Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. So the man decided to help the butterfly, he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.
"I want to thank you for the gift of a prayer shawl. I have found it extremely comforting & find that when I'm at home, I want it close by. I will be heading to Florida for surgery in April & will be taking my shawl with me. I know a couple of people right now who could use such a gift so may get my knitting needles busy!"
- W.B.,whose husband died recently
"I received a very pleasant surprise today. One of your shawls. It was the most beautiful and touching thing that anyone has done for me in a very long time. I'm glad that I am not writing on paper because you would see the teardrops. I was so very touched to know that someone would do this and pray for me....Thank you so very much."
- Lori T, cancer survivor
"Thank you so much for the "Shawl of Hope". It came just at a time that I felt sad & lonely. When I put it on it feels so right. It must be the prayers that go with it. God must be happy with the work you do, because I sure am. I'll keep you in my prayers."
- Shawl recipient whose husband is terminally ill
"In October of 2007, Margaret R, a neighbour from my childhood days, received a terminal cancer diagnosis. Although she was an 83 year old war bride, this was an emotional challenge for her, yet she was counting her blessings. A few days later, I presented her with a shawl & because she seemed reluctant to put it on, I silently wondered whether she was accepting of our gift. But the following day & during successive visits, we'd find her sitting in bed & wrapped in her shawl. If she wasn't wearing it, it was always within sight & went wherever she would go.
Just 3 months later she died & within hours, her daughter telephoned to share some special information. She reminded me of the comfort her mother had felt from her shawl & that, when not on her, it always lay nearby. For those reasons, as Margaret was dying, the shawl had been placed on her pillow & was tranferred to her coffin, resting beneath her hands. Although the gift of her shawl was a simple gesture, it had fulfilled its objective ..... offering prayerful support, compassion, encouragement & hope."
- Helen Knowles, Co-Founder, Shawls of Hope
"You'll never know how much I appreciated receiving the pink shawl you sent. I wrapped myself in it & the tears started to come. I have very seldom given myself the luxury of shedding tears since my cancer diagnosis but they flowed that day, a cleansing cry".
- S. H., a cancer survivor
"I never dreamed of receiving such a gift, so full of comfort, love & prayers. I know this shawl is just the thing to keep me warm, the soul as well as the body. I could feel the caring that goes into every stitch & I will never forget the feeling, as I opened the parcel that day. I couldn't believe that someone had done that for me!"
- E. A., a grieving widow
"Thank you so much for the gift of hope. God sends people like you to carry us through our troubles & pain."
- V.R., a bereaved daughter
"I want to thank you for the prayer shawl & I will wear it with pride. It makes me feel very warm inside knowing there are still people that are true to the belief of prayers. Each chance I wear my shawl ,you will be in my thoughts & make my heart smile. Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."
- excerpts from a note by T.C., cancer survivor
My days were dark and dreary
My hopes were small and wee
And I was filled with sadness
Then the knitters thought of me
A shawl was knit for someone in need
By loving hands - A thoughtful deed
A final blessing - Who will it be?
Then the knitters thought of me
Now I am filled with warmth and love
With hopes and encouragement from above
A positive way to help with grieving
Thanks to the knitters who keep me believing
I do appreciate your kindness
As I am sure that others do
The "Shawls of Hope" is a sign from God
Thanks to all of you.
- Poem written by shawl recipient, E.S.
"It is nice to see the pleasure these shawls bring to people. It made me go out today and buy more yarn. Something strange is happening to me. I almost had to give up knitting completely because of my arthritis. I got so sore when I knit.... but not so, when I knit these shawls. I can't explain it, but as long as I am not sore, I will keep knitting. It's one of my favorite passtimes and I was missing it so much. God works in mysterious ways".
-J.L.W., a Shawls of Hope knitter
"Thanks so much for the blanket. Just the idea that it was made by a caring person, soothes my heart & lessens my grief."
- D.C, a widower
Having learned of a six-year old girl, diagnosed with an incurable disease, we decided to give her a Shawls of Hope blanket. M.M. has Juvenile Dermatomyositus, which results in a variety of restrictions & ongoing medical treatment, including steroids & chemotherapy. She is very ill, yet a vibrant child, who was delighted when she received her blanket. It was yellow (her favorite color) & she immediately wrapped herself in it. She said things like:
"It's soooo soft ...... my grandmother knit me socks but they weren't this soft!"
"Mommy, can I take this to bed every night?"
"Mommy, can I take my blanket on the train next week when we go to the I.W.K.?"
"Mommy, can I go to bed right now?"
It was early afternoon. Most kids don't want to go to bed at the required time so why would M.M. want to go to bed, right now? Obviously, she wanted to try out her new blanket & was seen heading to her bedroom, where she remained. We had hoped that our gift, interwoven with love & prayer, would become a security blanket for this special child, in just the same way that our shawls provide comfort & encouragement. Well, our hopes have been fulfilled! A recent chat with her mother reassured me that M.M. loves her blanket & it has comforted her from the very beginning. Insomina is a side effect from M.M.'s medical treatment but instead of her usual 3-hour sleep, that first night she slept for 6 hours covered by her "brave blanket", as she calls it. She has actually removed other bedding from her bed so that our gift is the only remaining blanket. M.M. & her new blanket are inseparable!
- Helen Knowles, Shawls of Hope Co-Founder
"I can't tell you how very, very special this blanket is to all of us! My son's face lit up as he opened the parcel. This will truly be something that he will treasure and that will go with him throughout his journey. What more can we ask than that he would be wrapped constantly in prayer?"
- J.G., mother of child awaiting double lung transplant
A lady, grieving the tragic death of her aunt, says:"The day you delivered my shawl was my mother's birthday & since her death a few years ago, it was a day I always had lunch with my aunt. Sitting at home that evening, with the shawl wrapped around my shoulders, made me feel as though I was getting a warm hug from each of them."
