a guy I thought he was, it
was killing him.
It was pouring down rain.
You could hear like, wow, wow.
I don't see how he didn't die.
And I'm trying to get this,snatch this thing off.
'cause I was like, I got onechance to hit this guy.
You're
both (18:19):
gonna use the sword and slice.
I was just that fella with thehammer.
Yeah.
I
Ginger (18:22):
mean, he was kill, I mean, I was just screaming, like
screaming.
You're, you're killing him.
It was, there're just so muchviolence, so much.
I guess
both (18:30):
you weren't able to get that sword down.
No, I was not able
Ginger (18:32):
to get that thing off.
And then the, um, and thenactually what happened, I've
only had a man put their handson me twice in my life.
Um, both were in addiction.
Neither was with somebody I waswith.
but his.
Girlfriend screamed when she sawme running around his mom, I'm
sorry, it was his mom, uh,screamed.
It was an older lady and he, hegot up and went running over.
(18:52):
He's like, oh, you and hitsomebody.
And went, bow punched me rightin my eye.
both (18:55):
This was the guy with the hammer?
Yeah, with
Ginger (18:56):
the hammer.
And so of course scared me todeath.
I'm like, oh my he's fixing tokill me.
But he punched me right in theeye and I was so worried about
this other guy.
I run, this is when I was livingin, in the field, in, in the
shed.
So I go running through thefield to the big house and I'm
like, call 9 1 1.
They almost killed this guy, youknow?
And, and he was like, are you,you know,'cause my adrenaline
was going.
He was like, are you okay?
I didn't even realize I'd beenhit, but apparently it was like
(19:18):
a good shiner.
So, yeah.
Really?
Wow.
both (19:22):
I know it's, wow.
Mm-hmm.
and you have all kind of storieslike that?
Oh yeah.
Ginger (19:27):
Yeah.
They're endless.
Just really terrible stuff.
I've been in a, a shed, theycall it shake and bake.
It's like Stu Fed and, Lie andbatteries and all kind of stuff
anyway.
Um, and you shake it in a Cokebottle and it, and then there's
other steps to it, but we'lljust leave it at that.
And, uh, then you drink it.
No, you, you, you like dry itout, you put it in a plate and
(19:47):
then you put, I don't wanna giveall the recipes out here.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
So yeah.
Phil, whatcha are you trying toget me to do?
both (19:52):
So is that why when I go to the drugstore, I have to like
show my license to get that'slike Sudafed or whatever.
That's
Ginger (19:58):
exactly why.
Because it's made from, yep.
Yep.
Um, and, uh, so anyway, he wentto, like burp the bottle.
You have to like, let off someof this stuff.
We're in this dirt basement,like up under the house that
they had put a couch down.
It was like, you know, real low,like a typical yucky base
basement that they tried to makea little, you know, room out of.
(20:18):
And he's standing in.
they had, uh, tiki tiki hut,like grass hut stuff over the
door.
It had an actual door to gooutside, but there was like this
tiki hut stuff.
'cause you know.
Putting the, putting in a vibearound there and, yeah.
Um, and so he was shaking thebottle and he went to Burp.
And when he did it just caughton fire.
Like, like wow.
Two.
And he got so nervous.
(20:39):
So he threw it, and when hethrew it, it, that was the only
exit out, like, is that door andthat whole thing is on fire.
Wow.
Well, my fight or flight hit andI, I, I jumped over the couch,
like one foot on the coffeetable.
I threw elbows, knocked this guydown.
I'm like, it scared me so bad.
'cause I was like, we're gonnaburn today.
Like, but it was split second.
(21:00):
I mean, that thing caught onfire and that thing was burning
and I just, you bolted, bustedthrough it.
Busted.
Just busted right through it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Wow.
Yeah, there's, it's, it's a lot,Phil.
Wow.
Just every sin imaginable.
It really is.
And I love the correlation withthe Bible that you were talking
about.
That's exactly, especially meth.
Meth, I just say, it really is,just a demonic, demonic drug.
(21:23):
Yeah.
I, yeah, because I've done a lotof other drugs.
I've done, you know, not thatall drugs are terrible.
I'm not saying they're not, butsomething about meth, it just
cracks open some ugly, sinfulportal.
That is really scary stuff.
Wow.
both (21:37):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We, uh, we're probably veryfortunate that we aren't able to
understand and see all thathappens in the, in the spiritual
world.
Absolutely.
Ginger (21:46):
Yeah.
I got, yeah, very much so.
yeah,
both (21:49):
I can imagine though, just the crazy, I don't know what it,
what it might be like, just thedevil and the demons just.
Laughing and just Oh, yeah.
