Thursday, January 24, 2019

Good Girl Chronicles Storytelling Nights: We’re Growing !


I am full of so many emotions; excitement, awe, amazement, shock.

My first storytelling night, 2016
When I first hosted a storytelling night in 2016, I was lucky if my friends came.Now three years later my storytelling night events are reaching people in ways I never imagined. January 18th I hosted my fifth storytelling night, and over 50 people came to the show. The show is growing so much I am currently looking for a larger venue to hold the events, and hopefully reach more people.





Storytelling nights 2019
Storytelling nights feature 7 to 8 speakers who share stories of survival, transformation, humor and more. The growing success of these events proves something I have long known as a journalist; there is tremendous power in sharing lived experienced. As a motivational speaker I have been blown away at the impact my own story has created. It has comforted families who lost loved ones to suicide, been a voice for those struggling with mental illness , and inspired people to get help. When I saw the impact of my own personal story, I wanted to give other speakers the opportunity to do the same.

I am also excited to announce I will be featured in the Virginian Pilot this month. The feature will cover my mental health journey, my business, and storytelling night. A reporter and photographer from the Virginian Pilot attended the last event and captured this amazing video of some of our speakers.



Interested in getting involved? Apply to be a storyteller at my website www.goodgirlchronicles.com, click share your story.

Also if you would like to become a Good Girl Chronicles LLC Ambassador you can apply on my website , click Be An Ambassador!


Sunday, January 13, 2019

Hey, You’re Kind of Pretty

We all have an inner dialogue. It is the internal voice inside of us. The orator to our thoughts, worries, and concerns. A lot of times my inner voice is shouting a list of things I need to get done, things I should be doing, and what I will eat next. But, recently my inner voice said something it hasn’t said ….well ever.

“Hey girl, you’re kind of pretty.”

I was looking in the mirror applying the last bit of makeup before I headed out to work. I paused, looked at my face, and smiled.

“Yes girl, you’re kind of pretty.”

Why is this such a big deal? Well for my whole life I’ve only seen myself as cute. The superlative used for puppies, teddy bears, and other non-intimidating things. For years I have worn the cute badge with honor. My grandmother called me cute as preteen, and assured me in her Southern way that it was a good thing.

“Pretty girls get too much attention. They rub people the wrong way sometimes. But, everybody loves cute girls,” she said.

In high school when the pretty, popular girls came into the room everyone took notice. Overtime I began to get self conscious around pretty girls. Their presence made me hyper aware of overdeveloped boobs, thick hair that never laid straight like theirs, my bushy eyebrows, and my stubborn upper lip hair that looked like a constant five o’clock shadow. I was was silly, quirky, and goofy. I was every guy’s friend never his girlfriend. I was taunted so bad for my upper lip hair once I begged my mother for costly and painful Electrolysis treatments. A process in which electrical currents are sent through your hair shack to prevent growth. It was excruciating. I resolved that I was not pretty, beautiful or anything like that.
High School Grad Photo

Because I felt I was lacking in the looks department I figured I had to have an extra special personality to be accepted. I was a good listener. I did more for my friends than I did for myself. It was the only way I knew how to be accepted by others and be ok with the person I saw in the mirror. I spent most of my teens playing second fiddle to my skinny, much prettier best friends. Back then my inner voice was self deprecating. Always picking at the many thing wrong with myself and trying to find a way to turn it into a joke.

In my twenties, I lost over 30 pounds as I was becoming a television reporter. Even with the weight loss I just felt like a cute girl who managed to get a tv gig.  Men checked me out in the grocery store, women rolled their eyes at me. My inner voice told me people only looked at me because I lost weight or because I was a television reporter.

I am now in my thirties, and for the first time really believe that I am not only cute but kind of pretty too.

Recently—-I looked in the mirror and I found something I didn’t know lived inside of me; the acceptance of my own prettiness.

I am overweight, but I know how to dress my figure. I am no makeup artist but I know how to apply makeup to make my skin glow and pop. I am not a model, but I love my full lips, my dark brown hair, and if you get close you can see I have beautiful hazel eyes. I have a magnetic smile, dimples, and thick eyebrows with a natural arch that women envy. I have sparkly white teeth that deserve to be on a Crest commercial. I have three brown scars on my face from my battle with depression that reminds me that I survived it. I have cute feminine hands spotted with freckles. I love my caramel skin and how I turn golden in the summer.

