like-minded women

Yesterday I promised to tell you about Karyn.

But first let me say that this whole blogging thing is a gift from heaven. Truth be told, if someone were to ask me who my "best friend" is, without a doubt I'd be picking from my pool of blogger friends. Truly.

I've known Karyn about 4 days. But just like I feel about many of you, I can honestly say that Karyn is my friend. A while back, Karyn had an accident that put her out of work (not to mention the pain). It was a few months into recovery when Karyn had a stern talking with herself. In her own words:

"I knew I had to put my “Big Girl” pants on, switch out my cup of coffee for a big cup of COURAGE. I had to find a way to pull myself out of this slump and use this solitude to rediscover myself and find out what it is that I REALLY wanted out of life. Just after that thought, a beautiful BUTTERFLY flew in front of me and paused to flutter for a tiny moment. Ah-Ha…yes, I am a caterpillar about to transform in to a beautiful and free butterfly."

Most of us have had caterpillar stages in our lives. Now here's something I really believe: The sooner we realize that being a caterpillar is joyous in its own way, the sooner we get our much needed rest in the cocoon and the sooner we emerge as a free butterfly. But the trick is that we really need to find joy as a caterpillar. It's doable. It really is.

Karyn's blog is up solely for the purpose of bringing like-minded women together. There is no other motive. Although it causes pain for Karyn to spend much time at the keyboard, she still writes, reads comments, and then gets to know those who read her blog. She is an inspiration to me.

Karyn's self revelation has brought her to

PROJECT BUTTERFLY.

Still in the early stages, Project Butterfly's aim is to empower women and to lead us each to our own personal discovery.

I'm a believer in a Heavenly Father who knows and loves each one of us. I believe that he puts others in our paths as answers to our prayers. I have no doubt that Karyn has been an answer to many prayers - prayers that have been uttered, and those just felt in hearts. This quote by Jeffrey R. Holland describes Karyn beautifully:

"... when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods... Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."

May we all be an angel to someone in need today.