The Yellow Butterfly

6 years ago, my grandmother passed away. It was a time when I felt so hopeless and so alone, that all I could do was cry. But amidst all the pain I was feeling, I somehow found the strength to reach out to a friend over text message. I told her about my grandmother and how heartbroken I was feeling. That was when she told me something I will never forget. She simply said "Butterflies are angels." It was a reference to a poem she had heard at the funeral of one of her loved ones. I stood on the porch steps reading that message on that abnormally warm November afternoon, and a lone yellow butterfly hovered nearby. And I knew, right then and there, that it was all going to be okay.

Now, there are many times when I am out walking by myself, or driving through a quiet part of town, and I'm anxious because I feel unsafe. Afterall, a young lady by herself is an all-too-easy target for predators. It is then that a yellow butterfly appears. It never fails. And that is when I know it's all going to be okay.

You see, God has many ways of showing us that He is near. Sometimes it's a warm feeling that envelopes our entire body and makes us smile. Other times it's a cool breeze rustling the blades of grass around us and setting our hearts at ease. And sometimes, it's a yellow butterfly floating nearby like a lighthouse in the darkness of our fear. We can always take heart in the fact that God is there. Although we may not see Him, we know He is there by the affects of His actions. Afterall, you never see the wind, only what it blows.

So today, take a moment to stop worrying about that problem you're having. Stop thinking about that person that causes you so much grief. Stop wondering how that bill is going to get paid. Just take a look around, and know that God is right beside you and that He's going to take care of you.