Motivational Story for Motivational Mondays...er Tuesdays???

I am a day late...again.  Mostly
because it's summer and I'm lazy but also because this week I don't have a story to post.  I am hoping that someone who has been reading these stories will come forth with a share of their own.  So many of us have stories to share, have a trial from our lives that changed us forever.  I really want to share yours.  So PLEASE send me an email with yours (jodietummers@gmail.com)..no matter how much like me you are... 'there's nothing inspirational about me or my life/my story'...please just share your journey with us here.
For today I thought I'd share this story I came across and reflect a bit on it after wards.  I totally scammed it off someone's blog... so I give that person the credit for the pictures...

The Story of the Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.
One day a small opening appeared.
He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours
as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.
Then it stopped, as if it couldn’t go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and
snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.
The butterfly emerged easily but
it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it,

expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge
and expand enough to support the body,
Neither happened!
In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life
crawling around.
It was never able to fly.

What the man, in sincere kindness and  goodwill, did not understand was that the restricting chrysallis and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were the One's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the chrysallis. Sometimes, 

                       struggles 

                               are exactly 

                                        what we need 

                                                    in our life.

If God allowed us to go through our life  

without any obstacles, 

                          ...it would  cripple us. 

We would not be as strong as we could have been. 

                          We would never be able to fly.

Our struggles do make us stronger.  I have another TTTS mommy friend who hates when people tell her she is so strong because she doesn't think she is strong nor did she want to be 'strong'.  But more then that, she says she had that strength in her with our without the trial of losing her boys...as do we all.  And while I agree with what she is saying and agree that I didn't necessarily WANT this trial I am very glad that the Lord didn't cut away my chrysallis and help me out of my trial.  Instead God gave me Jesus to walk with me and hold my hand as I struggled through the trial that TTTS, loss, medical crisis and prematurity was and is.  God could have taken that trial from me.  He could have saved my son, He could have kept TTTS from my life.  Heck He could have just given me a singleton pregnancy.  But He didn't.  He gave me the trial and He's given me so much growth, so much courage, so many words, thoughts and insights to share.  He's given me motivation to work for change, for awareness, for support and funds to help others.  He's just given and given to me and I hope that I am giving back to Him.
TTTS did not cripple me, nor have any of the other struggles in my family's life.. job instability, mental health issues, financial struggles, marital struggles.  He's taken none of those from me but instead, through prayer, through scripture and through the amazing friends He's placed in my life I am coming out strong...I am flying!!!