Tag: divorce

Website Blessings & Social Media Blues

Published on by Kimberly Novak2 Comments

Who could have imagined that what started as a tool for healing would evolve into the blog I have today? I am truly grateful to you, my readers, for helping me reach this milestone. Since 2011, I have been creating what I call “gems of inspiration” for the glory of God. Initially, the blog was designed to inspire and uplift those who have experienced loss and to support divorce survivors. Over time, God has touched my heart, transforming the blog into what it is today: a space filled with inspiring and motivational posts, all in praise of Him.

I hope my words continue to encourage, inspire, and uplift those who are suffering, as well as those who simply wish to strengthen their relationship with God. I was amazed to receive a notification this week that my content had reached 50,000 views. If it were up to me, I would post more often, but I always let the spirit guide me to the keyboard. I try not to force an article just for the sake of posting. I truly need God’s inspiration to help me put words on the page.

That, my friends, brings me to a topic that has been weighing heavily on my heart — the social media blues! About a month ago, I removed the social media icons from my cell phone, and it has been amazing! I’ve gained extra time in my day, and there is noticeably less stress in my life. I never realized that seeing certain negative things on social media could make me feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Those reactions only increase stress hormones and anxiety. By keeping the icons only on my computer or iPad, I make social media less accessible, giving me the freedom I didn’t know I needed.

I find many aspects of social media beneficial for promoting my faith, prayer groups, spiritual writing projects, and for giving glory and praise to our Heavenly Father. However, I often struggle to find a balance. How can I continue to use social media for the positive aspects of my life while filtering out the negativity? Often, when I log on, I encounter something disturbing—sometimes even fabricated using artificial intelligence—and by that point, it’s too late to unsee it.

I have been talking to God about this a lot lately, and I feel that He needs me! God needs me to be active on social media, in moderation, so that I can continue to share His love, His light, and His good news!

I’m still figuring out what moderation in social media looks like for me. Right now, I feel compelled to get on social media and praise God! If I can’t post something that gives God credit, then I don’t need to post it at all.

If you’re looking for an amazing prayer group, check out A Little God Time on Facebook. I’m proud of this group of prayer warriors who have prayed for many miracles and witnessed numerous prayers answered.

As a community of believers, we can combat negativity on social media and fill the internet with glory and praise for our Heavenly Father! Who’s with me?

Be Blessed,

Kimberly (Courageous Butterfly)

Faith is calling…will you answer?

Published on by Kimberly NovakLeave a comment

I started a new job recently and in order to orgainze myself, I leave stickey notes in various places, so that at a glance I can see what is coming next. I got a good chuckle when I looked at my desk one morning and saw a note that read “Faith is calling today”. I was actually going to have a conversation with a person named Faith, but I grinned at the thought of how, in that moment, I would answer if my Faith was actually calling out to me.

What would my faith look like, sound like or feel like? These were just a few of the fleeting thoughts going through my mind as I continued to sit and stare at that post-it note. Such a simple little thing turned on so many questions and wonderment, that it spurred me to get to the heart of it all. After much prayer, reflection, and journaling, it’s apparent to me, that when faith calls, I don’t hesistate to answer. Don’t get me wrong, there have been instances where I wasn’t sure of something or lacked the confidence to follow the call, but I always answered. Even if it was a “you want me to do what?” type of response.

Let’s forget for a moment that we live in the age of cell phones. Remember when our phones were attached to walls and we would run through the house to answser before the person on the other end hung up? How exciting it was to hear who it might be! I know there were instances of thinking things like “oh boy I hope it’s not her again”, or “I wonder if it’s him!”. Try to remember those feelings for a moment and imagine answering the call of your faith with those same emotions. What does that look like for you? Are you staying on the call and listenting to what is being asked of you; or have you hung up before giving the request a chance?

Faith is individual and takes root in our hearts, thoughts, and life circumstances.  It is nurtured and strengthened through prayer and our relationship with God.  It has taken time and emotions of all kinds to be in the place I am today with respect to my faith.  I would not trade in any of those moments for anything else in the world.  I was blessed recently to put a call of faith in to action and it was a gift unlike anything I’ve ever received.  I remember thinking to myself, “I wish everyone could feel what this feels like”.  

God calls us in many ways and plants the seeds along the way, we just need to be open and willing to know it’s Him.  I love the post-it note visual and I keep it now at my desk as a reminder of what it means to me when I do answer that call.  As well as how important it is to continue with prayer and reflection in discernment of my response when that call comes in.  

I hope that if you can imagine that your faith is calling, you are able to get a chuckle as you see yourself racing through the house to answer the call!

I’d love to hear your story of what it was like to answer God’s call through faith.  Share in the comments.

Many Blessings,

Kimberly

Courageous Butterfly

New page created!! From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Published on by Kimberly NovakLeave a comment


The cover image

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Beech Creek Nature Preserve

I chose this photograph to represent the blog because of it’s imperfection as well as it’s beauty. As you will learn from my stories, the caterpillar’s struggle is real just as real as our own and scars are in inevitable. If you look closely at the tip of the butterflies right wing in this photo, you will notice a piece of it missing. Of course it’s hard to say when and how this happened, but that really doesn’t matter anyway. What matters is that the butterfly is still vibrant and able to fly. More importantly, that imperfection which we see is a reflection of a triumph through pain whether it occurred before, during or after total transformation.

You can call this the Calm After the Storm; Broken is Beautiful; From Ashes to Light; and so many other things…I see wonder! Amazement! Transformation! Inspiration! and God’s Beauty.

The grief of loss may have you broken, but those virtues are still inside. All it takes is a little elbow grease, hugs from friends, a few positive words of encouragement and you will emerge just as beautiful as you can be!

I hope you find healing in your own metamorphosis and enjoy being a member of the Out of The Chrysalis community.
~Kimberly