Two Paths

Isaac and I were talking yesterday about "two paths". The conversation came up after he had gotten in trouble and was needing to do what was right. Instead of continuing to play with the others and make the right choices he wanted to just quit. He began to say that he wanted to choose the "safe path". The "safe path" is the path that there are no rocks to step over, no trees to move out of the way, and no broken bridges to cross. I was thinking about this conversation this morning and I realized that we all have "two paths" to take. Let me take you back years ago when I was wanting to take the "safe path" and not get married. Yes, I believed that marriage was not a good thing and instead of taking the chance of getting hurt I would just not get married. Then God changed my heart and I decided to take the "other path" and I am so glad I did. In marriage Bryan and I have had some rocks that we needed to step over, some trees that we needed to move out of the way and some bridges that we had to fix before we crossed over, BUT had I chosen the "safe path" I would have missed out on so many blessings!! I would have never seen the beautiful flowers, the awesome sunsets, the breathtaking waterfalls, and the relationship that Bryan and I have. So thankful I didn’t choose the "safe path"!

When Bryan and I first got married he was a high school teacher and a bi-vocational Youth Minister. Our first year of marriage he would have signed his tenure and would have been set with a job. That same year God called Bryan to seminary and that meant he would have to leave teaching and we would be going into the unknown. Not a "safe path", right? Bryan did leave teaching, he started seminary, and he began to pastor our first church. Again there has been rocks to step over, trees to move out of the way, and bridges to cross. Had we have chosen the "safe path" we would have missed out on so many wonderful friendships God has given us along this path, many chances for growing in our faith, and the countless times we have seen God do great and mighty things. I thank God that we didn’t choose the "safe path"!

There are other examples that I could share of not taking the "safe path" and the blessings I (we) would have missed. I won’t share details but the number of children and home schooling are two of the times we have not chosen the "safe path" and I am praising the Lord that we didn’t!! My prayer is that my children will not take the "safe paths" but take paths that lead them to a deeper walk with the Lord and causes them to have to depend on Him more.