(First published in 2018)
If only we could grow without struggle. Today’s guest shares a familiar analogy, but one I think we should all be reminded of periodically. I’ve heard it said, those things that are most worthwhile take the greatest amount of work and perseverance.
This makes me think of 1 Timothy 4:8. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come” (NLT).
As you read Delia Latham‘s post, prayerfully consider where you’re at spiritually, where God might be taking you, and how He’s growing and molding you in order to prepare you for what lies ahead.
Worm-to-Wonderful
by Delia Latham
I can be a bit of a squirmy worm when it comes to sitting still for instruction. Lectures, long sermons and the like…my mind is willing, but my body refuses to play the quiet game. Yet every time I write a novel, I sit at the feet of the Ultimate Instructor. Most of the time, it’s a joyful experience. I love transcribing the words He speaks into my heart and soul.
But then there are the other times… Times when what the Teacher intends as a special blessing becomes a downright painful experience. Times when the words He whispers into my heart differ from the ones my head screams are “right,” and I wriggle against His will.
In my latest release, Spring Raine (Book 1, Paradise Pines series), butterflies kept fluttering in and out of my scenes. I’m more accustomed to angels showing up in my books. Why was God inserting these new visitors into the story? I hemmed and hawed and questioned the ‘why,’ but eventually I rolled my eyes, zipped my lips and let God finish telling the story. I’m so glad I did, because what I learned was worth not getting my own way.
Butterflies are lovely, graceful, almost magical creatures, aren’t they? While I’d never studied them closely, I knew what I thought was enough about them—which pretty much meant that I was aware, just like any self-respecting 6-year-old, that they started life as caterpillars. But that little fact is a mere scratch on the surface of an entire, fascinating world I knew precious little about.
The Ultimate Teacher on the other hand…He knows everything there is to know about the butterfly. He created the whole, complicated species, from tiny egg to squirmy worm to mysterious chrysalis to graceful, winged beauty. As a spiritual lesson wrapped in a wonderful blessing, the Master Instructor allowed me to see inside a cocoon while I wrote Spring Raine.
He showed me the chrysalis effect.
Caterpillars don’t have fairy godmothers who turn them into butterflies in an instant. The “becoming” is 
a process, one that takes place in carefully planned, necessary stages. The squirmy worm cannot become all he was born to be unless and until he sheds his old skin, submits to the cocoon and goes through each required stage of metamorphosis.
Worm-to-wonderful. That’s the chrysalis effect. God sent big, beautiful monarch butterflies into a story of seaside romance to teach me about obedience and submission, about myself, and yes…about writing.
As Christians, we must submit to the chrysalis, and let God recreate us—and sometimes, that means completely restructuring who and what we are. Without Him, we’re nothing more than empty shells, with no real purpose. With Him, we become something more…something alive and real. A creature unfettered by the weight of sin, and endowed with the power to touch and bless human hearts and souls. Something beautiful. Something good.
The key? Shed the squirmy worm skin. Be still, and know that He is God. Learn to follow the Ultimate Teacher’s step-by-step (word-by-word?) instructions, and thereby wrap a cocoon of His love around us. When we “become” what we’re meant to be, our efforts will emerge in full beauty. That’s when they’ll wing their way into the hearts of those we interact with and influence, and maybe even change a life or two along the way.
Psalm 25:5 (KJV)—Lead me in Your truth, and teach me: for You are the God of my salvation.
An uncharacteristic, last-minute decision to do something “wild and crazy” before entering the stressful world of forensic science sends Raine Presley to Cambria, California. Against a cloud of disapproval from her slightly manipulative, over-protective parents, she signs a seasonal lease at the beautiful Paradise Pines Lodge…and winds up over her head in life and love.
Declan Keller’s just minding his own business—literally—when Raine drops into his world and turns it upside down. He’s far too busy carving beautiful shapes out of chunks of wood to be babysitting a gal from Pasadena. Even so, his father’s promise to an old friend obligates him, despite a looming deadline that could make or break his career in the art world. He’s praying for anything but Raine when she comes along.
Neither Declan nor Raine is prepared for the seemingly divine influence of Paradise Pines—and Miss Angelina Love. A mysterious lady who may or may not own the lodge, Miss Angie possesses an amazing talent for mending ruffled feathers, spouting proverbs, and somehow bending even the most determined of hearts to the power of love.
Available on Amazon, and most other online booksellers.
Delia Latham is a born-and-bred California gal, raised in a place called Weedpatch and currently living in East Texas with her husband, Johnny. She enjoys multiple roles as Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings. She has a “thing” for Dr. Pepper, and loves to hear from her readers. Contact her through her website. Subscribe to Delia’s bi-monthly newsletter and receive a FREE short story!
You might also enjoy:
“Grow Up” by Julie Opperman
“Have Faith Like a Child” by Brooke Williams
“The Power of Thanksgiving” by … me! 😉
transformation in my life. Through her I felt God’s unfailing love.
