The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost
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 on to 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—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Our preacher was giving a short lesson before Bible class on a recent Wednesday night. I’d been thinking about my upcoming test to receive my driver’s license. Would the test be hard? What if I failed? What if tomorrow never comes?…Well, what if? I should have been patient and let God handle it all, but once again, I was getting in my own way. I shoved my license concerns out of my mind and listened to Hoby speak. One of the verses he mentioned was Proverbs 16:17: “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul.” Now you know the word “highway” had to catch my attention. Coincidence that Hoby used that verse, allowed me think about it, and apply it to my life right now? Um, doubt it. That’s God working right there.
Thursday afternoon came. Three o’clock license appointment. Passed! So that was it? I had my license; it was over. Now, I’m free (with a few restrictions) to go to town and eat with my friends, to pick one up for a youth activity, to see a movie, to just ride. . . . But I got so worked up in the time leading up to it. Why? Because it was something I couldn’t get yet, something that others had, that I wanted so badly! What does that sound like?
You know, Satan makes sin look enticing. He tells us, “Everyone else is doing it, you don’t want to miss out! Hurry!” We want to be a part of it so badly, until …we are. We do what everyone else does. We watch those movies that we know we shouldn’t watch. We say those words. We listen to those songs. We put things into our bodies that could destroy us mentally, physically, and spiritually. What happens after we’re doing it? That’s it. There’s nothing left to long for, to want so badly. We’re just stuck in a rut, alone, wanting a way out, to find something bigger and better to live for. Depressing, huh?
Earlier you read, “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil…” When Satan tempts you, depart; take God’s highway! He provides us a way of escape every time we are tempted (1 Cor. 10:13). When you start to lust after earthly things, run to God. Study His Word. Guard yourself with His teachings. Talk to Him in prayer; He knows when you are weak! By doing these things, it might also be easier to teach those who have not been saved. We have to (but we also need to want to) deny ourselves and our earthly lusts, seek Him first, and set our minds above (Colossians 3:2). Without Him, nothing else we do matters!
So, here I am. New license, a Christian girl. I can either drive through life’s highway, looking for temporary stops and pleasures on earth, and end up ruining my life, losing it all forever … or, I can depart from evil, seek Him, deny myself, focus on my end and eternal destination, and allow Him to preserve my soul forever. Now think back if you can; what did the speaker of that poem do? He took the road less traveled by. What are Christians to do? Enter by the narrow gate, although there are few who go in by it (Matthew 7:13-14). I believe I will choose the narrow road. There, I know I am never alone. I know I always have a Friend who keeps me going, lifts me up, strengthens me, never lets me forget where I’m headed, and loves me. The road each of us chooses can make all the difference. . . .
. . . I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
By Hannah Smith
This true story was submitted to us anonymously, and will appear in several parts throughout the summer, in our 
I still battled within myself about having premarital sex. I knew God wouldn’t be proud of me, but somehow Frank would make me feel it was okay because we would be married someday––his idea, not mine. Deep within me, I never felt that we would be married; he just wasn’t the type of boy I liked. He would misquote scripture and twist it to justify having sex with me. I went along with it, and even tried to convince myself that he was right, even while I knew deep down that he was wrong.
Are you familiar with this line from Scripture? It was said by Queen Esther 
Several of the Pierce My Heart staff members wrote short tributes to our fathers last year, which can be read 
Q. I would really appreciate it if there was an article about finding balance between spending time with God, your friends, your boyfriend, and school work or something of the sort. I know it’s all about prioritizing and time management, but how do you tell when you are spending too much time in one place, and not enough in another?
As you begin a summer job, an internship, or a career, it is easy to find yourself eating convenient meals at fast food restaurants or vending machines. You’re going to need to eat homemade meals, or you’ll end up spending a good portion of your income on eating out, and you probably won’t be very fond of the pounds you’ll gain as a result. Plus, the time you would have spent going to a restaurant and ordering food can now be spent doing what breaks are meant for: taking a break.
We’re told in Luke 6:45 that “the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”
“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:16
Finally, if all else is taken care of, volunteer to do what everyone else will certainly want to avoid––cleanup. Sometimes these forgotten, mundane tasks are the ones that leave the biggest impressions on others. Offer to clean up after VBS is over. Gather trash, clean up the kitchen, vacuum crumbs and glitter. Even if no one else gives you credit, remember that you are doing it to glorify God 
Since we’re talking about careers this month, I thought it’d be appropriate to mention a girl who wrote an entire book when she was sixteen! Whether or not this girl decides to pursue writing throughout her adult life, she still used her talents to glorify God at a young age 
Where to buy
Feeling stressed out seems inevitable at times. There are so many factors in any one person’s life that what stresses one person out, may not stress another. And since this month’s focus is on careers, I thought this would be the perfect time to talk about stress. For most, the two seem to go hand in hand.
There are many things we can do to “disconnect” from stress no matter what the stress is.
Recent Comments