One of my family’s favorite stories about me happened when I was probably ten years old. My mom was homeschooling me at the time and was giving me a math lesson. I remember sitting on the couch next to her listening in complete boredom wishing I were outside on the trampoline or in the little log cabin my dad built me in the woods. As she elaborated on multiplication and division I pried open my eyes with my index fingers and thumbs and waited for her to look up from the book I wanted to shred. When she did I explained to her,
“I’m a butterfly, butterflies can’t do math, and butterflies are stupid.”
I wasn’t saying it in a self-deprecating way, but more of a matter of fact way in that butterflies really couldn’t do math. My mom paused for a moment before bursting into laughter.
To this day we still laugh about it. Especially during my recent statistics course this past fall.
During launch in DC my Dad prayed over me and said he was reminded of the butterfly story, and that I really was a butterfly (not stupid though). He explained that a butterfly has to struggle to get out of her cocoon, that’s the only way it can build enough strength to fly. The struggle was a good one, a necessary one. He saw the World Race as a time of me coming into my own, struggling along the way, but ultimately coming out beautiful.
The next day, after my parents left, my squad mate Daniel came up to me and said, “Estie, I have a word for you. As I was praying for you I saw a butterfly coming out of its cocoon into its destiny.”
I’ve seen butterflies a lot this month in Peru, it's a subtle reminder to me that God is at work in my life. I can’t help but smile to myself when I see them. I can’t wait to be one…a smart one of course.
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
