Are you living, or barely existing?

Ephesians 2:4-6 (ESV)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

A fundraiser… Not an ordinary one, not a lavish one, not one to increase some organization's wealth or to pad someone's wallet… The children sheltered at Christ Our Refuge Children's Home, in Nairobi, Kenya, made some exotic art work to be sold at a church in Canada. The children took the wings from dead butterflies and glued them to paper to make unforgettable masterpieces. Some took human form, others the form of a dwelling, but the one that caught my eye was in the form of a colorful parrot. I can't even imagine the hours of work that was poured into these works of art, and it was obvious that there was also plenty of love and prayers put into the pictures as well. And that's how they were received by churches. It was like they were receiving butterfly kisses straight from Africa!

What would the orphanage do with the money they received? They use it to save more of the homeless children from the slums of Nairobi. They want to reach out to more and more of the kids no one wants! The Undesirables! The kinds that otherwise would end up in crime, prostitution, and disease! They want to offer them shelter, food, an education, and a real purpose in life.

What drives this orphanage? Their love for the lost children in Nairobi. They are fully aware where most of these abandoned children are heading: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matt 7:13-14 NIV)

It is no life to sleep on the street in a cardboard box with an empty belly! It is no life to have to beg or rely on crime and prostitution to get food to survive! It is no life to face AIDS, desperate and alone!

But what about those of us in the Western world? We have so much more, yet do we fare any better? We have homes, food in abundance and security, but how many of us really enjoy true living? There are so few who aren't addicted to nasty habits that keep them from enjoying what we could have been. There are so few of us who truly walk around with a big smile on our faces!

Are we truly living, or do we barely exist from one moment to another?

There are a few who really enjoy real living. I am not talking about the con artist who pretends all is well while his whole life is falling apart. I'm talking about those who really, truly enjoy every moment of their life. These rare people all have one thing in common: they truly know the One who brought them life!

Only One is the way! Only One is the truth! Only one is life, real life! Only One can bring us to heaven! Jesus is the One who can give each one a true purpose! He is the One who can make us truly enjoy life, even though our circumstances may be far from ideal. He is the one who can give us true hope!

His love is more than enough to envelop anyone who opens up to Him, asking Him to provide them with real living. And real living He will truly provide!

Dear Lord, thank You for the true joy that You can bring to each of us. Help us live our life in Your joy. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

A Lesson From a Poor Butterfly.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

As we move away from winter and into Spring I thought this was a great story to think about.

"Poor little butterfly," the young girl said. "Poor little butterfly."

Then reaching down slowly so as to not scare it away, she slid her tiny fingers underneath, urging it to step upon her hand.

It would appear to anyone that this delicate creature was lifeless leaving behind remains of what once was.

But not her. She sensed something. She knew right away that there was indeed some life left in this most fragile example of God's work.

The butterfly nearly tumbled onto her hand, wings folded straight up, apparently unable to fly.

Then, perhaps it was the warmth of her hands or the welcoming response to the attention it was given, but the butterfly began to walk slowly up to her palm.

"Poor little butterfly," she repeated again as she brought it closer to her face.

"If I could kiss you I would, " she said.

The butterfly, appearing to respond, slowly opened its wings, to reveal its beautiful design and colors. Now open fully, the child brought it closer and gave an angel's kiss of love.

Just off in the distance watching this precious moment, her grandmother walked toward them.

"Oh, you have found it," she said. "I was waiting for it and wondered where it was."

The child looked a bit surprised and said. "You were waiting for this butterfly? Why?"

"It is sent to remind us," grandmother said.

"But it is dying. I feel sorry for it. Don't they fly away when it gets cold?"

"Yes, they do. But one is always chosen to remain behind," she said.

Maybe this was just grandmother's way of softening the truth so that the child would not be saddened by the thought of the butterfly dying. But what unfolded here was an incredible moment, an opportunity seen and taken to teach a lesson of love.

"Why would they choose to be left behind?" the child asked as she gently stroked the butterfly.

"They don't choose to be, they are chosen," she told her.

The child looked down again and held it closer.

"It is a great honor to be chosen. The story goes that God realized that when winter comes color disappears. The color of the flowers fade into the earth and all the delicate butterflies leave for warmer places. So, God decided that one should remain to remind us of the beautiful world He has created and the promise of Spring's return."

The child looked down and then lifting her head slowly, she whispered, "And I found it, grandmother."

"Yes, and with that you have a great responsibility," she said as she held the young girl's face in her hands.

"What?"

"You must now take time to see God's colors in the darkness of winter. You must be the sunshine. You must help those who have forgotten how beautiful life is, to see the color of God's love for them."

"Oh, grandmother. I don't know how to," she said.

