"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."...William Jennings Bryan
I wrote this as an encouragement to a group of co-authors. I found this to be timely for this season and thought I would share.....
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A few months ago when I started to write the second chapter. I really struggled and felt pressured with what to write. I started one chapter and almost completed it...but never quite felt it was right. So, I started over (somebody say what?) Yes, for those of you who have written...you know I was questioning God. However, as I sat in the emergency room with my son, the Lord told me to write, I obeyed and everything that I was truly feeling in my heart was written down on paper.
Although I didn't use information from the first story, I woke up thinking about parts from it. In the first story, I was going to talk about the process of a butterfly and how it related to me. During my research, I learned that a butterfly is an insect that truly has four transitional stages in its life. This means that when it changes, it goes through a complete change in every stage of its life. When an adult butterfly lays an egg, it is placed on something that is already growing...such as a plant. When the egg forms, it develops into a caterpillar that consumes from the plan on which it was birthed. Its job is to eat and eat and eat. During this transition, it sheds it outer skin about 4 to 5 times. Even though some of the plants are toxic, the caterpillar is able to to lock away these toxins until they are an adult and then they utilize those same toxins to fight enemies in the future. Once the caterpillar has eaten enough, it goes to find a suitable place, spins into a cocoon and anchors itself in a way that it can't be moved. It sheds another layer of skin and spins itself into a cocoon. During this stage of growth, it still manages to stay connected. Even though it is stationery, it still has the capability to make noises to scare off the enemy. Even during this stage of seemingly immobility, rapid growth is taking place as the wings grow and form. The last stage is when the beautiful butterfly emerges from the cocoon, newly formed and capable of traveling two thousand miles.
We all started out wanting massive changes, which is why we agreed to partake in the program. As I reflected on this process, I thought the stages of change in my life. I had been at the stage similar to the caterpillar, where I grew and was able to consume things that would support my growth. I had gone through the process of shedding my skin, which meant to me baggage and the very things that were not necessary for me in the future. I had gone through the process of having to sort through what was good for me and bad for me. Had I been like the caterpillar and took the bad and allowed God to make it be for my good? Did I really allow the layers to come off naturally or did I try hold onto them? When it was time for me to go to the next stage, did I in fact find a suitable place? When I spun into my cocoon, did I get caught up or become dizzy with the change process? Am I grounded and latched on? Even though everything around me is still the same and it appears that my change is boxed in...am I aware that I'm still growing? Am I maximizing the space that God has given me so that I can develop my wings?
I challenge you to ask yourself these very questions. I did this morning and I'm encouraged today by God. Even though I am in a transition, I know that God is preparing me and as Noel Jones has said..."it's got to happen!" God did not bring us this far through all of the stuff to just let us stay as caterpillars or in a cocoon. The change has been laid out for us, but we have a part in it too. Just like the caterpillar, we have to just keep moving.
Be blessed and encouraged!
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