Tag: God

Tales of Truth: Gem’s Story – Part 2

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This is part two of a true story about a young girl named Gem.

Laying on the ground and looking up the clouds was Gem’s favorite thing to do. She would pretend she was a bird and could just fly away. Gem was sick a lot, in and out of the hospital for various illnesses. She was never as sick as that one day in July.

Gem heard one of the nurses yell, “We are losing her!” The bright lights over the table were blinding, they burned Gem’s eyes. Those lights were the last thing Gem saw. All the chaos and the yelling and the pain was gone. The burning bright lights gave way to a different kind of light. This light was all around Gem, everywhere. It was soft and bright at the same time, but it did not hurt her eyes. The light was so comforting and full of peace. While Gem cannot explain it, the light was love. She wanted to be in the light, it was like an incredible hug. The light made her feel free and at perfect peace.

Suddenly, the light was shrinking as if it was going into a tunnel, it was leaving! Gem tried to grab the light and hold onto it. She tried to run towards the light but something was holding her back. Gem wanted nothing more than to stay in that light. She wanted to follow it and become a part of its love, peace and beauty. As the light got farther and farther away, Gem started to hear the sounds of chaos – machines buzzing, nurses yelling, and maybe there was someone crying. She did not care, Gem wanted to feel that light again. Why was it leaving and taking its peace and love away from her. Gem felt sad that she was not strong enough to fly away and follow the light.

When Gem awoke, it was two weeks later. She was laying in a hospital room with the television on. A family member she loved was there and began to talk gently with her about what happened. Gem did not want to hear any of it, she was very hungry and asked for a cheeseburger from the fast food place in the hospital that she knew was there from all of her other hospital stays. Most of Gem’s medical equipment had been removed by this point and only two pieces that could be rolled around were left. The family member put Gem in a wheelchair and wheeled her to the fast food place.

After Gem ate her cheeseburger, they returned to her hospital room to discover a horrified group of nurses. The family member was asked what they were thinking and at the same time Gem was being asked how she felt. Gem felt fine, but she wanted that light back. As the nurses checked Gem over, she closed her eyes to try to find that beautiful light again. She wanted the calm it gave her. She wanted to feel the love she felt coming from that light. How did that make sense, it was a light – but it was love and brought peace somehow. Despite all of her attempts, Gem has yet to see that light again.

Gem was told that she died on the table and was gone for some time. As the medical team was working on her body, Gem’s spirit ascended like a bird toward heaven. But it was not Gem’s time, she had more life to live, it was too soon. God breathed the breath of life back into her lungs and she gasped her way back into the chaos, the yelling, and the arms of her loved ones. But things were different.

Later on, Gem came to know Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She felt that same inexplicable peace and love. As Gem began to read the Bible, she understood that Jesus is the light of the world. Gem now carried that peace and love and calm inside of her everywhere she went. Gem realized that with Jesus in her heart, she IS the light. The light was now hers to share with as many people as possible.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for every breath we take. Thank You that You fill our lungs with air and give our hearts the strength to pump our blood throughout our body. Thank You for Your light and for healing. Thank You for Your peace and love. Help us to share You with everyone we meet. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Tales of Truth: Gem’s Story – Part 1

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

I am about to share a true story with you about a young girl named Gem.

Laying on the ground and looking up the clouds was Gem’s favorite thing to do. She would pretend she was a bird and could just fly away. Gem was sick a lot, in and out of the hospital for various illnesses. She was never as sick as that one day in July.

Gem complained of a headache, which was not one of the symptoms she usually had from the other illnesses. Then came a high fever, a very high fever. The family doctor was called and thought it was a typical virus that Gem had picked up. She did, after all, have a weakened immune system. The doctor said to take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help bring down the fever and relieve the pain from the headache. That is what we did.

Out of nowhere, Gem’s fever went up to 103 and then 104 and kept climbing. A trip was made to the hospital, the same hospital where Gem had been admitted many times for various illnesses. This was different. She tried to focus on being a bird and flying away. The nurses plunged Gem into an ice bath to bring down the fever. Gem was losing consciousness, it is hard to know if that was because of the pain, the fever, the stress on her body or the shock of the ice.

One of the nurses yelled, “We are losing her!” as they tried to fight whatever illness was ravaging her frail body. Gem was placed on a high table so it was easier for the medical team to work on her. There were tubes, cuffs, and machines hooked up to Gem very quickly to assess her organs and take over her breathing. Everyone was running around and yelling instructions. The bright lights over the table were blinding, they burned Gem’s eyes. Those lights were the last thing Gem saw.

All the chaos and the yelling and the pain was gone. . .

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for every breath we take. Thank You that You fill our lungs with air and give our hearts the strength to pump blood throughout our body. Thank You for medical teams and for healing. Thank You for Your peace and love. Help us to share You with everyone we meet. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Storm the Gates of Heaven

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You may have heard people say they are going to storm the gates of heaven. This phrase usually means that the person is going to consistently and relentlessly pray about something until the gates of heaven ‘open’ and provide the answer.