"It is simple. Be yourself. People believe only what they see. Like the flowers and butterflies. But God makes people beautiful inside. It is up to us to bring that beauty out by loving each other, helping each other and when we find someone who has fallen, just like that butterfly, it is up to us to pick them up, caress them and care for them. For one day it may very well be His Chosen One left behind."

The child moved closer to her grandmother as they sat admiring God's messenger.

Take time to see the beauty, the colors of God in the people around you. Reach out to them in love.

You, too may find the "Poor little butterfly!"

Dear Lord, help us take the time to see Your beauty and not only that but to share it with those around us. Thank You for all You have given to us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Fictional Story of Love

1 John 5:20 (NIV)

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Long ago, in the land of Heart, lived a fair maiden who dared to dream dreams. As a young child, she recalled how her father would set her on his strong knee and tell her many wondrous stories about far away and exciting places; lands she somehow knew she would one day come to also travel upon. Of the many tales her father would tell, there was one particular story that always held special meaning, even carrying her into adulthood. It was the presumed true tale of a certain species of butterfly, one that was seen by very few. What made the butterfly highly sought after was its emerald green wings which housed two small heart shapes, one on each wing, thus its coined name, "the elusive butterfly of love." It was said that the person who finds the elusive butterfly would live happily ever after, thus, it is no wonder the maiden searched ardently for the rare insect.

As a child, the fair maiden would prance about the woods with a butterfly net; laughing, smiling, and dancing about in glee, certain she would soon catch the elusive butterfly, but, to no avail. Weeks turned into months, and months into years, and the fair maiden grew older and wiser, wondering if perhaps the elusive butterfly of love was just a silly tale that old fishermen pass on as they sip their bottles of whiskey at sea.

One day, tired of searching, the maiden set down her net, and placing her face in her hands she began to cry. Upon the drying of her salty tears, the fair maiden decided to go on with living, no longer would the search for the elusive butterfly be part of her life.

Life, indeed, did go on, and one day, when the fair maiden was going about her daily errands, an odd-looking shape fluttered about her head. The maiden waved her arms to shoo the insect away, but no matter what she did, it would keep flying about.

The next day, the maiden was surprised to see the odd-looking shape back again. Closer inspection revealed it was some sort of moth or butterfly. In no way did it look like the elusive butterfly of love, in fact, this butterfly's markings and colors were quite different. And so, the fair maiden would go about her errands, and the odd-looking butterfly would follow her, returning each day to flutter about her head. It was not long before the fair maiden and the butterfly formed a unique relationship. For some odd reason, the butterfly seemed to enjoy the maiden's company, and the fair maiden felt a sense of peace and comfort, knowing her winged companion would never leave her side.

Many years passed, and one day, for some strange reason, the fair maiden recalled how she used to search for the elusive butterfly of love. In fact, the more she looked at her faithful winged companion, the more she wondered about the validity of the story of the elusive butterfly. Curiosity soon began to turn into discontentment with the butterfly she had devoted so much of her life to. "Look at you," she whispered to her faithful companion as he sat upon her finger, "You are not beautiful emerald green. Now, especially after so many years, your wings are dull and frayed. Do not worry though, my little friend, you are not the elusive butterfly of love, but you have been faithful, good, and true. I will keep you by my side always."

The maiden set down her winged companion and went outside to the rose garden to get a breath of fresh air, and what did she see? Green as a sparkling cut emerald fluttering about, a pink heart on each wing; the elusive butterfly of love! Like a young school girl, the maiden pranced with glee, scarcely able to believe her eyes! Suddenly, it dawned on the maiden that now she must decide what to do; should she run for a net, or just watch the elusive butterfly as it flutters about her garden, soon to fly away and most likely never be seen again. Joy turned to sadness as the maiden knew what she must do. The maiden gave the elusive butterfly one final look, acknowledging his existence, and turning away, walked out of the garden to return to her faithful winged companion who had befriended her so many years ago.

Inside the house, the maiden was shocked to see her dear friend looking strangely ill. His wings beat weakly, and he could not even manage to fly. The maiden gently picked up her companion and caressed him in the palm of her hand, clearly evident he was at the end of his life. Upon the butterfly's final breath, the maiden shed many tears, tears which flowed over her loving companions frail body. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a glimmer of light came from out of her hand. "What is this?" the maiden thought. The ragged wings of her beloved companion seemed to reveal under them something more lovely. Carefully, and tenderly, the maiden peeled away the tattered, old shell which encased her winged friends body, to reveal beautiful wings of emerald green, a small pink heart on each side. Both tears and joy filled the maiden's heart, and her story was thus passed down by old fishermen who sipped whiskey at the sea.

