Flying Through the Storms: Embracing Hope and Creativity in Tough Times with Kristin Kurtz

In this episode of Hope Unlocked, host Kristin Kurtz shares a raw and personal reflection amidst a challenging season. She opens up about navigating storms, leaning on faith, and embracing creativity. Kristin announces a 40-day social media fast, encouraging listeners to reflect on what they might need to lay down. She also shares practical ways to stay grounded, from worship and movement to trusted friendships. Tune in for encouragement to keep soaring through life’s storms. 

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Song - Fly by Elle Limebear 

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Personal Storms
• 10:00 Finding Hope and Reaching Out
• 25:00 Embracing Creativity and Self

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:16

Welcome to the Hope Unlocked podcast. I'm your host, kristen Kurtz, and I'm also the founder of New Wings Coaching. I help and empower wildhearted and adventurous women of faith feeling caged and stuck, unlock their true purpose and potential, break free from limitations and thrive with confidence, courage and hope. If you're curious to learn more about coaching with me, head to newwingscoachingnet and be sure to explore the show notes for ways to connect with me further. Get ready to dive in as we uncover empowering keys and insights in this episode. So tune in and let's unlock hope together. Welcome to the Hope Unlocked podcast. I'm Kristen Kurtz, your host.

Speaker 1: 0:51

This is going to be a little different today. Totally off the cuff. I have some things I just wanted to share with all of you today because, goodness, I am walking through quite a storm. Since Friday, goodness, I am walking through quite a storm. Since Friday, somebody in my family has had some very serious medical issues that have needed attending to, and it's really been a lot, and so many things are up in the air. As one who's called to be a hope igniter and an encourager and somebody who's called to, you know, come alongside others, I have found myself really needing others to come alongside me in, especially the last three months. There's been a lot going on, a lot of storms, but this last week has been probably one of the most challenging that I've had for a very long time and, honestly, I remember Rita Springer doing an interview one time and asking somebody what do you burn for? And I burn to bring hope to others. Hence Hope Unlocked, and it's often the very thing that you burn for that's going to try to be squelched. So I have found myself having moments of hopelessness, being discouraged because encouragement is one of my other things. So, and finding myself, you know, reaching out to trusted friends, not slapping everything out on social media, telling everybody in my whole world, because that's not always necessary. Obviously, seek the Lord out for what you're sharing there, but I'm actually through a conversation with a good friend of mine. It's been highlighted to take time off social media for 40 days, knowing that today is the first day of Lent. I am not a Catholic, but I am going to be stepping away for 40 days to really lean into something that's been very prevalent for me, especially about a week ago. Uh-huh, I was given a very creative idea that so many confirmations for and a lot of us, I believe, have been putting creativity on the back burner and have been in a method of consuming too many things rather than creating. So my question to you today is what are you consuming too much of? What is he calling you consuming too much of? What is he calling you to lay down, maybe for a season? What is he calling you to lay down, maybe for these next 40 days? So that is where I'm going.

Speaker 1: 3:40

If you have a desire to stay in touch with me, if you do follow me on social media and you would like to get on my newsletter, feel free to email me at Kristen K-R-I-S-T-I-N. Kurtz, k-u-r-t-z. At new N-E-W wings, w-i-n-g-s coaching, c-o-a-c-h-i-n-gnet. Yes, it's a very long email address and just mentioned that you heard me on Hope Unlocked and you would like to get on my weekly newsletter. So that's really what I came here to talk about today. Is you know? How is he calling you to create, even in the storms of life? Is it writing? Is it, you know, sharing a word with somebody? It doesn't have to be complicated, but I just want to encourage you, as I'm encouraging myself in the Lord, to not give up, to keep going to reach out to trusted friends for prayer when some of the tools that I lean into when I'm, you know, going through really, really, really rough seasons, like I'm walking through right now, is moving my body, like today.

Speaker 1: 4:43

I did a rebounder. If you guys know, I call it boundless joy. I just, you know, jump for joy, listen to worship music, making sure to eat well, to drink water, to rest, to take time away. You know, I've been spending a lot of time at the hospital and I knew that I had to take a day away to just rest and recoup and listen to violin music, honestly. So there's things that the Lord will show you. Continue to read the Bible, continue to listen to worship music. Do the thing that you feel like you maybe don't want to be doing. For example, today I was like, you know, it'd be really nice to just lay in bed, but I got up off my laurels and hopped on my boundless joy rebounder and I have a renewed sense of peace and hope and joy.

Speaker 1: 5:36

And one of the songs that came on, I just feel led to just speak the lyrics over you today, because I'm all about soaring, If you guys know me well, new Wings Coaching is all about helping other women soar. Love eagles. See them all the time. They are like my precious god wink, and he's really been showing up and showing off with them, even looking out the hospital window and seeing several the other day. So this song is called Fly, by L Limebear, and it goes like this I'm not going to sing it.

Speaker 1: 6:08

Lord Jesus, take this heart of stone. It's weighing me down. I want to fly. Lord Jesus, you're my only hope when the soul is tired and these bones are weak. You are the strength I need. You are the strength I need. You take me, take me higher. Nothing can hold me down. You sweep me off my feet. Now I'm flying, I'm flying. Lord Jesus, take my parachute. There's no way I'll fall. The sky is the limit. I'm gonna fly with you. You take me higher. You take me higher. Nothing can hold me down. You sweep me off my feet. Now I'm flying, I'm flying. Fly, you give me wings to fly higher. I feel my faith arise. Fly, you bring my dreams to life higher. Yes, I was born to fly. You take me, take me higher. Nothing can hold me down. You sweep me off my feet. Now I'm flying, i'm'm flying. You take me, take me higher. Nothing can hold me down. You sweep me off my feet Now I'm flying, I'm flying, I'm flying. So I hope that this message blessed you today.

Speaker 1: 7:21

Who knows, I might be doing more of these intermittently during my time away from social media. Do expect to see social media posts with guests that I will be having on the podcast, those weekly podcast episodes that I do post on social media. Other than that, feel free to email me. Um, as I mentioned, kristen Kurtz at new wings, coachingnet. Um, otherwise, uh, I'll talk to you soon. I hope you all have a blessed day and continue to keep going, keep going, stay in hope, stay in peace, stay tethered to the Lord, no matter the storms that you're going through. All right Bye, have a good day, thank you.