Liv Homolka

Becoming Catholic was one of the most life changing things I’ve ever had happen in my life (as well as marriage and becoming a mother). It greatly changed not just my theological reasoning about God and life but forever changed the way I lived my day to day life. And my life has only immensely improved because of it!

Here’s the 10 life changing choices that I’ve made following my conversion:

1. I no longer have anything to do with new age or occult practices

The occult and new age practices have become so popular that you can walk into any Target or Barnes & Noble and find them right out in the open, often on an end cap display. I am starting with this topic because it is by far the most dangerous practice that I was involved in and if you come away from this blog post adopting just one of my changes, I hope that it’s this one. From a young age, I’ve always been a curious person. I have never considered myself an atheist and have always felt strongly of the spiritual world that surrounds us. It absolutely intrigued me. As a preteen, teenager and young woman in my early 20’s, I was interested in the spiritual world and making a connection with it. Ghost hunting was a fun weekend activity and I watched every show about it, ouija boards were an intriguing game and I frequented psychics. I thankfully never looked into witchcraft or Satanism and always stayed “on the light side of it”, but it led to years of spiritual attacks. I spent many years believing astrology, enneagram numbers, angel numbers, crystals and chakra healing, and manifestation. On the surface, none of this stuff seems dark or demonic. It seems positive and peaceful and beneficial. But the devil masquerades as an angel of light. No matter how often I tried to find healing in these things, the more panic attacks I had, the more I felt the presence of and at times saw apparitions of evil, and the more depressed I got even leading to suicide ideation in 2020. Although I didn’t embrace these practices as much when I became a nondenominational Christian, there were some practices like crystals and enneagram that I didn’t feel like were demonic because my interpretation of the Bible didn’t seem to make them so. However, when I came back to the Catholic Church and tried to live according to the Magesterium, it became apparent to me that I was going to have to give up these practices if the Church said that they were a no-no. After making my first confession in 12 years including confessing these sins of divination, idolatry and the occult, it was like all the darkness that had been weighing me down for years, instantly lifted. I literally felt the Holy Spirit enter my body and knew that my life would never be the same again. I wept and wept in the church immediately after the absolution because I knew I had finally been set free. With the rise of popularity of manifestation and other “light” new age practices, I pray that you never embrace them and repent of it and leave them behind if you have. Find healing in Jesus Christ alone. It will be the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself.

2. I don’t practice yoga

Along the same lines, I don’t practice yoga. Yoga is a form of worship to Hindu gods. Each posture and meditation bringing the body and mind towards them and away from Christ. This one may be highly controversial as I know even many Christians who make yoga part of their exercise routine; I would advise all to stay away from it especially as someone who formerly embraced new age practices. It can absolutely open you up to a spiritual realm that is not Christ. There are many other forms of exercise that I like to do when I’m feeling like my normal HIIT or strength training is a bit “too much” such as Pilates or ballet inspired workouts and stretching. Your body and mind will benefit from these exercises without the potential spiritual dangers of yoga.

3. I don’t wear leggings as pants

Ahhh, the topic I’m most nervous to talk about because who doesn’t wear leggings as pants?! I will start as a disclaimer that at the end of my last pregnancy in 2023, I absolutely did wear leggings as pants every single day as only a special kind of leggings would support and fit my belly housing my big almost 9 pound baby. They were literally the only clothes that were fitting my former size 2 body that weren’t my husband’s sweat pants. That being said, as I am now postpartum and fit into my old dresses and skirts again, I do not wear leggings as pants outside of exercise. While there’s no “Catholic rule’ against this, I do feel that it is important to protect my dignity and dress modestly. (I also don’t wear v necks or crop tops). Even at my smallest, I have had a classic curvy hourglass figure. Out of respect for my husband, other men, and myself, I have decided to not show every curvature of my body in public. Men have often said that the “athleisure” look of crop tops or sports bras and leggings is hugely tempting for lustful thoughts. I respect myself and my husband and other men too much to be a conduit of lustful thoughts. So each day I spend only about 45 minutes in these items and wear them strictly for working out and then shower and change into modest feminine attire like midi dresses and skirts and a cute cardigan. Again while there’s nothing explicitly evil about leggings, I personally don’t see how they point others to Christ and just see them as pointing to my curvy body. (I don’t even feel like they point to me because it just points to a certain part of my body). There are absolutely seasons where you just wear the leggings (hello 60 pound weight gain during pregnancy…) but I would challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and pray about wearing leggings and if they’re pointing others to Christ.

4. I no longer consider myself a feminist

Yikes! Another one that I was so nervous to share about myself. I mean who doesn’t consider themself a feminist?! Before I became a Catholic, I was a bonified pro choice, man hating feminist. Men were idiots and were everything that was wrong with the world. As I began investigating Catholicism, I was struck by the redemption of the dignity of women through the honor of the Blessed Mother Mary. Mary was worthy of respect even though she was just “simply” a mother. She wasn’t shouting in the streets or angry at men. And she was so respected for something that the world had told me from even the youngest age was worth being looked down upon: bearing a child. Hmmm…. Maybe I didn’t have to be angry to be respected. Maybe if I finally said “yes!” to the Lord’s will just as Mary had in my purpose as a woman, I would find peace. Maybe if I found my identity as a woman in Christ and not in the world’s eyes of womanhood, I would find joy. And that is absolutely what happened. The more that I tried to emulate Mary and embrace traditional femininity and even traditional gender roles, the more my life improved. I became more peaceful, gentle, kind and even confident. I proudly describe myself as a mother, wife, homemaker and Christian and will never describe myself as a feminist ever again. I never want to go back to a life and movement so full of hatred and anger. I highly encourage you to look into the roots of feminism and read “The Anti-Mary Exposed”. Also, spend some time thinking about Jesus’ mother Mary and take a good hard look at your actions and attitudes and challenge yourself to mirror hers instead. Doing these things will change your life forever.

