* Transformation *

The theme for our Women's Ministry this year is "Transformation". Of course we are using Butterflies to illustrate and draw home the point. My favorite part however is that one of our verses is Romans 12:2 my ultimate favorite. It says "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." I absolutely love it! It reminds me to be a true original, to be the person GOD has intended for me to be.

The three steps to a butterfly transformation are; caterpillar stage, chrysalis stage and then finally the butterfly stage.

The caterpillar stage is when they chomp and eat on everything they get FAT! I think spiritually I'm in the caterpillar stage. Thankfully I'm only getting spiritually fat! I feel as if I am soaking up all the knowledge I can possibly gain from the Bible, books, church, seminars, conferences, other women in leadership, retreats and trainings. I feel like I am loading up on everything that God has to say about who I am and what he has intended for me to do for Him. It's an exciting place to be for me. I am a book nerd naturally and reading and researching is exciting to me but I am making a specific choice to fill my mind up with those things I want to learn more about all to grow in Christ daily and to be a better woman for everyone in my life.

The Chrysalis stage reminds me of someone who is being told to stay put. You are wrapped up and are beginning the real transformation. It can be dark and scary but I believe spiritually that it's also holy ground. God is there with you, whispering in the dark and creating this beautiful masterpiece (butterfly).

The butterfly stage is when the transformation has been complete. You spread your wings and show all the beauty from all the things God has made in you. It leads me to think about butterflies and how they flutter and flap but sometimes they also SOAR.

A while back God gave me the word SOARING, he then broke it down to this: Serving Others And Rising In New Gifts. How cool is that? just because we have been transformed and are now soaring for Jesus we can still develop and rise new gifts in us from HIM! It's exciting.

This is a year of Transformation. I boldly declare that for all the miracles I am waiting for and all the transformation that is yet to happen in my family and in myself. I anxiously wait each day for the things God can show me and how His grace continues to abound in me.