Have you ever just wanted to be accepted by someone? Well, I have. At various times in my life I wanted just that. Maybe my entire life that is what I wanted, but there are certain events that I remember more than others. I remember my first day of Junior High School I stepped onto the bus and didn’t know anyone except my two sisters. Walking down the aisle of the bus looking for a seat was frightening. I can’t explain it because looking back on it I have no idea why I was afraid. I imagine my two sisters must haven gotten on the bus before me and found a seat and then I was left to find one on my own. I think of that day every time I watch the movie “Forest Gump” and he gets on the bus and as he walks down the aisle kids slide over in their seats toward the aisle and pronounce “this seat’s taken”. This continues until he comes to Jenny and she tells him he can sit with her. As I remember back to my own bus ride on that first day of Junior High I remember a 9th grade girl telling me I could sit with her. I’m sure she sensed my shyness as she introduced herself to me and spoke to me off-and-on during our ride to school. Her kindness helped me transition into adolescence. My next memory of trying to be accepted was when I was discovering what my talents were. I tried out for sports, cheer-leading and was in the band. I made the cut on the basketball team but mostly sat the bench. I did not make the cheer-leading squad but made friends with some of the girls who did because of the experience of try-outs. I was in the band partly because there were no try-outs. But I found music to be one of my loves. As I began my journey into the business world I found myself once again working toward acceptance. Being accepted by my co-workers, managers and even counter-parts in other parts of the Country was trying at times. But it all led to some wonderful life-long relationships. I look back on these years and am thankful for all of those experiences in my life as they have had an impact on who I am today. I am regretful; however, that I did not spend more time on building the one relationship that means the most. Being accepted by the One most high is becoming the desire of my heart and is growing stronger every day. Psalms 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” This is my plea. Let not any uttering of my tongue be displeasing to Him in whom I serve. Let the meditation of my heart be all about my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I encourage other women to pray with me to be accepted of God and grow in Him daily. May Godly women rise up and be strengthened in Him.