5. I no longer find my identity in politics

Pre 2021 I was a staunch liberal. CNN was on a constant loop in my living room and news notifications were constantly coming to my phone. I worshipped at the altar of the state. However, after a deep dive post covid, I came to the conclusion that the government was deeply corrupt. I knew that I had to find something deeper than politics to fill my heart, soul and mind. Although tempting to just “switch sides” and although I lean conservative, I don’t identify as a Republican either. I only identify in my Lord Jesus Christ and in His One Holy and Apostolic Church. This world isn’t a battle of Democrats and Republicans but one of good and evil. And both political parties will never measure up to Christ and both are deeply corrupt and flawed. Only Jesus Christ and living according to Scripture and His Church will lead to Truth, Beauty and Goodness…not to mention the hope of salvation beyond this broken world. While I do vote in elections and stay informed, my worldview is so much deeper than what CNN or Fox News wants me to believe because it is formed in Christ alone.

6. I take my vows of my vocation of marriage very seriously

Before becoming Catholic, the idea of a vocation was foreign to me. I had been brought up with the secular idea that your career was your calling and that marriage and children would just be a cherry on top. When my marriage was brought into the Church in 2022, I felt an extreme responsibility to live out the vocation of marriage the best that I can. It is truly the most important work that I will ever do and will be more generationally impactful than any job that I could ever have. So how do I do that practically? I pray for my husband. I serve him cheerfully daily in my household tasks. I communicate with him in truth and love and respect. I submit (gasp!) to him in matters of important life decisions meaning if we are talking about a life change or crossroad that we’re at, I trust him to take the lead because I trust that he’s spent much time praying and thinking about it. I also don’t talk poorly about my husband to other people. I once was at a Bible study where women spent the entire time lamenting their husbands. I was wildly uncomfortable with the situation of Christian women complaining so much about the man that God had put into their lives to lead each other to heaven with. Women, unless you are in danger from your husband, I think that it is absolutely not only unnecessary but also unacceptable to talk about your husband to others in a negative light. That is gossip and slander and how sad that we so often point it towards the one we have taken vows before God to love unconditionally. Marriage is the greatest gift for non clergy because it so vividly shows us Christ’s love for His Bride, the Church. How many more marriages would not only be saved but flourish if we came from the viewpoint that marriage is a God instituted gift to mirror His own love than from the secular view that marriage is for a feeling of temporal happiness and easily disposable.

7. I am unashamedly pro life

From womb to tomb, I will stand up for any life. We are all made in God’s image and worthy of dignity. From unborn baby to drug addict to the elderly to the disabled to the queen of England. We all are deserving of life itself. Life is such a beautiful gift and we must fight for the dignity of all life. It is of upmost importance to me to also raise pro life children. We don’t ever say that children are a burden or worth being terminated or contracepted against. We celebrate every pregnancy as well as every child we have whether born or sadly miscarried. We pray for and do what we can to support the marginalized and those on the fringes of society. My education is in a major in special education and my work with the disabled has greatly impacted our family. Every life deserves respect and I will forever celebrate and defend it.

8. Our life revolves around Christ and His Church

Christ and church are no longer an afterthought. I pray the Liturgy of the Hours alongside millions around the world daily. We attend daily Mass often to fuel up for the day on Jesus in the Eucharist. We embrace the Liturgical Calendar for feast days, solemnities and fasting ember days because we know that these set apart days and seasons only grow our relationship with Jesus. Jesus isn’t something I pencil into my life any more. He IS my life!

9. I protect my children’s minds on the daily

Every television program, holiday event (mainly secular aspects of Halloween), song, or activity is greatly scrutinized and prayed about. I have decided that protecting their innocence is more important than any political ideology. Their souls are more important than any “cutesy” witch movie. Their minds are more important than being in the know about any popular music. They are only children once and this time in their lives is absolutely crucial in shaping them not only into the people they will be in this life but their souls for eternity. What a great honor and responsibility that has been endowed upon me!

10. I keep my mind on the Holy and not on pop culture

Pop culture used to be something that I was so up-to-date on. I always had the entertainment news on or was following different celebrities on social media. But recently, I have cut all of that out of my life. I cannot tell you what any Kardashian is up to or the latest popular music. Instead, you can find me listening to the latest podcast by Fr. Ripperger or Fr. Mike Schmitz, or listening to Catholic Lofi or Gregorian Chant. I just simply don’t care about Hollywood anymore and want to keep my mind on things above. What a difference it makes when you fill your mind with the Holy instead of the things of the world!

I pray that you find these changes that I’ve made in my life insightful and hopefully challenging for you to implement some of the same in your own life. I don’t think you’ll regret it!

Praying for you,

Liv