making it across.

i volunteer at my church on wednesdays as a leader of a group of high school girls and last week one of the youth pastors shared a beautiful story i knew i wanted to remember...
she (kathy) said when she was a teenager she went on a hiking trip with her best friend and her friend's very fit grandparents.  they were crossing a river on some rocks, taking big steps as they went from one rock to the next, putting long sticks into the water for balance.  kathy had already made it across along with her friend and her friend's grandpa.  her friend's grandma was the last one to cross.  she was about halfway across when she looked up, straight at her husband, with a look that said i don't know if i can do this.  in that very second, he dropped everything, all of his bags, and jumped into the water coming up to his chest, walked over to her and held his hand up to her so she could make it across.  and he hiked the rest of the day in wet clothes.
tears were brimming in my eyes as kathy looked intently at all of us saying that is what God is like.  no hesitation.  no question.  no "are you serious?  you can't do this?  ugh, fine, i'll be right there."  we look at Him with our fears and hesitations and He's there.  wading in the water for us, inconveniencing Himself, sacrificing Himself, taking our hand.
had to share it.