<< Go Back

Bella's Beautiful Miracle, A Caterpillar's Journey

By Kimberly Novak

Order Now!

Chapter One Bella's Storm

Bella, the caterpillar, led a joyful and inspired life; her personality was vibrant and colored her beautifully. Happy and content with everything, nothing surprised her more than the day her storm blew in. Bella had
spent her day among friends and family, admiring the flowers’ beauty while running and playing in the park near the tree which she called home. As evening approached, she exchanged hugs, said good night, and headed home.

Thankful to rest all sixteen of her feet, Bella lay down upon a leaf in her favorite tree and closed her eyes. Bella had only been asleep for a brief moment when suddenly the branches on the tree began to move. There must be a storm coming from the forest, she thought to herself. Bella had been through enough storms to know it would soon pass, so she repositioned herself to fall back asleep. Having many legs did not make Bella a giant caterpillar; her body was not much bigger than the leaf that she slept on. Even so, she had been able to hold her ground through most storms.

Suddenly, Bella awakened at the sound of a thunderclap and a streak of light in the sky. Fear bubbled up within her, and with each gust of wind, she crouched down closer to the tree. Bella looked up to the sky and thought, If the rain comes down any harder, I could drown in a puddle on my leaf. In a flash, it seemed that Bella’s entire world was one big storm cloud, and it was taking over all that she knew and loved. As the storm continued, Bella wondered if her friends and family were okay and wished she wasn’t in her tree alone. All Bella could do was keep her eyes closed, hold on tight, and wait for the storm to pass.

Occasionally, Bella would quickly open her eyes to check on her surroundings.
In one instance, Bella was stunned at the sight of herself.

“Oh, no,” she cried out. “My colors have faded, and my stripes are going away. Please help me! Can anyone hear me?”

Bella felt strange. Giving up was not normal behavior for Bella, but this storm was different. If it did not end quickly, Bella feared she would lose everything.

Memories of Bella’s life flooded her mind as she lay coiled up in the leaf. A particular memory that kept bubbling up was one of a much younger Bella. She saw herself as a child praying and completely comforted by God. Bella tried her best to recall how to pray and shouted into the wind, “God, you haven’t heard from me in a long time, but I need You. Can You save me?”

Hoping God heard her cry, she took in one more deep breath and closed her eyes as tight as possible. At the same time, a big gust of wind forced Bella to snuggle tighter against her leaf. As the thunder clapped and the winds circled, Bella hoped the tree would not let her go. The force of the wind was more than she had ever felt before. All at once, Bella’s leaf broke loose, forcing her into the air, through the park, and into the Royal Forest. Panicked and having lost complete control, Bella closed her eyes and cried until the storm and Bella finally came to a stop. At that moment, Bella feared everything she knew about herself was gone.

The storm stripped Bella of not only her colors but also her faith and self- esteem. All that made Bella the vibrant, cheerful caterpillar everyone knew her to be was lost. Eventually, Bella slowly uncurled her body and hesitantly opened her eyes. It was hard for Bella to see because there was a bright light surrounding her. Bella focused her eyes the best she could, but all that she could make out was that nothing was familiar. Exhausted, Bella whispered, “Where am I?”

“You are with me,” an unknown voice quickly responded. “I’m down here, underneath you.”

Just then, the place where Bella had landed began to slowly move. “Oh, no,” exclaimed Bella. “I’m moving again. I don’t think I can survive another storm!”

“Relax,” replied the voice. “You are okay. You have landed safely with me.”

Bella could not imagine what she could have landed on that could be talking to her. Puzzled, Bella rolled over and positioned herself to see what was underneath her. As Bella lowered her face, the fog from the light began to move away, making things much clearer for Bella. Looking back at her were two large eyes, and attached to the eyes was a snail.

The snail giggled at the expression on Bella’s face. “Who are you?” Bella asked.

“I am Mira,” replied the snail. “You must be Bella.”

Instantly, Bella’s expression changed from surprise to confusion. “I literally just dropped from the clouds; how could you know who I am?” Bella asked.
“Let’s just say a little birdy told me that you would be stopping by,” said Mira.

“I don’t see how that is possible. I got lost in the storm. It’s not like anyone knew I was coming,” Bella said.

“There is time for all of that later. Come down from my shell, and let’s have a look at you,” said Mira.

Bella stretched out her many legs and climbed down off Mira’s shell. “I’m afraid I’m not looking very well since the storm,” she said.

“Things are looking pretty good from where I’m standing,” said Mira.

“You need your eyes checked,” said Bella, and she inched closer so that Mira
could see her better. “Look at me; I’m all faded and broken. And look at you! Every coil around your shell is so pretty and colorful. Oh, how I wish I could feel as good as you look.”

