A writer’s journey usually unfolds quietly. And then a story is captured, perhaps published, and an author may dare to be born. What happens after that is as curious and perplexing as each next fear mastered.
The prayer I read on the wall in my room every day says “May God’s Favor be Among You.” In the still moments, I stand in awe of the work God is doing in my life. Without Him, I am nothing. He is waiting to be asked to show you His power in your life too!
What a fun, surreal, & terrifying adventure. ✍🏽 Thanks for all your love & support friends.
If you were to ask me a year ago, I would tell you I was terrified of public speaking.
Looking ahead to now, I have been on Fox News, my local NPR radio, spoken at a University, a High School, Toastmasters, Rotary Club, and libraries.
During the two years I was writing my book, I heard that still small voice saying “Always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have.”
I am thankful to my coaches, mentors, and individuals who have invited me to speak, and provided opportunities to say “Yes!” to in these past few months.
While speaking publicly is still an area of growth for me, I look and see how God has lead me, and how He has grown me. There’s still room to grow, and more adventures to come!
It is a surreal feeling since my book launched January 3rd, 2024.
I am humbled by exciting opportunities including a Tv interview with Fox 17 “Morning Mix,” a radio interview on my local Kalamazoo NPR station on “Art Beat,” speaking at my alma matter: Cornerstone university, Kalamazoo Toastmasters, and Oshtemo Rotary Club.
With more fun to come this month speaking at Olivet High School career day, Portage & Kalamazoo libraries, and Saginaw Library!
Praise be to God for opening doors and allowing me to share what he is doing and what he has done in my life!
God is so good!
I have gone through the full circle of emotions from before my book’s birth, to its infancy, and now, it being out in the world.
From a scary place of fear and trepidation… with doubt—and overwhelming shame, stigma and insecurity, now to a place of peace, freedom, and healing.
Many heart-felt prayers have been answered in an affirming way!
The clear direction from the Lord is: use your voice. My story and your story matters.
God allows all the things, to teach us all the things, to glorify Him in all things.
Seeing my book for the first time in a bookstore is…surreal.
I am at peace right now. I feel relief, pride, excitement, and curiosity.
How did it happen? How did I get to this point? How far will my words reach?
I want to thank God, my Savior & Redeemer for giving me hope and healing, and carrying me through the ups and downs. He made a way for my story to be shared. His peace, healing, grace, and hope is unexplainable. I feel these things deeply.
I want to thank my publisher, Trilogy Christian Publishing, for helping my book come to life. Thanks to my agents Stacy Baker and Allison Dyer for communicating with me each step of the way. Thanks to the editing team at Trilogy, and editor Lorilee Craker, proofreader Ann Byle, and the handful of friends and family who took time to give me feedback in the first draft and last drafts of my book.
Thanks to my speaking and writing coach Leona Carter for your empowering guidance in finding synopsis to my book in so many words. And for your kindness and enthusiasm to equip me to pursue those next big goals God gives a vision for. You go girl!
Thank you to my memoir writing teacher Joe Gross, and my classmates at The Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, for believing in me, my writing, and that my story should become a book to be shared with the world. Your confidence in my writing helped ignite greater confidence within me.
Thanks to my husband, Beau. You are my favorite team mate. Thank you for your patience, support, prayer, and steadiness as I work through big goals. Thank you for sticking with me in taking big leaps of faith and loving me in my pursuits!
Thank you, dad, for being my writing buddy each Monday at our favorite writing spot! I can’t wait for your book to come out! I couldn’t have done it without you. Your love, encouragement, humor, consistency and availability created a safe, welcoming, and inviting space for me to enter into a place to cultivate my book and write about my trauma, healing, and growth.
Thanks to one of my best friends, Kristen, for your cheerleading and reassurance whenever I needed a kind word. Your friendship means the world to me. Friends lift each other up and hold faith for us when we doubt and falter. Thanks for believing in me, sitting with me, hearing me, and being available. Open conversation with you helps propel me through all the fears, scares, joys, and unknowns. I love you!
And thanks to you, my readers, for finding interest in my journey. My prayer for you is that you would find inspiration, hope, peace, and joy in what God allows in your life. That you would find acceptance and healing. That you, too, would rise above, and conquer your problems with courage and hope, maintain your health, and pursue your God-given calling in education, career, relationship, and ministry goals.
May you experience that abundant life God calls us to.
Have you ever walked straight towards your fear and addressed it head on?
In Publishing my memoir “A Mind Restored,” I did just that.
If you would have asked me 10 years ago if I would have ever publicly shared my story of living with severe mental illness, I would have answered a convinced “absolutely not.”
How God does work in our hearts. God brings healing. God provides courage and hope. God works wonders, performs miracles, and makes a way. He works things for our good, for his glory.
Will you prayerfully invite him to work out and in your situation for good?
Receive the Gift
Giving yourself permission to find freedom from the shame & stigma of mental illness is a transformational gift.
Inviting the Spirit of God and His son Jesus supernaturally into your day to day is a gift you can choose to receive that provides the greatest freedom and healing of all. I have experienced that first hand.
When I stepped into and received that grace in his power, I found freedom that I had never known in my adult life.
And with the powerful help of receiving the gift of therapeutic interventions and the correct medication provided me the tools I needed to find success and functional independence.
“Somber Moments“ by Kimberly Muka Powers • 2001
The depression and suicidal thinking I experienced a few times in my life threatened to overtake me. That has long since quieted, by the grace of God. I have found peace, hope, & joy.
“Manic Monkey” by Kimberly Muka Powers • 2000
The mania, psychosis, and paranoid thinking and behaviors I experienced a few times in my high school and college years are now a distant part of my past.
Walking with Freedom
Thank you for your incredible support in purchasing, reading, and sharing my book with others. Your interest, affirmation, and kind words and (Amazon) reviews provide extra affirmation of all the hard work and hours I have poured into this venture, and help get my book out to more people who may desperately need it.
May God bless you!
May you too find freedom and healing in your walk as well. 🤍
“A Mind Restored” by Kimberly Muka Powers is Still a #1 New Release! The Amazon Price is currently reduced! Thank you so much! Please add your review on Amazon! It helps so much!
MY BOOK IS LAUNCHING TODAY!!!! Have you gotten yours in the mail? Is your e-book version ready to view?
This is not a light read. It’s heavy at points. I hope you and your loved one with mental illness find healing and freedom from the shame and stigma of mental illness.
Are you stuck? Defeated? Depressed? Are your symptoms unmanageable?
Break free from the shame & stigma of mental illness by effectively learning to manage your symptoms.
