Beware of the cocoon.

I've had 3 different friends this week, refer to "the cocoon".

What cocoon? And why does this word keep popping up?

"you know, she likes to slip into her cocoon when life gets hard, and not let anyone in"

"she has closed herself off from everyone, and only comes out of her cocoon on occasion"

"it's almost like if I could stay in my cocoon, then I don't get hurt. No one knows I'm there, and no one can hurt me"

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*that* cocoon.

And then I read this very long and so heart wrenching blogspot from Heidi Swapp, just days after her son took his own life.
She blogged the events that unfolded in those days....probably so she could record them for her own keepsakes, but if I know her passion for memory-keeping like I think I do, she blogged this so that maybe it would keep someone else from slipping too far into their own cocoon / dark hole!

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And so I'm not sure why, but God has impressed this word on me, over and over.

And then tonight Rick Bezet spoke at church, and his message of words was so very spot on. (funny how God does that).

But he mostly spoke about using the tongue to pierce.

But my heart kept saying "use the words to love. use the words to nourish. use the words to help"

And then on the way home, that word cocoon came again, but God reminded me, that from the cocoon comes something beautiful. Something with wings. Something with passion and purpose.

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I pray today that I can be much better at using my words to help someone else find their wings and their passion...and even if they find themselves in the cocoon they can know it's not the end, but just the beginning of such a greater place!

After all the cocoon is a part of new birth, the beginning of a new season. A fresh start!

God has so much wonder planned for us all....if we will burst forth from the cocoon...and let Him use us for His glory.

What a great word for today.