Manipulating and just
Ginger (21:59):
that demon face that I saw three being in those places.
Yeah.
Oh.
Uh, he, he like taunted me.
It was a glass, little glass cutout in a, a, a door and it, we
had been out in the garage and,uh, I'd come back in and I
turned to go back out, out.
And it literally like the littlesquare window and it just, and
his face was
both (22:17):
like, you could see it beginning to rise
Ginger (22:19):
in the window.
Yes.
And right in the window andstare at me and that.
And at first I was like, youknow, everybody's like, that's
sleep.
Deion, you know, people arelaughing.
I was like, that was a freakingdemon.
Like demon.
I mean, look, I have chills now,like, scared me so bad.
You would think it was scare mestraight.
And this was a window or amirror or This was a, it was a
window.
It was just a little smallcutout of a door.
Um, you know, like a little,yeah.
One glass pane.
(22:39):
And it just raised a, and theway it, it looked at me and then
another time, but it, I, I sawthat same demon three, three
different times.
It was always that same exactface.
Once it was.
With the shower curtain, likecame back and it was that demon.
Wow.
So like laughing and like youwere in the shower and you
pulled the shower curtain.
Yeah.
And I, and I, I, because Ithought I heard something and I
went to do like this, and it wasthat same, just that fa and like
(23:02):
mocking me.
It was the most tr I, I wouldlove, I, I mean, I wouldn't love
to, but I think it would be soneat to have a sketch artist
that does, like, for the policesketches to actually see if they
could drive, because it's sovivid in my mind.
It's terrifying.
If you
both (23:16):
can, like, would you describe, like what did it look
like?
Um,
Ginger (23:18):
it, I never really saw a body.
It was just the head, but just acontorted face.
It had like real dark, darkskin.
It was just a dark, a darknessand like real big black eyes,
but like a lot of, like, he wasjust this, but it almost had
like a joker smile.
Oh.
it's just hard.
I mean, I can ViiV vividly seeit, but it was, it was
(23:40):
terrifying.
And there's, I just firmlybelieve that was a demon because
I've seen many shadow people.
I've had sleep deprivation allof the time.
Like you,
both (23:50):
you've, you, you feel like you know the difference between
hallucinations and Yes.
And that demons.
Yes.
I
Ginger (23:54):
definitely do.
I definitely do.
Wow.
Mm-hmm.
I, um,
both (23:57):
I can only imagine, I mean, Satan and the demons that
serve him know mm-hmm.
They know what's gonna happen tothem in the end.
Like they know they've lost.
Oh, they do.
They know that.
Mm-hmm.
When Jesus comes back ineternity, they're going to the
lake of fire.
Right.
Right.
And so the only, I don't evenknow what you would call it.
It's, it's not joy, it's just, Idon't know.
They're just the only thing thatthey clinging to is Right.
(24:21):
I think just manipulating andhurting people.
Oh, yeah.
Like, and just laughing at the,because I, because it hurts God.
And, and that's their way ofYes.
Hurting the heart of God if theycan hurt and destroy people's
lives.
Ginger (24:34):
Right.
But the ironic, well, it's notironic.
To touch on what you just said,that was at the end, like I
said, the last nine months ofour using was horrendous.
So that deem same demon.
I saw three different times andit just so happened that was
nine months before wesurrendered.
Um, and, and got clean, Jeff andI, and but in that nine months
(24:56):
we were constantly talking aboutlike he and I would, Jeff was
doing landscaping at the timeand we would draw out like
landscaping.
It was always when we get clean.
When we get clean.
'cause we had been together forfive years and my parents never
heard his name.
I purposely kept him completelyaway from my parents, you know,
he was like, am I ever gonnameet your parents?
I was like, not when we're high.
(25:18):
So it was always like, wow.
We knew like we wanted so muchbetter and we would dream about
and like, this is what our housewill look like and this is what
our flower beds are look like.
It was always when we get clean.
Wow.
Like, yeah.
So, and because of that, andthen all of a sudden it was like
that demon was taunting me like.
You think you, so the three
both (25:35):
times you saw that demon were during this last nine
months That Yes, during that
Ginger (25:38):
last, never in the 20 years have I ever seen that.
Wow.
But it's like, you know, I saythat all the time.
You know, the devil doesn't messwith you when he's already got
you.
I was already living and runningin sin.
I didn't, it was just darknessand another day.
You know?
Um, it's, that's why people, Ithink, uh, sometimes have a hard
time when they're first saved orthey first surrender and give
(25:59):
their life to Christ, get readybecause, you know, that's when
the, the, the devil is, is nothappy about that.
You know, he, he wants you backand, and, and things can get
really tough, you know,sometimes.
but that's what it was.
