What is a Recycled Woman?

Recycled Women remind me of beautiful butterflies because they have a sense of freedom and spirit that is captivating, they know who they are and what they want. They know where they have been and know where not to return. They are willing to live life to its fullest and are willing to fight for who they are and what they believe. They all have scars that are hidden in their hearts that you can not see, and although healing has taken place, they are forever there as gentle reminders of past hurts and mistakes.

Recycled Women come in all shapes, ages, sizes and color. They all have a unique story and set of circumstances that we believe was originally set up to destroy them and discourage them from pursuing their God given purpose, but these ladies walked through their circumstances and came out stronger, wiser and prepared for helping others.

They are women from all walks of life, different religious upbringings and ideals and backgrounds who have taken every breath within them to transform their often horrific lives into lives worth living. They are living, walking testimonies of how life’s circumstances whether invited or uninvited can pave the road to many poor decisions that can lead into addictions of every evil sort, destroy precious relationships, lead to low self esteem, bitterness, unforgiveness and self hate.

Yes regardless of how long it took, these ladies were willing to get back into their cocoon, gain the strength to face the truth, accept responsibility for their choices and heal in God’s word. By doing this, they were transformed into that beautiful butterfly, they were originally intended to be. Free from the cocoon!!! Yes, the story of the butterfly is one to take heed too. Let me show the similarities and let you decide……….


Why do butterflies remind me of a Recycled Woman? First the caterpillar is just a caterpillar. It is a baby insect that genetically knows it will grow into a butterfly and has a process it must go through, but has no experience as a butterfly yet. When we are born, genetically we will grow in age, yet we depend on our parents to prepare our cocoon (home) for us to protect, feed and nurture us, hopefully with a good dose of encouraging us to become what God has intended us to become.

Again, the caterpillar has its cocoon to grow in, we on the other hand have our homes. The cocoons other purpose is to protect the caterpillar from harmful outside elements and predators who want to kill and eat the caterpillar. If the caterpillar falls prey to outside elements or if a predator breaks into the cocoon, the end result – No Butterfly.

Like the Cocoon, our homes are meant to be places of safety and to keep the outside elements and predators out, yet homes of many Recycled Women (not all) were not safe. They were filled with no protection from outside elements (such as alcohol, drugs, pornography, gluttony, you name it). Many of these homes also contained predators (family, neighbors, friends, etc.) that took away the very innocence of these children. The result – a damaged child – like a damaged caterpillar unable to fly.

When the caterpillar begins to grow its wings within the cocoon it becomes cramped within the cocoon and begins to try to bust out. During this exercise, the caterpillar gains strength in its wings so it is able to fly. If someone opens the cocoon to let the butterfly out, it will die because the wings will not be strong enough to carry its weight in the air. God purposed that struggle for the caterpillar within that cocoon to gain the strength to survive and fly away as a beautiful butterfly.

This is the part that makes Recycled Women so beautiful. She reaches a point in her life that she desires to be free. Free from all the guilt, condemnation, bitterness, unforgiveness, self hate and low self esteem. She understands that she has choices to make and that choices have power. She understands that there will be a painful and sometimes brutal struggle within her flesh and spirit to grow her wings and be free from all the strongholds and bondages that hold her captive within the cocoon. She is willing to endure the pain to face the truth in order to gain her freedom and fly away with beauty and confidence. She understands that her life will stay the same and not change until she takes on the struggle. She understands that you either choose death or you choose life with each decision you make. She chose life. She knows that you can become bitter or better. She chose better.

I am one of many Recycled Woman with a story to share (at another time) who have earned her wings. My transformation began when I realized I could not do it on my own, regardless with how many 12 step programs I joined or how much I called out to a higher power with no name – I tried and kept failing for years. When I truly surrendered to my King of King and Lord and Lords Jesus Christ, is when the transformation began. At a point of complete breakdown with my arms extended into the air, not really knowing too much about who He was or what the Bible had to say he was, I asked for him to take control of my life and to save me. Otherwise I no longer desired to live. He showed up and gave me the strength and grace I needed to look into my past, accept the unacceptable and to forgive the unforgiveable. Although it was not an overnight process and will continue until the day I meet him in heaven, I am forever grateful to be a Recycled Woman.

Join us at www.recycledwomen.com for more stories and upcoming events that will forever change your thinking about life or maybe a circumstance that you are dealing with. In the meantime, don’t forget to enjoy the butterflies…