“Settle down, beautiful Bella. You look just as you should, considering everything that has happened,” Mira replied.

Bella felt embarrassed by the compliment and quickly changed the subject, “The light is so bright here! Are we in heaven?”

Mira gave Bella a loving smile. “No, my dear, we are not in heaven,” she said. “You have landed not only on my back but also on my path. I have much to show you as we journey.”

Just then, Bella noticed how comforted she was by the sound of Mira’s voice. It provided peace within her. She wondered how she could be suddenly swept away by the presence of Mira, whom she barely knew.

As Bella grew more relaxed, Mira saw this was a good time for some direction. “I have been traveling this route alone for a while, and I could use a companion,” she said.

“Are you suggesting I go with you somewhere?” Bella asked.

“Yes,” replied Mira. “I am inviting you on a journey,” Mira explained that the forest was full of different paths, many of which held adventure and surprise. However, all Bella could see was a single dirt road surrounded by the leaves the storm blew in. On the other hand, Mira seemed to know a lot more about the forest than she did. Fearful of being alone, Bella trusted Mira and agreed to stick with her.

Bella hopped on Mira’s shell, and they made their way through the mess the storm had layered upon the path. Bella sat tall to get a bird’s eye view of what was up ahead while Mira carried her slowly. They remained quiet, trekking through the debris until they had gotten past the worst of it. Bella spoke up once they came to a clearing.

“I miss my home,” she said.

Mira paused. “Stick with me, kid; you are not alone,” she said. “Even though this path is unfamiliar, it is full of blessings and surprises.”

Bella wondered why Mira would want to do that for her; after all, they had just met. Suddenly, all sorts of questions popped up in Bella’s mind, and she could not hold them back any longer. Without restraint, Bella blurted them all out. “Mira, are we going to find a place to stay? Where does this path lead? When will we arrive?”

“You have just been through a traumatic event and have many questions,” replied Mira. “Stay close and trust while we travel at a slow and steady pace.”

Mira knew there would be time to answer Bella’s questions later. The daylight was beginning to fade, and they needed to find a place to sleep. Bella continued to ride on Mira’s shell and hoped Mira would not mind one more question. “Hey, Mira,” she blurted out. “I was wondering, don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”

“Nope,” Mira replied. “As I said earlier, I was expecting you.”

Mira looked back to see confusion written all over Bella’s face. She took some time to explain what she meant. “You see, when the storm came in, I had a feeling that something, or someone, would be coming my way. Then you landed on my shell and looked like you had been through something challenging.”

Bella looked away as her eyes welled up with tears at the memory of all she had endured. Mira sensed that Bella did not want her emotions to be so apparent and thought it best to talk about something more light-hearted. “I bet you haven’t had anything to eat since before the storm,” she said.

Bella thought about it. “I am kind of hungry,” she admitted, “but I’m still a little shaken up. It might not be the best time for food.”

“Oh, we will not be filling your tummy,” replied Mira. “On our travels, your mind and heart will fill with the fruit of the vine. Grace from the Holy Spirit will come upon you in the form of love, joy, peace, kindness, and many other virtues. All of these precious gifts from God will feed your soul.”

“I must have landed in a completely different world because I have no idea what you are talking about,” Bella said, completely mystified.

“That’s okay,” Mira replied. “It is not supposed to make sense to you just yet. Hey, that is enough for today, you have been through a lot, and I’m feeling a little sluggish.” At a snail’s stride, they headed toward a bush on the side of the path. Mira thought it would be a cozy spot to rest for a while.

“Mira, I’m glad I landed on you. I have never been through a storm like this before, and I’m thankful that you caught me and broke my fall,” Bella said as they settled in.

“The light sent me to where you would land, and I am glad too,” Mira replied. “Sleep now, my little one. Tomorrow is not far away.”

“Will you be with me the whole journey?” asked Bella.

Mira snuggled close to Bella. “Of course I will,” she said. “God sent me to meet you right where you are.”

“You mean the little birdy?” asked Bella.

Mira smiled. “There is enough time for that later,” she said. “Close your eyes and think happy thoughts. Tomorrow will be a brighter day.”

Mira was content enough to close her eyes and quickly drift off to sleep. However, Bella had so many thoughts racing through her mind that only her body rested. She thought about how beautiful and joyful Mira was and wondered what she would have to do to feel and look that way. She pondered how God sent Mira to find her when He did not hear her cries for His help. For now, the only hope Bella had was in her new friend Mira. Bella closed her eyes. I better get some sleep, she thought. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be another long day.

Order Now!

<< Go Back