Personal Narrative: My Life To Memphis, Tennessee

Griffith. Session1.Journal

At the tender age of 23 years, I packed up everything owned that I had in my bedroom and stored in my mom’s garage and followed the then, love of my life to Memphis, Tennessee. Everyone in my family thought I was crazy. How could I leave Southern California, where I had been born and raised, to go to Memphis, Tennessee? A place at the time only known by my family and associates for its famous landmark, Graceland, and its infamous owner Elvis. I remember some of the well wishes and words of my mom and aunt, who each pulled me aside at one point and another to tell me, “No matter what happens, you can always come home.” I felt like the prodigal daughter. But it didn’t impede my tracks. I got in the car the

I was determined not to become bitter, or act like a woman jaded. Further, returning home was out of the question, it would have only made the pain in my heart worse, at least that’s what I thought. I believed, that my family and friends couldn’t be made right. So, I became more determined with each passing day, to move on and make Memphis, Tennessee my home. I became involved in organizations and groups, and dug down deep, while silently destructing inside. During this time, I worked as a 911 Dispatcher for the Memphis Police Department, a very stressful job. My emotional state and high stress job was a bad combination. I found myself having a drink just to go to sleep, and that one drink became two, three, seven, ten, I quickly developed a “coping issue.” Yet, I appeared to most, to be a strong unbreakable woman, on the

That someone was a counselor, and minister at her church. Something in the way she spoke to me, made me realize I was self-destructing. I met the counselor every Wednesday, for one hour, before I would go into my shift. Over time she introduced me to a God I didn’t know existed. A God who is merciful, gracious, and full of an amazing love. Dr. Webb would later become my mentor. She would walk with me for years to come. I didn’t realize it but I was being discipled. I would later enroll in Memphis Bible Institute. I accepted my call to ministry and church leadership there. I would later become a licensed/commissioned Lay Pastor within the Disciples of Christ domination.
God used that experience to transform my thoughts towards him and to introduce me to a woman who had enough Christ in her to compassionately walk with me through my healing. That is the fundamentals of discipleship, sharing the good news. I’m here at CCU to ensure that the impact one person had on me, I can have on others, from the board room to the break room, changing how organizations impact those who influence the course of