I’ve had this love for yellow Eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies ever since I can remember. It always seemed like they followed me. When my great grandmother was in the hospital, she had pulled my sister aside and shared with her: “When I die, I’ll come back as a yellow butterfly.” Ever since my sister shared that with us, our family has thought of my great grandmother when we would see one. 

Whether I would be on my high school campus, my college campuses, on a walk outside, you name it, it seemed like the same yellow butterfly would be following me, hovering by me, and watching me. It would happen without me ever even looking for them. They would just appear. I started to notice the appearances more often when I was at Fresno State. I would be walking to get food or sitting on a bench, and out of nowhere, there it was. A yellow Eastern tiger swallowtail. There was one moment in particular that still rings in my mind. My friend, whom I met in a dance class, was having a hard day. After class, they bolted and when I walked out of the classroom, I could see them sitting outside with their head down, back against the wall, and their headphones on. I had something to take care of really quick, but I prayed in that moment that if I was meant to talk to them, then the Lord would allow them to still be there when I got back and that their headphones would be off of their ears. So I walked down the hall of the building, did what I had to do, walked back, and low and behold, the person was still sitting there and their headphones were off. I walked outside, sat next to them, and listened to their story. Eventually, they felt better and while we were still chatting, a yellow Eastern tiger swallowtail flew right next to us, so close that it was within arm’s reach. That’s when I knew this was no coincidence. 

During that same week, I had a chat with my close friend who has been walking with the Lord for some time. They have helped me on my spiritual journey, and I knew I could trust their opinion. I shared with them how I see this specific kind of yellow butterflies very often, and what my great grandmother had shared. They shared something that opened my eyes like never before. They said: “I feel the Lord telling me to share that it’s Him.” Right at that moment, I understood. God has been showing me that He is with me! When I would see these yellow butterflies, I would feel peace, which already made sense that it was God because with God there is peace.

Recently, I was walking outside to talk with my mom when she called out to me: “There’s a yellow butterfly in the grass. I must have accidentally hit it with water when I was watering.” I walked over and there it was, sitting in the grass. I bent down, and it clung to my finger. It stayed on my finger, drying its wings off for twenty minutes! It didn’t seem afraid of me. In fact, it seemed safe with me. While I was holding it, I kept praying and asking God what this could mean. All I truly felt was peace and comfort. It felt as though all time had stopped in that moment. Out of all the yards and all the people, this butterfly, or rather the Lord, had chosen me! After those twenty minutes, the butterfly eventually had dry wings again and flew off. I found out later that it was a female butterfly because she had orange and blue spots on the lower edge of her hind wings. 

I probably sound crazy for thinking that these butterflies following me represent the Lord. But, how could they not be a sign of Him? As Romans 1:20 states: “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” God made everything, and therefore is in everything. Whether it’s even possible for my great grandmother to come back to earth as the butterfly she said she would, it’s unclear. It isn’t stated in the Bible. But what I do believe is God exists within His creation. God is able to do anything and use anything He wants. If there is one thing you get out of writing this from me, I want you to know God is real. He isn’t some made up being. He exists and is always wanting to reveal Himself to you. He might do it in the form of conversations with people, a sermon you hear in church service, or butterflies. Regardless of how He does it, this is my evidence to you that God speaks to us. 

Are you open to His voice?

- Taylor Reed