Yes, Lauren Hope aka you are kind of pretty...maybe even beautiful, sexy, or gorgeous.


Feels weird typing that. I’m still getting used to the idea that I am kinda pretty.

I can’t pinpoint what has changed inside of me to accept this about myself, but it feels amazing.

Another thing I am accepting about myself; I am a good person. My whole life I’ve tried to be the version of good my parents wanted, my job wanted or my man wanted. I didn’t need any of those things to be “good”. I am flawed. I am imperfect, but I am good. I am a good person with a beautiful heart that seeks to loves God, and love people.



Friday, January 11, 2019

My 2019 Declaration: Whatever is Lovely

Whatever is Lovely…..A Daniel Fast Revelation

I have decided to start every New Year with a spiritual fast. It is a way to detoxify your mind, and open your spirit to God. I am currently half way through The Daniel Fast. The Daniel Fast is based on the book of Daniel in the Bible. While Daniel was in captivity he was offered food from a king who did not worship God. Since the king’s food was blessed by false idols Daniel refused to eat, instead he asked to only be given only foods from seeds. At the end of Daniel’s fast he and everyone who followed the fast were among the strongest men under the king’s rule.

Fasting is more than just going without certain foods. It is way to sacrifice for a period to grow closer to God. It’s actually a beautiful process, one I didn’t necessarily understand before I did my first fast last year. For me once I am past caffeine and sugar withdrawal something wonderful happens. My body feels more at peace, and in the still moments I can feel God’s still voice. During a spiritual fast I also devote more time in prayer and reading God’s word.

(Read about my First Daniel Fast here.)

For the first week of my fast I was tormented by intense dreams. One night I dreamed of an ex-
boyfriend I feel was the love of my life. One night I dreamed about my former television career. One night I had a nightmare that I was severely depressed again, unmotivated, suicidal, sad, and alone. Every morning I woke up in tears, begging to God for answers. Then it came. Everywhere I turned the scripture Philippians 4:6 appeared. It stuck out to me in an online sermon, a sermon a church, the verse of the day on a Bible app I use. Philippians 4:6 was everywhere. I finally turned to the verse:


“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation with prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Everything God? Why would I pray about everything? My prayers are usually of gratitude or heartache or need the for comfort. But everything is well ...everything. Do I pray about my dog? Do I pray about my car that sometimes fails to start? Do I pray about how I’ve lost the hope for romantic love? Do I pray about being overweight? Do I pray that I am scared I will always struggle? Do I pray that about my trust issues? Do I really pray about everything?

In the stillness of my dreams, I heard God say, “Yes, my child everything.”


I read Philippians 4 more and the full message from God came through.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understand will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent of praiseworthy think about such things.” - Philippians 4:7-8

The word lovely danced in my head. It reminded me of one of my favorite Jhene Aiko songs called ‘Eternal Sunshine’ In the music video Jhene recalls a car accident she experienced. In the moment of the devastating crash it is not fear, regret, worry, or panic but it is lovely memories she recalls. She even remembers lovely memories of her brother who died.


God revealed to me that even in life’s greatest pains we have to find the good things, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely. The dreams of my past revealed to me I am still clinging to the painful parts of those memories; the loss, the heartache, the regret. I am still struggling to find the good in the past, my present, and it’s clouding the ability to full embrace the future.

I believe God is calling me to focus on all that is lovely, noble, true, right, admirable,and excellent. And, when I focus on whatever is lovely I won’t have much room for the pain, fear, panic, worry, or regret. Even in my past if I try hard I can see the lovely in so many things.

This is my focus this year. 2019 is the year of whatever is lovely. It is also the year to pray about absolutely everything.

I want the same for all of you. All the readers who make their way on this little blog… I want whatever is lovely for you.

Some days it may be simple like my car starting with no problem. Maybe one day it will be allowing myself to believe in love again. Maybe one day it will be celebrating my best-selling book. Whatever is it is I am sure it will be lovely…