Burning Butterflies

Just Drink The Kool-Aid So We Can Teach Kids About Jesus

Chapter 4, Episode 4
In this episode, we take a look back at the summer of 2017 during Vacation Bible School—a chaotic, high-stakes week meant to be about introducing kids to Jesus. For Amanda, however, it became more about navigating tense dynamics among the volunteers and doing everything in her power to get people to work together. While on the surface it looked like a mission for faith, deep down, Amanda’s real goal was to win the approval of Tom and Charlotte.
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Melissa's Jubilee: It Was Never About Froggy

Chapter 4, Episode 3
The 2017 women’s retreat, called Jubilee, was meant to celebrate “joy in the Lord”—but for Melissa, it became the site of a soul-wrenching revelation. In this first retreat Amanda did not attend in over a decade, Melissa took the stage to praise God for restoring her marriage. She spoke passionately about the joy of rescuing her husband from his life of addiction and crime. But while Melissa shared her testimony, Froggy was nowhere near “rescued.” He was still entangled in a dark web of drugs, deceit, and dangerous relationships.
As Melissa reflects on the retreat and her overwhelming desire to save Froggy, she realizes something surprising about her motives and where her faith had actually taken her. This episode dives into Melissa's emotional journey and the shocking twist that reshaped her understanding of "rescue" and "joy."

Hopeful Beginnings: Amanda's Affirmation

Chapter 4, Episode 2
In this episode of Burning Butterflies, Amanda takes us back to the beginning of 2017, a time when everything seemed to be falling into place.
 
With Pastor Young Gun's affirmation and support, Amanda is thriving as the co-lead of the children's ministry. Together, they work tirelessly to launch a new church initiative aimed at bringing families closer together through shared faith and activities. Amanda is full of hope, believing that this new ministry will be her chance to make a real difference. But will it last?
 
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Melissa Living in Fear: Froggy Throws the Mask Away

Chapter 4, Episode 1
In this Chapter 4 premiere, the ladies dive into the unraveling of Froggy's life and the impact it had on his marriage to Melissa. In the beginning of 2017, Melissa lost her father, which ultimately reveals the cracks in Froggy's mask. As his drug use becomes more prevalent, Melissa is brought to the breaking point and asks Tom to come and remove Froggy from her home.
 
Don't miss the companion Patreon episode where Melissa opens up about who Froggy truly was behind closed doors, sharing the chilling reality of living with him and the growing fear she faced for her own life.
 
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
 
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Chapter 4: The Re-Tweet

In this mini-sode introducing Chapter 4, Melissa and Amanda give you a peek into Chapter 4, why they call it the "Re-Tweet" and foreshadow just what is about to come!

Months of Insanity: The End of Chapter 3

Chapter 3, Episode 16
In this episode of Burning Butterflies, Amanda and Melissa dive into the whirlwind that was the final months of 2016.
They recount the escalating infighting within the church, the growing tension between key leaders, and the emotional ordination of Pastor Young Gun. As they close out Chapter 3 of their story, they reflect on the emotional toll these events took on them and their community. The episode ends with an exciting sneak peek into Chapter 4, where even more secrets will unravel, setting the stage for what’s to come.
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
 
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Marriages on Fire: The Flames We Didn't Ask For

Chapter 3, Episode 15
 
Join Amanda and Melissa as they take a deep dive into a marriage ministry the church attempted to implement, which spiraled out of control almost immediately. What started as a well-intentioned effort to strengthen the marriages within the congregation quickly turned into a disaster that did far more harm than good.
 
The idea was simple: weekly workshops designed to help married couples rekindle their love, navigate challenges, and build a faith-centered partnership. However, the lack of communication between leadership leads to other ministries being effected.
 
Things took a turn for the bizarre when an older woman in the church took it upon herself to intervene in the marriages of the younger couples. Her meddling started with unsolicited advice but soon escalated into something much more uncomfortable.
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
 
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The Price of Ignorance: Melissa’s Hell, Amanda’s Detachment

Chapter 3, Episode 14
 
In this gripping episode, Melissa breaks her silence about the summer she vanished from VBS without warning, leaving everyone scrambling to pick up the pieces. The ladies unpack the personal turmoil Melissa was facing at the time, shedding light on the real reason for her sudden disappearance. Meanwhile, Amanda reflects on how, at the time, she was too distracted by the unraveling of her friendship with the children's ministry leader to fully see what Melissa was going through.
 
But the story doesn't end there. Just weeks after the VBS incident, Froggy shows his true nature in a shocking public display. Desperate for help, Melissa turned to the church, only to have Tom step in, shutting down any attempt to offer her support and sweeping the abuse under the rug.
 
This episode pulls back the curtain on the toxic dynamics at play, exposing the cracks in both the leadership and the friendships that held everything together.
 
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
 
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Celebrate Sisterhood: The Retreat That Broke Us

Chapter 3, Episode 13
 
In this explosive episode of Burning Butterflies, we dive into the chaos of the Celebrate Sisterhood Women's Retreat—a weekend meant for bonding, healing, and sisterhood that instead became a battlefield of emotions. Petty grievances turning into full-blown conflicts, revealing the cracks in friendships that once felt unbreakable.
 
Charolette weaves her way through all the drama, subtly manipulating situations to her advantage, leaving a trail of fractured relationships in her wake and Amanda getting screamed at by Tom. Buckle up for a raw and unfiltered look at the retreat that broke us apart.
 
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
 
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Marriage Conference Madness: Moms Gone Wild

Chapter 3, Episode 12
 
Pastor Young Gun sees a need to strengthen marriages within the church and brings the idea of a marriage conference to the leadership team. Newly licensed Pastor Vanilla, eager to prove himself, suggests a ministry he's previously participated in, but Tom quickly shuts it down, insisting that the only acceptable resource comes from Come As You Are. Determined to take control, Tom decides to "write" his own conference, but when the big day arrives, everything quickly unravels.
 
Childcare is in disarray, with Brandi being the only adult in the room. As dinner is served for the conference goers, an argument breaks out in the sanctuary, spilling into the gym. Brandi is left trying to keep the peace as emotions run high, and punches nearly fly between a group of women.
 
Burning Butterflies is a listener supported podcast. Please check out our Patreon to learn more about how you too can support what we are doing!
 
Please help us share our story with others! Follow us on FB, Insta or TikTok. Subscribe so you won't miss new episodes and don't forget to leave us a rating!