The Hardest Part

I mentioned that I'm reading a great book by Nicholeen Peck called A House United. Well, reading and re-reading. I love it. And I need lots of reminders. Anyway, in it, she tells a story of when her father asked her to swim the swimming leg of a triathalon in which he would bike and her sister would run. With some hesitation, she agreed and began her training. She had to swim in a green, murky lake and met up with many struggles along the way. However, because of her training and preparation, she finished in her goal time. As she and her father waited for her sister at the finish line, her dad put his arm around her and said, "You did the hardest part. You did what no one else wanted to do, and I love you for it." I sobbed when I read this part.

At one time or another aren't we all asked to do the hardest part? Do we accept the challenge? It is, after all, hard. But, won't it all be worth it when our Father puts His arm around each of us and says, "You did the hardest part. You did what no one else wanted to do, and I love you for it."?

Yes, I expect it will.