While we are commanded to pray without ceasing, (1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Never stop praying.”), we are provided access to boldly approach heaven in prayer through Jesus. Hebrews 4:15 says of Jesus, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 10:18 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.”

Through our belief in Jesus and His death on the cross, there is no need to storm the gates as if it will be a battle to enter. We are provided access to boldly come through Jesus.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for the blood of Jesus. Thank You for His sacrifice that provides us access to the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Help us to walk by faith and Your Word. Help us to be an example of Your love to everyone we encounter. Lord, help us to grow in You each day. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Dementia and Faith: Rani’s Story

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I am blessed to have access to global experts on brain health in my line of work. Through volunteering and personal experience, I have known, loved and worked with many people who had various types and stages of dementia. There is one lady who stands out, her name is Rani and this is her story.

When I met Rani, she was in her early 60’s and rarely had moments where she knew what was occurring around her. Dementia is different for everyone, but for Rani, the disease had stolen her ability to be present and live life in the moment which caused her family to pull back from her. They said they no longer could relate to her and she did not know who they were anyway.

As I spent time with Rani, I noticed she talked constantly in a low and calming voice, her face filled with peace and a smile. Her family said she was just babbling and none of it made sense. As I listened to Rani’s words and expressions, she was sharing what she was seeing and experiencing. It was as if she was living in another universe, but her body was on earth.

The brain is a beautiful and complex gift. Every human brain is wired differently which means we will all see and experience things differently. Even though I could not see what Rani was describing, it did not mean that she was not seeing and experiencing what she was describing.

I listened intently to Rani’s words, she was talking about the act of praying. I decided to ask her if she would like me to pray for her and if so, what was her prayer request. Rani turned to look at me with intent, her eyes were clear and bright, her smile so big and gentle. She said, ‘I pray everyday that I would be super-sensitive to the Holy Spirit. If you could pray that too.’

Rani then returned to her other world. I gently held her hand and prayed for her asking that God would make her super-sensitive to the Holy Spirit everyday. I am not sure if Rani heard me or knew what I was saying, but that prayer request was profound to me. Here was a lady with a family who no longer engaged with her, but Rani was right there. Their loved one was right there and sharing such wisdom – that each day may we be super-sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leadings. He is our Helper, Counselor, Comforter, Guide, Teacher and so many other things to us, (Romans 8).

I have not seen Rani since that prayer and I am not sure how she is doing. Her prayer request has stuck with me, I now pray that prayer every day – for her and for myself. I added a few words. Let’s pray. Father in heaven, please help us to be super-sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we go about our day and please provide the obedience to act on what He shows us.

Thank You for people like Rani, thank You for our loved ones. Help us to be patient, loving and understanding with those around us who may be experiencing what we cannot understand. Thank You so much for Your love and forgiveness. Thank You that we have the example of mercy and grace in Jesus. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Five Years…

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Wounded Butterflies turned five years old on June 20th, 2025. What became an outlet to process pain and trials has continued to be a place to share the love of Jesus. To share the Truth and to share God’s love.

In the past five years, much of the world has changed. We are living in a ‘post-pandemic’ world where everything is labeled as pre-Covid or post. Generative artificial intelligence is now everywhere and readily accessible for free. Much of the globe is talking about “tariffs” more often than ever before. Wars have started and some have raged on.

The one thing that has been the same, is the same and will be the same is Jesus. He is the Living Word of God. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him (Jesus) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

No matter what changes around us, no matter what happens in the world, our stability and our constant is Jesus. Hebrews 13:8 promises us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You that You are the same every day. You are right there loving us with open arms. Fill us with Your strength and patience and Your peace. Help us to walk by faith and by the Living Word, Jesus. Help us to be an example of Your love to everyone we encounter. Lord, help us to grow in You each day. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

You are Loved.

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No matter how you feel or what you are going through, it is important to remember that you are loved – passionately, deeply, unconditionally, more than you can possibly ever dream or imagine.

Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[o]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[p] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Let’s pray. Thank You for loving us, exactly as we are are. Help us to be an example of Your love to everyone we encounter. Lord, help us to grow in You each day. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Thorns

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In the Bible, there is an example of a “thorn” that God allows in the apostle Paul’s life. We all have at least one thorn in our lives, it can be a person, a problem, or circumstances.

In 2 Corinthians 12:7, the apostle Paul writes, “…in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

As you encounter thorns in your life, try to focus on what can be learned from their presence. We know that God uses all things for our good, (Romans 8:28). If there is a thorny person or situation in our life, we can grow from it. We can focus on learning from it rather than complaining. We can increase our dependence on God to get us through. Like Paul, we can certainly pray that God would remove it. But also like Paul, God may say to our request, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, when we encounter thorns of every kind, help us to stay focused on You and to draw on Your strength. Help us to learn what we need to grow in You. Fill us with strength and patience and Your peace. Help us to walk by faith and Your Word. Help us to be an example of Your love to everyone we encounter. Lord, help us to grow in You each day. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.