God arranged an air show in October to remind me of Bob. Resting after hiking up a mountain, my husband and I gasped in wonder as a hawk gracefully curved and soared above us. Catching a ride on a column of air, or thermal, it hovered motionless in perfect calm a few moments. Then a sun dog appeared, a rainbow-colored patch in the clouds. Instantly I was back with Bob at his hospital window, marveling together at those ice crystals refracting the sunlight.
Mary Bowen writes and edits for Grace Ministries International in Marietta, Georgia. For many years her articles and poetry have been published in newspapers, magazines and anthologies. She has worked as a reporter and freelancer, and served as an editor with the North American Mission Board.
Let’s talk about it: Mary shared how key people in her life were so influential in her relationship with the Lord. Who has been influential in your life? And how are you intentionally pouring into someone else’s life so they, too, may experience the joy of salvation? Leave your thoughts here or over on 
ticking of the clock often seems like an enemy, snatching away our pleasant moments all too soon. Time makes us feel as if we’re caught in a strong current rushing downstream towards the waterfall of death.
tantalizes with descriptions of rich fellowship, incredible beauty and joy, and adventures. We’ll each have exciting assignments from God.
but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16-18).
Mary Bowen writes and edits for Grace Ministries International in Marietta, Georgia. For many years her articles and poetry have been published in newspapers, magazines and anthologies. She has worked as a reporter and freelancer, and served as an editor with the North American Mission Board.
Is sheltering kids the answer to keeping them safe from the sin and danger that lurks in our world today? In effort to explore this question, I wrote a YA novel, Unwritten Melody. The protagonist in this story, Cassie, is a 17-year-old who has been raised by her overbearing grandmother. As a result of the strict rules, she develops a hunger to ultimately go against her grandmother’s wishes.
that displeases Him. Show them that the rules set by authority are there to help them, not to keep them from having fun. And remember to always lead and discipline in the spirit of love.
Cassie Gilbert lives every day in the shadows of her deceased mom’s rebellion. But now that she’s seventeen, she finds herself longing to break away from her grandmother’s suffocating rules, experience what it’s like to be a regular teenager, and fulfill her songwriting dreams.
Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show others they’re not alone—and because she remembers the teen life like it was yesterday (or a few years ago). The debut novel she wrote at 16-years-old, Purple Moon (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) was a Selah 2014 Finalist. Her second novel, Unwritten Melody, releases with Clean Reads November 2016. She’s the Founder of PursueMagazine.net, a magazine that inspires teens to embrace their calling. She also enjoys helping writers achieve their dreams through her internship at Hartline Literary Agency.
Let’s talk about this: When our daughter was young, we sheltered her–in numerous ways. We homeschooled, and I was very careful about who she spent time with and what I allowed her to experience. But I didn’t do this on a whim. I knew this was how God was leading me. Fast forward to her seventh grade year, and suddenly, God turned the tables on me. He told me it was time to release her–to the public school arena. Again, I followed His leading, though I was terrified her innocence would be shattered along with her faith. The opposite happened–her faith and reliance on her Savior grew, and God gave her clear vision into her encounters. In other words, she began to see a clear distinction between good and evil, light and dark, and she was drawn to shine with the love and truth of Christ.
about sin and the wiles of the enemy.
fresh today as they were then. I learned first-hand about ways to minister to those caught in the web of sin. I learned what helps and what doesn’t.
that time. I was in shock. I was grieved beyond words. I could barely get through the days—going to work, cooking meals, being me. Those who were able to reassure me of their unconditional love were like healing balm to my raw heart. One woman said, “I don’t care what you did, I love you anyway.” Another stood in church beside me and read a verse of God’s redemption with a strong, firm voice. A man I barely knew wrote me a letter telling of the struggles in his own marriage and sending encouraging words filled with love. I’ll never forget those who acknowledged that I’d fallen, but loved me until the day I could stand again.
to minimize them. One friend said: “It will eventually be like a broken bone that’s healed. There will always be that knit-together place, that scar.” And he was right. The consequences were great. Innocent people were hurt. The ripples of the events traveled out to family members, friends and beyond. We lost people we loved. I had to face dark places in my own being that I’d ignored to my own hurt. To be honest, years and years have passed, but there are still awkward meetings with friends from those days—a wedding where we run into them, a funeral we don’t attend because we would run into them. It’s a sad fact that sin destroys. But…
my true identity as a beloved daughter of the King.
Today’s children are missing out on old-fashioned unstructured creative play. They seldom run and play outdoors. They don’t spend time building forts or making mud pies. Their primary choices involve computerized screentime. While computerized games and activities can be educational, they eat up the time that would otherwise be spent in active, kid-powered play—the work of childhood. Homegrown Family Fun: Unplugged offers hundreds of ways to encourage healthy play, both indoors and out. Find this helpful family resource at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Find Jan at 
Jan Pierce is a Christian wife, mother of two, grandmother of four little boys and a retired school teacher. She draws on her life experiences to write both fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of Homegrown Readers and the newly-released Homegrown Family Fun: Unplugged. Both available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Find Jan at