Writing A Memoir

I’m writing this blog post today because I am working for the next three weeks at Phoenix Teen Challenge, therefore I will miss my blog time with my friends tomorrow, Wednesday. We meet every Wednesday morning at Crossroads Books and Coffee where we blog, drink lattes and espressos, and chat.

I worked at Teen Challenge from 1992 until 2011. It was some of the most fulfilling, exciting times in my life. Last year I filled in for a month for director’s wife while they went on vacation. I am doing it again right now. 

I love this ministry. Most people think of Teen Challenge only in the terms of a Christian drug and alcohol rehab, but it’s so much more than that. At least it is in Phoenix. Just this past weekend, they did a Back-to-School Bash outreach where they served meals to 1,900 people and gave out over 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to kids. 

Churches, individuals, and organizations donated the backpacks and supplies. A local fire department donated hot dogs, chips, and drinks. Not only did they donate the food, they were there to grill the hot dogs. Teen Challenge does many other outreaches to the community, plus house up to fifty men in the residential rehab.

I’m happy to be back there if only for a few weeks for reasons other than I just love this ministry. I recently started writing my memoir of the time I spent working there. Actually, I began writing this to enter a non-fiction contest. I typically don’t enjoy writing non-fiction, but I am enjoying this. Ah, the memories.

It was fun, it was exciting, it was heart breaking, it was sad, and overall, it was a tremendous blessing. If you think about it, please whisper a prayer that I can do this justice.

Oh, in case you’re wondering, no, I don’t want to go back to work there on a permanent basis. I miss the people and the ministry, but I don’t miss working every day. 

Writing About Personal Experience in Ministry

Writing contests, writing groups and clubs, writing friends and buddies! It is the sauce that flavors my world. So what contest am I currently working on? Well, I’m glad you asked.

One of the groups I belong to is FaithWriters. Every year they have a novel contest. One year it’s fiction, and one year it’s non-fiction. This is non-fiction year. I’m not much on writing non-fiction. I picture non-fiction as memoirs – and you better have an unusual, interesting life to write your memoirs or autobiography – or devotional books or self-help books.

I do, however, have an idea for a non-fiction entry for this year’s contest. I worked at Teen Challenge for nineteen years – Greater Phoenix Teen Challenge to clarify since there are several hundred in the world. I thought it was the most exciting, most fulfilling job in the world.

Imagine having a ministry in the heart of a major metropolis, and the type people that are drawn to the haven of such a ministry. It certainly made for interesting stories. And I’ve got plenty of those stories. Not only was it interesting, but I met some of the most awesome people in the world.

 I’ve worked alongside the salt of the earth, some men and women whom God delivered from the clutches of drug and alcohol use. Unfortunately, I've also witnessed the tragedy of those who walked away from God  after being delivered and set them free.

Now, my dilemma is who to mention and who not to mention. I’m sure I’ll step on toes because I don’t mention them. It’s not intentional. And as for those in the ministry who failed big time, I will not go into that. Theirs is not my story to tell, and besides, who truly knows the heart and mind of a person except that person and God.

Onward, with the writing of this book. So far, I’m having so much fun doing it.  

Fiction or Non-fiction?

For three years in a row I’ve entered FaithWriters’ Page Turner Contest. I actually won two years ago. They alternately have a fiction year and non-fiction year. This year, 2014, is a non-fiction year. Ugh! As a writer, I much prefer fiction.

I told myself I wouldn’t enter this year, because….well, I don’t write devotionals or teaching/self help books, and frankly, my life isn’t of best-selling interest – at least not to anyone else. As such, I decided to not enter this year.

Before I go any further, let me say the entry I did win with in the Page Turner Contest two years ago was my non-fiction entry How Can a Harmless House Cat Be a Cougar?  Uh, yeah, this grandmother is married to a guy sixteen years younger than me. Been married nineteen years now.

While mulling over any possibility I might possess to enter this year’s non-fiction contest, I thought Teen Challenge. Voila. My nineteen years of working at Greater Phoenix Teen Challenge was exciting and interesting, for sure.

So, all my friends and co-workers from Teen Challenge, beware! You will probably appear at some point in this entry I’m going to write. Well, I’ve started writing it already – maybe have one whole page written.

Everything that happens in our lives is a potential for a story. We may have to tweak things a little, or perhaps even a lot, but we can turn just about anything into a story. My life may not be interesting, but life in general certainly is.