A SPECIAL APPEARANCE

I have a thing about butterflies.

A little background on that…

Last year, I took a course on speaking with two other women. No, not literally speaking (evidently I do that just fine according to my family and friends!) – but speaking about the Lord. It was intensive training to prepare us to be speakers at luncheons and retreats, etc.

You have NO idea how terrifying this was for me.

Though I am not particularly afraid to get up in front of a group of people and talk, I am completely daunted about being *evaluated* (for me, that translates CRITICIZED). Well, it was quite a growing experience to say the least! At the end, we three women wanted to give our teacher a gift. I found a beautiful glass cross, and on the front were butterflies (you know, that *fake stained glass* that they use on window sun-catchers…)

I thought it was a good analogy.

Our teacher had helped each of us emerge from our cocoons of intimidation, self-doubt, nervousness, defeat – and become beautiful butterflies eager to fly into the destiny God has purposed for us.

So, though the whole re-birth connotation with the butterfly might be a little time-worn, for me it's a powerful symbol.

God used it earlier this year.

After my first solo speaking engagement, I was feeling a little bit (a lot) overcome with those same self-doubt feelings, those same moments of defeat – I was hearing that same voice saying, "What are you thinking? You can't do this!"

And then, I got home and opened the thank-you gift from the group I had just spoken to. It was a candle, and a lovely embroidered hand towel. I looked at the pretty leaves on it and thought, "Oh, how nice." Then I turned the towel over…

Yes, there just as big as life, was a giant butterfly.

I cried.

God said to my self-doubt, "Don't go back to the cocoon. You are MY butterfly!"

So yes, you can see that butterflies are kinda special to me.

Flash back to a few weeks ago – I went camping with "The Hub" – out of touch with everyone and every piece of technology I own.

I had big prayers and big expectations as I ventured up there.

I went up there with some unanswered health issues hovering on the horizon. I arrived with a duffel bag full of fear and dismay. I really, really needed to hear from God.

I asked Him for something tangible – something that was unmistakably HIM.

"Lord, please just SHOW UP. You don't know how I wish You still walked this earth so I could just SEE You – just once. Oh, how I need You right now…"

So, "The Hub" and I set up camp – we put up the tent, got our bedding all situated, and popped up a canopy for some shade. About an hour after arriving and moving in, I ducked under the canopy to get a bottle of water out of the cooler.

I heard a noise – a fluttering…

I looked up – and there, underneath the canopy, was the BIGGEST Monarch butterfly! I stared at it in amazement…I cried.

It might as well have been a burning bush.

God took the time to make a special appearance just for me!

That's totally what it felt like.

I showed my husband, who said he'd never seen a butterfly up close like that – and we set it free. But, do you know that every single day we camped (almost a week), at least once I saw a butterfly flutter through our campsite.

I promise you – I think I heard it say, "I AM HERE."

Have you ever had a moment when God made a special appearance for you?

(Today I'm linking up with Wendy at Faith's Firm Foundation for "Mondays are G.R.E.A.T.")

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"