About this Story....

Welcome to "Caterpillars to Butterflies." This is a narrative of our faith journey and the incredible transformation God performed in our lives from 2007 to 2009. It is a story of God's unwavering faithfulness and what happens when we choose to trust Him, regardless of how circumstances appear. Through hardships, struggles, loss, and confusion, God revealed Himself to my husband, Tom, and me. We learned invaluable lessons about letting go of our own logic and understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6), surrendering our personal goals, and embracing His eternal purpose for our lives. Ultimately, this journey revealed His redeeming and transforming love for us. We hope our story inspires you to nurture your own faith and deepen your relationship with Him, trusting in His faithfulness no matter what challenges you face. May our journey from caterpillars to butterflies encourage you on your path.

Saturday, June 11, 2022

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Restored Ground and Renewed Hope

Today was another great day! Tom and I spent the morning together with the Lord and reconnected some more. God is so good! I know that the prayer from Friday night had a lot to do with this. We feel like we are gaining back some of the ground we had lost.

Another cool thing is that the tire is holding air now! NL prayed and God answered :) Also, Tom looked up online the situation with our camera and found out that there is a recall on this problem, and Canon will repair it for FREE! Thank you, Jesus! Now, all that still needs a resolution is Tom’s teeth. I know our God is faithful to answer all prayers in His perfect way and timing.

I had lunch with KK today, and during the lunch we discussed the logistics of us staying at her house while she is gone. The cool and interesting part is that she had already made arrangements for her dog to stay at someone else’s house, so we won’t need to worry about staying the night there every night. That really helps, because the other two houses required that we spend the night because of the animals. So now it simplifies the logistics of it all. We could have done it, but we would have had to sleep in two separate places—and now we don’t! Another big thank you to the Lord! :)

We really enjoyed going to B and L’s tonight! It was great seeing everyone again, and we got involved in a conversation with a couple of ladies who are struggling in their marriages. We stayed and talked with them the whole night. God was there in a big way—guiding and directing the conversation, the people who joined in, and what was said. They walked away feeling so much lighter and freer, yet burdened for their husbands in a different way! It was so cool to watch God work in such a wonderful way.

Lord, thank you so much for your Holy Spirit that guides and directs healing and freedom for your children! I pray that these ladies will go home and seek your face, continuing down this path of healing for their marriages.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
—2 Corinthians 3:17

Power of a Praying Wife prayer:

Lord, I pray for Your healing touch on Tom. Make every part of his body function the way You designed it to. Wherever there is anything out of balance, set it in perfect working order. Heal him of any disease, illness, injury, infirmity, or weakness. Strengthen his body to successfully endure his workload, and when he sleeps, may he wake up refreshed. I pray that he will have the desire to take care of his body, to eat the kind of food that brings health, to get regular exercise, and avoid anything that would be harmful to him. Help him to understand that his body is Your temple and he should care for it as such (1 Corinthians 3:16).

“I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you.”
—2 Kings 20:5

Friday, June 10, 2022

Monday, December 22, 2008

Training Pods, Rejection, and His Enduring Love

Well, yesterday was moving day! We moved into KK’s place and have settled in. She has a very nice home, and Tom is enjoying the internet connection for his computer while I’m enjoying having mine back. :) It was such a blessing to stay with M and L—we are so grateful for their kindness, hospitality, and generosity! I pray that we were as much of a blessing to them as they were to us.

On Friday, I was talking with SW and MJ before lunch, and I explained how I’ve been seeing each place the Lord has brought us to as a kind of “training pod.” In each place, God is teaching us something new, or revealing areas in ourselves that need to be removed or refined.

On Saturday, I had lunch with CT, and she gave me some tea called Get a Grip for PMS and menopause! I laughed because I soooo need help in that area. I guess she (and everyone else) knows how much I struggle with it. I’ve come to the conclusion that the Lord uses those times to bring the “dross” to the surface in me—because I can see so much ugliness come out. Lord, help me shed that ugliness and replace it with godly traits. The scripture that keeps coming to mind for me in those moments is:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
—Philippians 4:8

The Lord has also been keeping me busy with the new ladies He keeps bringing into my life. It’s so amazing to watch Him work in people’s lives—and such a blessing to be part of it.

Today, as I was talking with one of these ladies, her story hit me hard. I realized she had gone through major rejection. When I named it out loud, it resonated in my own spirit as something I feel myself. I recognized that when I think Tom wants to spend more time with his computer or TV than with me, I feel rejected. I don’t think I’ve ever put that into words before, but it describes it well. When I shared this with Tom, he was very receptive and agreed that it made sense. Now I just need to make sure I’m enjoyable to be with, so he doesn’t feel the need to “hide” from me and escape into those things. :)

This Christmas season has been interesting. I don’t have a place of my own to host Christmas, but the Lord has given me other ways to celebrate. I’ve helped a couple people decorate, and I’ve made holiday goodies (fudge and cookies) for G and F. KK’s house is beautifully decorated, so we have a tree, lights, and even a fireplace if we want one. God has given me Christmas, just in a different way this year.

In my study time today, I read Psalm 136, and I love it because every sentence is followed by the refrain: “His love endures forever.”

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.

5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.

6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.

7 who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.

8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.

9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever…

Amen!