A Little Flower With A Will Of Steel

Dear readers:

One of the things I love so much about St. Therese is that she was very sweet and gentle, but she had a will of steel. When the Carmelite convent refused Therese as a young teenager, she approached the bishop. When he said no, she went over his head as well...in Rome to the pope himself! Therese, who was once so shy, knew what she wanted and went after it with all of her might. And at the young age of fifteen, she entered Carmel, which would never have happened if not for her determination. I love the contrast between a little flower at God's feet and a strong, young woman who had the persistence to follow God's call.

Like Grandma Rosemary told Olivia, there is a resemblance between Olivia and St. Therese. Olivia is shy, too. (Remember her on the first day of school as she stood to face her new classmates?) But being gentle souls like Therese and Olivia does not mean you have to be taken advantage of or stepped on. Olivia eventually finds the courage to stand up for what she believes in and stand up for Chad and Jenna.

You know what else is gentle but powerful too? Prayer. Watch how powerful that can be!