From Playing to Praying: The Ronnie Gardner Story … In His Own Words
I’m from the hood and I got interested in street life when I was 10 years old. I shined shoes and that allowed me to be around the night clubs which led to being exposed to pimps, hookers and their Johns. I was able to learn their lingo. But my mother didn’t know that I was shining shoes since I was supposed to be going to music school over at Hochstein.
That was back in the 60’s. So all my life I was curious about the night life. I just wanted to taste the street life, and back then a lot of my heroes or people I thought was my heroes were pimps and drug dealers so I always had to be. So I got older I fulfilled my dream. I started pimping when I was like 16 years old. I had up to eight girls living in the same house. I felt something pulling against my heart telling me that I was doing something wrong. I always had the desire to get money effectively and immorally. In other words… by any means necessary.
Due to my inexperience all the girls went to jail so I turned to selling drugs to get them out of jail. Once I get them out of jail I kept on selling drugs. By my late twenties I started using drugs. So I lost everything. Before that I had body guards. I had Rolls Royce. I had hidden quarter million dollars, but eventually I lost everything, I hit rock bottom. After I lost everything people were talking about me because my reputation extended outside of Rochester – was real big on the east coast from Florida to Massachusetts from Ohio to Delaware.
As a child I was torn between following in my father’s worldly ways or my mother’s footsteps that were ordered by the Lord. I wanted my father’s lifestyle but God changed my path. I remember after I lost everything, I had hit rock bottom. Three o’clock in the morning, I just looked up in the sky and I said, “Lord, Help me.” Once the Lord heard my sincere cry, I lost all desire for the street life. I got off of drugs. I visited church. I got my hair cut. It was then that I gave my life to Christ and I got saved. That was 22 years ago and I have been serving the Lord every since.
All the ‘stuff’ that I lost, I believe that God is giving back to me. I got it back the legal way through hard work. I thought that people that had a jobs that something was definitely wrong with them. I thought that I would never work a day in my life. I didn’t think I would ever work. I didn’t want to work. I always knew how to get money. I have worked at Frontier for almost 20 years now.
I am currently an ordained deacon at the Elim Fellowship Church in Rochester, NY. I am an active church member but my desire is to work with those still involved in the night life and help them to understand that the street life is not what God has for them. I know God saved me. He did what He had to do for me to understand my calling. He saved a wretch like me. Now I am willing to go back to the streets to minister to His people, the ones that are lost. It’s easy for somebody to just say you need to stop doing what you’re doing. Give your life to Christ. But people in the street now a days they need to see an example of how God can change you.
I’m about, winning souls for Christ. My mission is to go after the dope dealers to show them that it’s a better way. How can you love yourself yet jeopardize yourself and your family by getting killed, getting robbed, and even going to the penitentiary for the rest of your life.
After receiving encouragement from my family, friends and acquaintances, I worked with a team to bring my story to life. A play entitled, “From Playing to Praying: The Ronnie Gardner Story”. The title depicts my life – from playing the street and hustle life to praying – living my life for God’s glory not self. The play was originally presented at Elim Christian Fellowship in June. On Friday night two people gave their life to Christ Friday night. Then on Saturday night 10 people got saved. A lot of people accepted God’s hand because they knew my story. The majority of people was in that church was crying, crying away.
During the June run, there were a lot of events occurring – graduations, family reunions, vacations, etc. Even though we had a good turnout we are bringing it back by popular demand. The ‘revised’ stage play took place in Rochester on September 4. It will take place in Buffalo at Elim Christian Fellowship, 70 Chalmers Avenue on October 4th, 2014 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available at the church bookstore, English Design or at the door.
NOTE: Mr. Gardner will have a DVD and a book available soon. Please contact
English Design, 576 Thurston Road, Rochester, NY or the Elim Christian Fellowship Bookstore, 70 Chalmers Avenue. For play tickets, t-shirts, DVD or book.
Karen M. Cornwell
Carla Watson
