^“ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

I was sent this story which I had not heard in a while so I thought I would share it as the moral is timely.

A rich man had only one daughter. When the daughter was ready for marriage, the father sent news around the town that all the eligible young men should come to compete in a test which would determine who was fit to marry his daughter.

On that day all the able-bodied young men came out. Some came with paper and pen and others with cutlasses and swords. The rich man took the men to his swimming pool and addressed them: “Any of you who can swim from one end of this swimming pool to the other will marry my daughter. In addition, I'll give him 15million dollars, a car and a house so they can start life well. I shall be waiting to meet my son-in-law at the other end. Good luck!”

As the young men, all very excited at the prospect of winning, started taking off their shirts, a helicopter came over the pool and dropped alligators and crocodiles into the pool. Immediately, all the men turned back and started putting their shirts back on. Disappointed, some of them said, “That's crazy, let’s see who would marry that girl, no one will!”

All of a sudden, they heard a splash in the pool.

Everybody watched in amazement as one gentleman struggled his way across, avoiding the alligators and crocodiles. Finally, he made it to the other side. The rich man could not believe it. He asked the young man to name anything he wanted but the man was still panting uncontrollably. Finally, he got back to his senses and shouted,

''SHOW ME THE PERSON WHO PUSHED ME INSIDE THIS POOL!'

Moral: You do not know what you are capable of doing, until you are PUSHED!

Sometimes it takes going through the bad moments to bring out the best in us.

Trials are raw materials for triumphant testimonies. The push might take different dimensions. I pray God will take you to greater heights.

Vanessa Bell Armstrong sings ‘Pressing on.’ Click on the picture to listen.