It Started With A Caterpillar, Then a Butterfly…
I came home from a long trip to find long, thick, hairy, black and orange caterpillars crawling all over my porch. Some had destroyed my garden plants while others were trying to squeeze under windows and door frames. In desperation I called friends to help. One friend arrived with her daughter Kelsey, a pretty young girl holding a glass jar in her hand. “Miss Liz, please may I collect the caterpillars?” she asked. “Now why would a pretty little girl want to collect such ugly creatures?” I questioned. Kelsey looked at me in surprise. “Miss Liz! One day these caterpillars are going to be beautiful butterflies and I love to watch them fly!”
I was speechless. I’d been so intent on getting rid of the caterpillars I’d forgotten the miracle of nature which transforms ugly, plant eating caterpillars into beautiful butterflies.
Some months later I visited a butterfly garden. Hundreds of multicolored butterflies fluttered among the flowers. Each one was uniquely different and very beautiful. It seemed their only purpose was to bring us joy. Yet as they fluttered from flower to flower they were drinking nectar, laying eggs and pollinating. It was difficult to imagine these beautiful creatures began life as ugly caterpillars crawling on their bellies and eating leaves.
God spoke to me through the caterpillars and butterflies,
“Liz, millions of My daughters are living like caterpillars.
They don’t know that I have plans for them to fly like butterflies.”
I thought of women I’d met around the world; Women without hope, and without dreams; Women who have no idea of their potential to be butterflies. They are down trodden, oppressed in spirit, bound by pain, culture, circumstances or shame. I’ve been one of those women. Most of us have at some time in our lives. But God rescued me and began transforming me into the woman He created me to be. Once He had healed and restored me, He set me free to fly and share His fragrance with others.
God desires all women to be transformed into His image of beauty and to learn how to fly in the freedom and joy He alone can give them. He will make each one of us into the beautiful woman He intended us to be if we will let Him.
The transformation from caterpillar to butterfly is painful. However, Jesus promises that when He lives in us, we become a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17). God will take our past and our pain and use it to mold and shape us into the woman He wants us to be. He will turn our pain into purpose. Like the woman at the well, when we receive the love and forgiveness Jesus freely offers, He will transform us into beautiful butterflies, setting us free to share His love with others who are still living like caterpillars.
God burdened my heart to train, equip and release women to reach other women. Before we can help others, we must learn how to fly. If you’re feeling like a caterpillar today but want to be a butterfly, I pray God will use this transformation journey to set you free to fly. And once you find your wings, I pray God will empower you and use this training to help you spread His fragrance to other women. As you bring them to Jesus, may His love and power transform them into the women of beauty and strength that He created them to be.
Your sister in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Liz Dickson, Founder and Executive Director