Aren't we all guilty to some degree of searching for or desiring something that, in most cases, is right under our very noses? Thankfully, unlike the above fictional story, love is not elusive at all, and in fact, it is all around us, if we would only fearlessly trust, God.

God’s love is right there for each of us. Let’s not miss the fact that God has what we need right under our nose.

Dear Lord, Thanks for Your love. Help us not ever look past the fact that it is right there where we need it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Lessons From a Butterfly

Isaiah 55:12 (New International Version)

You will go out in joy

   and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills

   will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field

   will clap their hands.

"Poor little butterfly," the young girl said. "Poor little butterfly."

Then reaching down slowly so as to not scare it away, she slid her tiny fingers underneath, urging it to step upon her hand.

It would appear to anyone that this delicate creature was lifeless leaving behind remains of what once was.

But not her. She sensed something. She knew right away that there was indeed some life left in this most fragile example of God's work.

The butterfly nearly tumbled onto her hand, wings folded straight up, apparently unable to fly.

Then, perhaps it was the warmth of her hands or the welcoming response to the attention it was given, but the butterfly began to walk slowly up to her palm.

"Poor little butterfly," she repeated again as she brought it closer to her face.

"If I could kiss you I would, " she said.

The butterfly, appearing to respond, slowly opened its wings, to reveal its beautiful design and colors. Now open fully, the child brought it closer and gave an angel's kiss of love.

Just off in the distance watching this precious moment, her grandmother walked toward them.

"Oh, you have found it," she said. "I was waiting for it and wondered where it was."

The child looked a bit surprised and said. "You were waiting for this butterfly? Why?"

"It is sent to remind us," grandmother said.

"But it is dying. I feel sorry for it. Don't they fly away when it gets cold?"

"Yes, they do. But one is always chosen to remain behind," she said.

Maybe this was just grandmother's way of softening the truth so that the child would not be saddened by the thought of the butterfly dying. But what unfolded here was an incredible moment, an opportunity seen and taken to teach a lesson of love.

"Why would they choose to be left behind?" the child asked as she gently stroked the butterfly.

"They don't choose to be, they are chosen," she told her.

The child looked down again and held it closer.

"It is a great honor to be chosen. The story goes that God realized that when winter comes color disappears. The color of the flowers fade into the earth and all the delicate butterflies leave for warmer places. So, God decided that one should remain to remind us of the beautiful world He has created and the promise of Spring's return."

The child looked down and then lifting her head slowly, she whispered, "And I found it, grandmother."

"Yes, and with that you have a great responsibility," she said as she held the young girl's face in her hands.

"What?"

"You must now take time to see God's colors in the darkness of winter. You must be the sunshine. You must help those who have forgotten how beautiful life is, to see the color of God's love for them."

"Oh, grandmother. I don't know how to," she said.

"It is simple. Be yourself. People believe only what they see. Like the flowers and butterflies. But God makes people beautiful inside. It is up to us to bring that beauty out by loving each other, helping each other and when we find someone who has fallen, just like that butterfly, it is up to us to pick them up, caress them and care for them. For one day it may very well be His Chosen One left behind."

The child moved closer to her grandmother as they sat admiring God's messenger.

Take time to see the beauty, the colors of God in the people around you.

You, too may find the "Poor little butterfly!"

Dear Lord we thank You for the butterfly and the reminder it can be.  We thank You for the color a butterfly can bring when all things look dark. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lessons learned from a Butterfly

1 Kings 19:12 (New International Version)

After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

As she ran errands with her children one spring day, Kaylyn Dunne was thinking about this. She had just returned from a weekend retreat that used the butterfly as its theme. The retreat had aroused her desire for a deeper spiritual life, yet worried her too, because she had been asked to be chairperson of the next retreat. Kaylyn had never been chairperson of anything, and she felt quite inadequate. With her already crowded schedule and a chronically ill son to care for, was God really calling her to do this? She needed a sign.

"Mom, look!" her son suddenly exclaimed from the back seat. Kaylyn almost hit the brakes. Fluttering in front of her, inside the car, was a huge monarch butterfly. It was a vivid yellow, her favorite color. With the car moving at 45 miles per hour and the windows open barely a crack, how had it gotten in?

The winged visitor quivered around delicately, then landed like a little puff on the dashboard. Awed, the children stared at it. "It must be frightened," Kaylyn told them. "Open the windows, and let it fly out." They did, but despite the breeze, the butterfly stayed. Kaylyn pulled into the library parking lot. "Let's leave the windows down while we're gone," she suggested. But when they returned to the car, the monarch was still sitting on the dashboard, as if awaiting them.

