The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey Happy Hour #119 : Ginger Ravella
My guest for Happy Hour #119 is Ginger Gilbert Ravella. Ginger is a military wife, mother of five, stepmother of two, widow, writer and national speaker. At 36 years old, she faced the sudden tragic loss of her husband in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the horrors that followed. He left behind five beautiful children, all under the age of 9 years old. Her late husband, Major Troy Gilbert, an Air Force F-16 pilot, gave his life while saving twenty Special Operation soldiers, defining a true American war hero. Ginger now shares her heart-wrenching story of loss and hope and is the Director of the Speakers Bureau for The Folds of Honor, a non-profit charity who raises educational funds for fallen and wounded soldiers’ families. She travels internationally and speaks on behalf of the foundation. She is remarried to another widower, Colonel Jim Ravella, who lost his wife to breast cancer. Together, they share their testimonies at churches and have recently written an upcoming book, “Hope Found”, to encourage anyone who seeks peace in life’s times of suffering. Ginger and Jim currently live in San Antonio with their children.
In our conversation, Ginger shares about learning the devastating news that her husband had been killed and his body taken. She tells about the days and months following his death and the depression that gripped her, but how God rescued her and taught her to not waste her story. In an unexpected twist, Ginger tells about meeting her now husband, their short dating relationship and quick marriage and how they've learned to mesh two different families with similar stories of grief and loss.
Grab your tissues because this episode had me in tears. Ginger's honest testimony of wrestling with God in her despair and depression resonated with me so much. If you have faced tragedy or extreme suffering, I think you'll feel like you have a friend in Ginger, and feel encouraged by her vulnerable transparency.
For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below!
Connect with Jamie