It was like, he was like, ah,you think you're going somewhere
I you're mine kind of a thing.
Wow.
Because it never showed up everin all those years of using.
(26:20):
But that last nine months, itwas, it was taunting me.
both (26:23):
Now, were you a believer in Christ?
Already at that point of yourlife?
Ginger (26:28):
Always.
There's never been a cha uh,never been a time in my life
that I've ever even
both (26:33):
So when you were little, little, you trusted Christ as
your savior gave your life tohim.
Mm-hmm.
Ginger (26:38):
The whole time.
Like, and I know that's crazy tosay, but, um, yeah, I, I, I've
never doubt, I've never had adoubtful faith.
I've never, um, I was runningfrom God because I, because,
well, just because it was likeI, because I wasn't living
right.
And I was sinning and I wasshameful, and so I just kept,
kept running from him.
But, you know, I just constantlypursuing me, you know?
(27:01):
Wow.
And, and there's so manysituations that, that it, it is
just nothing but God.
And especially now in recovery,like, um, coming up on seven
years in January, um, lookingback and like just seeing his
hand orchestrate, like ineverything.
It's just, it's, it's justunbelievable.
Um, Jeff ended up.
Because again, so for ninemonths we were like, when we
(27:22):
get, we have, you know, I'm sosick of this.
And Jeff ended up getting pulledover.
He was working a landscaping joband he got pulled over at work
for um, like a taillight orsomething.
And he had an old warrant and sothey picked, they picked him up
and he ended up going to jail.
So he calls me again.
I'm still staying at the, at thepeople's house at this time.
I was obviously a lot to dealwith when I was high.
(27:44):
I'm already very hyper, so, um,a little bit of dope.
I was up for days, I mean, justone line and I'm up two, three
days and when everybody elsecould just go, go to bed.
And so the sleep deprivationhitting, um, I'm hallucinating,
I'm spastic, I'm, you know, Iwas a lot to deal with.
Um, and so people didn't reallywant me around.
(28:04):
They just did because of Jeff.
'cause Jeff's always just evenan addiction.
He's just, just Jeff, he's justgreat.
Yeah.
Everybody loves Jeff House.
Um, and uh, so he got picked upand called me and was like, this
is it.
You know, um, he's like, I gotlocked up and you know, I got
probation violation or whatever.
I don't know how long I'm gonnabe in, so I'm calling his
(28:25):
probation officer.
'cause I'm scared to death nowbecause I'm so codependent on
him, like to protect me.
It was just, uh, me and himagainst the world.
And I knew that where we'restaying, it was because of him.
And, you know, um, I was scaredto death.
So I, um, you know, I'm callinghis probation officer.
I'm like, please let him outbefore you know Chris, you know,
blah, blah, blah.
And Wow.
Yeah.
So, um, and then after about aweek,'cause he, I mean he's
(28:47):
solid, been using meth foralmost 30 years, like a needle.
He quit.
He, he, he gave the needle up,um, about a year before we quit
getting high, which is, which ishuge'cause from what I
understand and what I've seenpeople 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.
(29:08):
So he just got, he kind of gotjust sick of shooting dope.
So he finally quit that afterthat many years.
And, but then he called me, Iguess it had been two weeks, and
he called me and said.
This is it because this is thefirst time he had had some
clarity and kind of dried outand rested and slept and been
eating.
And he said, this is what we'vebeen praying for.
He was like, I'm done.
We're done.
(29:28):
And that is the end of part twoof Ginger's story.
Next week you will hear themiraculous turnaround that God
did in her life and in Jeff'slife.
You will not wanna miss it.
It's, it is an amazing story ofredemption and all that God did
to get ginger from that place ofdarkness into the place of joy
(29:50):
and light and wonder that Gingerand Jeff are at now.
Thanks for being here this weekand we will see you back here
next week.
Phil Shuler (29:57):
We look forward to being with you again next week
as we share another testimonyabout the power and the goodness
of God to change lives throughSafe House Ministries.
if you are someone listening tothis podcast that loves to hear
these stories of the greatthings that God is doing in
changing people's lives for thebetter, and if you would like to
be a part of that work, pleasereach out to us You can reach us
(30:20):
at 2101 Hamilton Road, Columbus,Georgia, 31,904.
You can call us at seven oh sixthree two two.
3 7, 7 3, or you can email us atinfo@safehouse-ministries.com.
Microphone (Samson Q2U Mi (30:35):
Thank you so much for being with us
this week for the renew restoreand rejoice podcast of safe
house ministries, we pray thatGod will bless you this week.
And we look forward to havingyou back with us again next week
for a new episode.
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