As I stood at the altar under the sound of my pastor’s voice, I prayed to God, asking Him to help me balance this next season of my life. I’d been running on fumes from the last season and I could already tell that I would need balance to survive all that was next…

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July ends today and tomorrow begins a new month… the month when my job resumes. In addition to all of the duties that come with my job, I have chosen to add many, many, many other things to my professional plate. Simply put, I do a lot. I truly believe that every door that God opens for me, He has graced me to walk through. As such, I seldom say no when presented with opportunities. That is how a now third year teacher is entering her third year as a senior class advisor, second year as a member of the school improvement team, and a member of the local union’s board of directors (in addition to the other hats that I wear). Because I believe that every position has a purpose and will ultimately prepare me for a soon-to-come season of my life, I say YES and trust God to do the rest.

Right after altar prayer ended, I socialized for a bit with others before I went outside to order breakfast for me and my Love. I tried to multitask between the call and applying chapstick to my lips, but the cap of the chapstick had its own mind and rolled off of my lap. I stood up and stepped out of my car to look for it, when I noticed something was fluttering near me and just wouldn’t stop.

It was a butterfly!

Yes, I’ve held a butterfly in my hand before, but that one had a broken wing and did not choose to sit in my hand. But this butterfly chose to flutter around me and intentionally chose to land on me several times. It was as though this brown-winged beauty was connected to me in a way that I cannot even begin to understand or explain. It was as though God had sent this butterfly to have a conversation with my heart in that moment.

When the butterfly and I had finally parted ways, I wanted to immediately rush to Google to find out what that “meant.” What did it mean if a butterfly landed on someone, repeatedly and intentionally? I needed an answer to that question, but I knew deep down that Google would not be able to help. To fully understand the meaning and intentions of God’s creation, I needed to turn to God.

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Later in the day as I still sat with my questions for God, a bumble bee landed on me at a cookout. Possibly unbeknownst to the little bee, it landed in the exact same spot that the butterfly had landed on me earlier. No lie, it was right at that moment that I wondered if I was now some sort of insect whisperer or if I had too many butterfly tattoos, causing insects to think that I was one of them. I’m not sure why, but yesterday I was honey and I was attracting all the creatures. LOL!

As I progressed throughout the rest of yesterday (and even as I go through this day), I clung to the truth that God wanted to get my attention. The butterfly and the bee were small, yet beautiful reminders that God is with me. He promised balance and beauty in my life and that’s exactly what He would grant me if I just fully relied on Him. In those moments, God allowed the presence of two different insects balancing on me, to remind me that He can balance me. How great are You, Lord!

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Beloved, what are you seeking God for today? This month? This year? With the dawn of a new month ahead of us, what petitions do you have for our God? He is not a genie, but He is our Abba and He desires to hear our heart. Take some time today and seek Him where He dwells, making your requests known to Him in prayer. Personally, I am stepping into this new month, boldly thanking God because, through Him, I have been graced to balance it all.

Be blessed.