Alright. Here it is. The third and final (at least for now) request I have for your help!

This time, it's not for a current class, but a book that has been very close to my heart for a very long time. Some of you have heard about it.  A few of you ask about it. Many of you don't know about it.

The Gift of Moments.

My vision for this book is that it will be a compilation of "God-moments". What are "God-moments"? My mom and I love sharing them, but basically, they are those coincidences that just can't be mere coincidence or good luck.

...that check that arrived in the mail that was just enough to pay rent next month.

...the phone call from the doctor saying that the tests denied his previous diagnosis.

...the stranger that showed up at the accident and was never seen again.

The great thing about this book is that God is SO BIG. He's limitless. And His stories of provision are limitless as well. 

Another great thing is that all the stories are true. No fiction here. While some of the stories have happened directly to me, in my life, others are stories from friends, pastors, family members... The list goes on. Now, to maintain privacy, names may be changed or locations altered, however, the heart of the story will remain the same.

In my spare time (haha, teacher-friends, does free time even exist?!) I've started writing some of the stories that will comprise The Gift of Moments. However, it's nowhere near completion at this point. One, because it's not written, and two, because I'm always looking for more stories!

By now, you've probably figured out my request, where you all come in. Yep, you've got it. I want to hear your story. Now, here's the thing. A lot of times we downplay our own story of how the Lord has worked in our life, thinking it's not as good as someone else's. Let's just go ahead and establish that when we're bragging on our God, no story is too big or too small. They are ALL HIS stories.

Okay, so here's what I'm asking, if you're willing... Send me your "God-moment". I want to hear your story. And I'll bet a lot of other people do as well.

Hey hey hey!

I apologize for the lack of blog post yesterday... I plead "not guilty." Or perhaps more appropriately, college football? It really is an all day event when your school has a home game at night. 

The good news: we won! The bad news: we probably didn't deserve to. Rough night for the Sooners. 

Okay, so I'm back to give you method #2 for how you can help. Just to review briefly, convince everyone you know that this is the place to read up on all things... well, at least all things that fly through my brain. Trust me, it's probably worth your time. ;)

Method #2 is this..

I was homeschooled. I was homeschooled for the majority of my educational career. (Yes Mom, I did the math. This is still true.) 

Well, *spoiler alert* the book I'm working on for my nonfiction involves some of my homeschooling adventures and explores those timeless questions...

"Did you have friends?'

"Can you talk to adults?"

"Did you get to sleep in every day and do school work in your pajamas?"

...and the classic assumptions...

"It must be nice having your mom just give you 100s."

"I wish I got to watch TV all day."

Here's where you all come in. Whether or not you were homeschooled or have homeschooled your children, chances are you at least know someone who does. So, the two options...

1. If you were homeschooled or are a homeschooling parent, what was the best part? Favorite memory? Worst part? Perks of homeschooling? Thing you would do differently? Thing you wished you had known? Favorite question to be asked by a non-homeschooling family? Best field trip? Favorite stereotype (true or untrue)?

*I don't need to know the answers to all of these, but one or two would be incredibly helpful.*

2. If you are part of my non-homeschooling friends, how did you encounter homeschooling? What were some stereotypes you had of homeschoolers (true or untrue)? Most annoying thing about homeschoolers? Would you consider this for your family? Perks of not homeschooling?

Again, *I don't need to know the answers to all of these, but one or two would be incredibly helpful.*

So that's it. Easy, right? Maybe not so much. But.. your answers truly are valuable to me! 

How do you get them to me? Two options, yet again. (Doesn't it feel good to have options!)

1. Email me!! At lestephens129@gmail.com

                         OR

2. Facebook message me. >>>>> Lauren Stephens

Thanks so much! Look for my third and final request for your help coming soon. And by soon, I mean tomorrow.

Here Goes Nothing...

Hey y'all.

A LOT has changed recently. Now, I'm still writing tonight from the good 'ole USA. Just the center of it. And by center of it, I mean literally. Norman, Oklahoma. Smack dab in the middle of 'Merica.

Many of you have been following my journey West (kind of like the explorers in the olden days) on Facebook and Twitter. Well, my plan is to give a more detailed, written account of my grad school adventures here on Blogger. But before I go into detail about some of the humorous (and not so humorous) experiences of the past few weeks, I have a proposal to make...

Over the next few days I will reveal three ways that you, yes you my reader friend, can help me. From wherever you happen to be.

So tonight, here is the first way.

I am currently taking one of my required classes for my PW (Professional Writing) degree. As I am writing a full length nonfiction manuscript over the course of the next 3 months, I have a total of 12 milestones to complete along the way. All these milestones are leading up to the finished product, which will be a nonfiction book of publishable quality - complete with a letter to an agent, marketing plan, and book proposal and synopsis.

All I am asking you to do is to take a moment and follow my blog here on Blogger. Then, share the link to it (if you're feeling really helpful) on your Facebook or with your friends. My goal over the next few weeks is to get the traffic on my blog, my "readership" if you will, at an all time high.

That's it. Simple. Follow lavished by grace... and share lavished by grace...

And maybe tune in tomorrow for the second way you could help.

Thank you all! Goodnight!