The Road Not Taken

"The Road Not Taken" is one of my favorite pieces of poetry written by Robert Frost. Today as I was walking through the woods I found new meaning in those words written so many years ago. I ventured out to Elizabeth Park today with just my camera and my dog. I planned on just walking around the outside of the park admiring the beautiful waterscapes. After walking for about 20 minutes I came upon a path that led into a wooded area. Not knowing where this path would take me I decided to embark on a journey knowing that at least I had my dog by my side. As I began walking I was thankful to have my dog with me and most likely would've never walked into the wooded area alone for fear of getting lost or coming upon wild animals or even strangers.

However, as I was pondering this decision I had made based on not being alone I began to think about the decisions and choices in my life that I have made and how many opportunities "roads" I have seized to take for fear of having to walk it alone. At that moment it occurred to me that I never am alone, I have Jesus to walk with me. Why do I continue to neglect that fact? How many opportunities "roads" have you not taken for fear of walking it alone? Robert Frost ends his poem with these words " Two roads diverged in a wood and I-- took the one less traveled by and it has made all the difference." It's so true, we are not able to see what God has in store for us if we don't step out in faith and realize He is there right along side of us all of the way. What road will you take? I took the one less traveled today...and it made all the difference.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Robert Frost

Bring it...

Time, something that is irreplaceable. Time, something that haunts me each night as I go to sleep each night. I feel like the time I have left here, in Michigan, is quickly running out and it depresses me like you wouldn't believe. I find myself drawn to be around people all of the time, as if it's going to satisfy the loneliness. And the worst part of it all is I know that Jesus is the only one who can satisfy my loneliness, my feelings of worry and anxiety and I am deliberately choosing to ignore it. My relationship with God has changed a lot in the past few months. I think I am experiencing God in a way I never have before. I am realizing it's okay to not always put on a happy face when spending time with Him. Sometimes at night when I sit down to spend time with Him I express my feelings of anger, sadness, and my doubting faith and I realize it's okay. All He says is "bring it to me" no matter what it is. So as I sit here tonight I am a little angry at God, I am a little disappointed, but as I type these words I hear Him saying, "It's okay, Jenna. I'm still here, just don't stop talking to me. I love you and I will be with you wherever you go." And it's just that constant reminder that God understands hurt, He understands anger, He understands ME! So whatever aspect or characteristic of God you are experiencing tonight know that God can take every single aspect of who you are as a person, even the angry, stubborn, mad, faithless you. Just don't stop talking to Him... "BRING IT"

Risks...

Sitting in church today listening to a sermon labeled "Live your life outside of the box: Taking risks" got me to thinking about what risks have I taken in my life? I tend to play it "safe" as most of us do and today I realized how boring and how faithless it is to be like that. Taking risks means giving God an opportunity to show his faithfulness...to display his power, and I have failed. So many of us do each and every day. We get scared, we worry, we have anxiety, but what does playing it "safe" really accomplish? Nothing.
In a few months I will be moving halfway across the country to teach in a city where nothing and no one is familiar to me. I have never been away from home for more than 2 weeks and worry constantly about what my future holds. However, God has proven faithful to provide constant reminders that He is in control, and this is a risk, but it won't be worth it unless I release my control over the situation and place it in His hands. And that is what I think taking risks is all about. Not just making the choice to do something, but making the choice to give up the control. Start taking risks and start letting go. One of my favorite sayings... "Let go and let God."