They say the butterfly effect is when something small — like the flap of a butterfly’s wing — sets off a chain of events that can shift everything.

But as I sat talking with my husband this past Sunday, I realized it’s more than just chance. For me, it’s been God’s hand in the details, using even the tiniest moments to weave the story of our lives together.

The Choice That Changed Everything

My husband told me how, when he first arrived at Job Corps, he felt so out of place he almost left. He even called his mom to come pick him up. But she didn’t.

And in that pause — in her “no” — the door was left open for me to walk in. I arrived after him, and eventually, that’s where we met.

But here’s my side: I almost didn’t go either.

My best friend and I had planned to go together, but at the last minute she chose a different path. I was torn between staying in a familiar comfort zone or stepping into the unknown alone. One overwhelming shift at McDonald’s pushed me to quit my job, and with no other plan in sight, I chose Job Corps.

That one decision not only changed the course of my future, but it placed me exactly where I needed to be — even though I didn’t know it yet.

When Paths Cross Quietly

At Job Corps, I found my footing, became a student mentor, and that’s when I really noticed him. At first, we were just quiet companions, calling each other “best friend” as a safe way of holding space.

Life eventually pulled us apart. But somehow, it kept pulling us back together in unexpected ways — through surgeries, storms, broken friendships, and some of the darkest seasons of my life.

Each time, it was like God whispered, check on him, reach out, keep the thread alive.

The “What Ifs”

Looking back now, I see the countless “what ifs.”

What if his mom had picked him up? What if I stayed at McDonald’s? What if my best friend had come with me? What if I never sent that message, never checked in after the tornado?

Every small choice, every detour, every heartbreak — all of it could have shifted the story. But somehow, each moment curved us back toward one another.

The Butterfly and God’s Timing

So is it the butterfly effect? Maybe.

But I believe it’s more than that. It’s God.

The One who can take the flap of a butterfly’s wing, the sting of loss, the ache of waiting — and turn it into a love story.

And just as I was sitting with my husband, thinking isn’t this the butterfly effect? … a butterfly flew past us. Right on time.

I don’t think it was an accident. I think it was God’s reminder:

Every step, every stumble, every small choice has always been leading you right here — to the place I’ve prepared for you.

Because love, when it’s meant for you, will always find its way home. 🦋