June is a special month for me. First, my birthday is in June and I’ll be 73 years old. Second, in June of 2010 I was delivered from a twenty-seven-year crack cocaine addiction. Before I go any further, I do believe in The Lord. I don’t try and be a preacher or try to convert anyone. No, I just tell my story and I have no doubt, who brought me out!
After being delivered from that storm, I was FREE. The Lord replaced that bad thing with a good thing. He placed my storytelling ministry/program,
The Journey – adifferentkindofstorybook, in my heart.
I have written nearly eighty short stories and published thirteen books. They range from addiction to abuse and children’s stories. I want to teach them life lessons. Writing these stories really help me and it is my hope they might help others, too. I began by reading to inmates at two county detention centers for seven years. Then I was asked to lead a recovery group at my local drug court program, which I did for nine and a half years.
One day I was thinking about WHAT and WHERE my program was and it came to me that I had to try and reach these folks BEFORE they end up in jail, drug court or worse. For the past four years I have taken my Story Time into five elementary schools here in Lexington, KY. Being a former youth football coach for fourteen years, that is right up my alley. (smile) I tell them that they are students of their school, HOWEVER, they are my kids during Story Time. I go by the name Brother Charles – their big brother. I strive to be an Agent of Hope. We have had so much fun together and I hope they’ve learned a thing or two, also. I know I have. I hope so. (smile)
The Journey – adifferentkindofstorybook is going to keep on going and growing. I’m looking forward to the upcoming school year with new kids.
Sorry this post is so long, but I am a storyteller and you can see that I have a lot to be grateful for. (smile)
Thank you for your continued support.
Never Give Up!
Love and Peace,
Brother Charles