Bemused, Kaylyn finished the errands, drove home, opened the car doors, went into the house with her enthralled children, and waited. Eventually the butterfly leisurely emerged, circled the house in a kind of embrace, and flew off. "I got to thinking of the timeliness of its arrival, right after I had prayed," Kaylyn says. Did God intend it as a sign that He was near? That He had plans for her to move more fully into life, to shed her cocoon and spread her wings? Kaylyn accepted the chairperson job, and it became her path to a richer spiritual life. Since that day, butterflies seem to visit Kaylyn often, especially when she needs encouragement. One of the best encounters came when a friend held a prayer service in her living room for Kaylyn's son. One of the group pointed to the front window and exclaimed, "Look outside!" Everyone did. Tapping gently against the glass was a brown butterfly. Just a coincidence? Perhaps. But it came in the middle of a snowstorm.

Flowers, rainbows, butterflies.nature's tender treasures. Perhaps God uses them to bridge the barriers between heaven and earth, to let us know that as He watches the sparrow He surely watches us.

Dear Lord we thank You for always being there and communicating with us. We pray that our eyes and ears would be open to the things You bring into our life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Caterpillar or Butterfly?

Matthew 3:17 (New International Version)

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be in a place where there were lots of gorgeous butterflies? In various sizes, with a kaleidoscope of colors?

I love the joy of watching butterflies flying around showing the beauty of their wings.

But imagine being part of that species, and then discovering that you were the only caterpillar that hadn’t transformed? What a disaster that would be!

Some days you might feel like that? Awkward? Out of place? Left behind? Feeling like everything is going wrong? That you, in comparison with everyone else around, seem to stand out as weird!

God has a message just for us. Just as He said about His Son Jesus in a beautiful affirmation for His time on this earth. He feels that same way about us! We are loved and He is pleased with us.

Today make it your goal to feel no shame in who you are… you are a creation of God… a butterfly!

Dear Lord we thank You for the reminder that we have each time we see a butterfly. We pray that we would always remember the beautiful creation that You have made each one of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Reminders in a Butterfly

Luke 12:6-7 (New International Version)



6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.


As she ran errands with her children one spring day, Kaylyn Dunne was thinking about this. She had just returned from a weekend retreat that used the butterfly as its theme. The retreat had aroused her desire for a deeper spiritual life, yet worried her too, because she had been asked to be chairperson of the next retreat. Kaylyn had never been chairperson of anything, and she felt quite inadequate. With her already crowded schedule and a chronically ill son to care for, was God really calling her to do this? She needed a sign.



"Mom, look!" her son suddenly exclaimed from the back seat. Kaylyn almost hit the brakes. Fluttering in front of her, inside the car, was a huge monarch butterfly. It was a vivid yellow, her favorite color. With the car moving at 45 miles per hour and the windows open barely a crack, how had it gotten in?



The winged visitor quivered around delicately, then landed like a little puff on the dashboard. Awed, the children stared at it. "It must be frightened," Kaylyn told them. "Open the windows, and let it fly out." They did, but despite the breeze, the butterfly stayed. Kaylyn pulled into the library parking lot. "Let's leave the windows down while we're gone," she suggested. But when they returned to the car, the monarch was still sitting on the dashboard, as if awaiting them.



Bemused, Kaylyn finished the errands, drove home, opened the car doors, went into the house with her enthralled children, and waited. Eventually the butterfly leisurely emerged, circled the house in a kind of embrace, and flew off. "I got to thinking of the timeliness of its arrival, right after I had prayed," Kaylyn says. Did God intend it as a sign that He was near? That He had plans for her to move more fully into life, to shed her cocoon and spread her wings? Kaylyn accepted the chairperson job, and it became her path to a richer spiritual life. Since that day, butterflies seem to visit Kaylyn often, especially when she needs encouragement. One of the best encounters came when a friend held a prayer service in her living room for Kaylyn's son. One of the group pointed to the front window and exclaimed, "Look outside!" Everyone did. Tapping gently against the glass was a brown butterfly. Just a coincidence? Perhaps. But it came in the middle of a snowstorm.



Flowers, rainbows, butterflies. Nature’s tender treasures. Perhaps God uses them to bridge the barriers between heaven and earth, to let us know that as He watches the sparrow He surely watches us.






Dear Lord we thank You for caring for us. We thank You for the examples that you leave for us in the Bible to give us comfort when we need it most. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Struggles Make us Strong!

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day, a small opening appeared. The man sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.


After a while, the butterfly seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So, the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. However, it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly. He expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The butterfly was never able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!



But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


-2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV )



Dear Lord we thank you for the struggles that come our way. We pray that we would look at them as a tool that makes us strong. In Jesus’ Name, Amen