Encouragement

---

There was another article in the paper this morning about Katie's funeral--they were exploring the different ways people send off their loved ones. First of all, no one ever referred to her funeral as a funeral--we called it a 'Celebration of Life'. That's what it was, a celebration of the joy we all had in knowing this girl. At the end of the service, we all went outside and released hundreds of butterflies. What a sight that was!

There was a young girl standing near me. These butterflies, some of them, were dazed from having been shut up in boxes for the duration of the service. They didn't fly right up like the others. They just lay on the pavement, feebly flapping their wings.

"Mama, I think they're dead," this girl whispered to her mother. "Some of them aren't moving at all."

Her mom leaned down. "I don't think they're dead. I think they're just----stunned."

The girl knelt down, nudged one of the butterflies closest to her with her finger, prodding. I watched the butterfly take a little skip-hop, and then soar up, up, and away. The girls face was an expression of awe.

Jesus is like this. He takes his finger and prods us along, trying to nudge us in the right direction. If we listen, we become blessed by knowing Him. Like those butterflies, we soar to new heights, maybe a little stunned from the blows we have been dealt, yet finally free. Free to fly, never to be shackled by the chains of sin again. Free to be ourselves.

Free to live.

Thank you, Jesus, for setting us free. To be free in You is to be free indeed.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE