"The tiny plant answered at once in a tone as golden as itself; ‘Behold me! My name is Acceptance-with-Joy.’ After meeting this flower Much Afraid thought "HE has brought me here when I did not want to come for his own purposes. I, too, will look up into his face and say, ‘Behold me! I am thy little handmaiden Acceptance-with-Joy.’"

This would be a good place to let you know what happen after I found out I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I was only days away from returning to college and couldn’t get out of the armchair. I was too tired to use the remote control. I knew I had to decide whether to go back to school or take off the semester. I agonized over this. I had so many good friends, I was on time to graduate, I would be student teaching in the spring. I HATED the thought of graduating in December without my friends. Just thinking about it made me sick to the stomach.

Then! I remembered the little flower, named Acceptance-With-Joy and I knew what I had to do. It was the one of the hardest things I ever said to God. I told him that if HE wanted me to stay home, I would surrender my will and accept it with joy—eventually. Oddly enough the next day I started to feel better! The final decision was my dad’s, he said go back for 2 weeks and see how you feel. I was able to stay. Though some symptoms lingered, my health improved through prayer, herbs and diet. Sickness was the last thing I thought the Lord would use on me, but through it I did learn Acceptance-With-Joy. Now when I hear someone say something that disappoints me or something doesn’t turn out like I hoped, I remember that little flower and the lesson in its name. It doesn’t happen over night but with prayer there can be acceptance with joy.

Prayer: Dear God I know there have been times in my life when I just accepted things as your will. From now on Lord, let me accept your will with JOY even if it hurts initially. I know that "all things work together for the good for those that love you (GOD) and are called according to your purposes." (Romans 8:28) Sometimes those "things" don’t make me happy, but Lord I know your will is perfect just help me to accept it with joy.