Robert Frost famously wrote, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Those two paths have become a familiar picture of the choices we make in life, particularly the idea of taking the road less traveled. However, life rarely narrows itself into two paths. We face many crossroads with innumerable options.

On a road trip with my daughter, we stopped at the Mississippi Welcome Center in Vicksburg. Looking out over the Mississippi River, I took a picture of two bridges stretching across the water: an old bridge and a new one.

Construction on the Old Vicksburg Bridge began in 1928, and it opened in 1930. At the time, it was the first bridge across the Mississippi River south of Memphis. Before that, travelers in the area depended on ferries to cross the river. The bridge carried both railroad tracks and U.S. Highway 80, one of the nation’s early coast-to-coast highways. For decades, trains, cars, buses, and trucks all crossed the Mississippi on the same structure.

As traffic increased and vehicles became larger, the old bridge’s two narrow traffic lanes were no longer adequate. The new Vicksburg Bridge opened beside it in 1973 as part of Interstate 20. Cars continued using the old bridge for another twenty-five years before it closed to vehicular traffic in 1998.

The old bridge has been preserved as a historic landmark, and trains continue using it to cross the river today. Its value and purpose remain, even if it is no longer the road most travelers use.

Like the bridges, sometimes a path no longer serves us, not because that path was wrong, but simply because we’ve grown and our needs have changed. We can appreciate where we’ve been, preserve what mattered, and continue to learn from it without traveling the same road.

Scripture speaks often about paths. We are told to trust in the Lord, and He will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5–6). His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). We may plan our course, but the Lord determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9).

Following the right path doesn’t guarantee a smooth journey. Jesus told His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). James didn’t tell Christians to consider it joy if they encountered trials of many kinds. He said When (James 1:2).

Sometimes you face storms. Other times the ominous clouds turn out to be smoke. Sometimes you have to go through the fire.

Take a closer look at the picture: the dark, ominous cloud is not a brewing storm. It’s smoke from a burning Dollar General truck we passed a short time later.

God directs our steps and lights the path, but we still choose whether to follow. Even the best-planned journey will have obstacles along the way.

Lately, though, I have been struck by how often Scripture seems to meet me exactly where I am. Not because I am looking for meaning everywhere, but because God knows us intimately. His timing is precise. He continues to provide and work within our circumstances.

While I could not see well enough to read the Bible, I could still listen to it through the Bible App. At first, I simply had someone open Psalms and hit play.

When I regained enough sight to do it myself, I started scrolling through the verse-of-the-day section and listening to the daily thought associated with the verse. I still like some more than others. Today’s verse stopped me. Paul writes in Romans 5:3–4 that we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

The person sharing the thought used the phrase disappointments are divine appointments. That made me pause.

What if we changed our thinking in the moment of disappointment and asked God for wisdom to see the divine truth He is developing in us? How would that change our thoughts and actions? How might it impact others around us?

When I could not see even an inch in front of my face, I prayed. Anyone and anything that came to mind was covered in prayer. I attempted to visualize everyone in the pews at church, my friends lists, customers, email lists, and even included a “God bless what’s his name” Sound of Music–style prayer. I prayed for myself, for vision to return, but also for clarity moving forward, wisdom to let things go, and courage to face whatever obstacles might come.

In Romans 8:28, we are reminded that God works all things together for good. It does not say all things are good. God does not cause the challenges, difficulties, illnesses, or obstacles we face, but He walks alongside us through them.

It is our choice to turn the hard things over to Him so He can do His work within them.

I can rejoice in my sufferings, develop endurance, strengthen my character, and affirm my hope.

The question is no longer “Why me?” but “What will God do with this situation?”

When we left home, we were prepared only to be gone for part of the day. We were not prepared for any “worst-case scenario.” As I drove through the detours and even through a section I shouldn’t have, several thoughts ran through my head. As I comforted my children, I prayed. We have insurance, so I was not worried about most “things” in the house. I only wanted to save things that I couldn’t replace: handmade quilts from my grandmother, the scrapbooks she put together, and whatever we could quickly pack for a couple of days away.

We drove through heavy smoke and blowing dirt (the wind was near 60 mph that day). However, by the time we reached our block, the smoke was much less. The wind was blowing away from our home. We watered the yards, gathered things up, and stayed watchful for more news. We waited it out, praying for the firefighters and people closer to the fires. We talked about how amazing our God is—He tells the winds to stop, and they listen. He opens the sky and gives rain. We prayed for both.

Our most recent severe dirt storm brought this memory back to the front of my mind. I do not doubt God’s provision or protection. Sometimes I don’t think the weather or elements are listening.

All joking aside, when we’re thrown into a fire, we have two choices. We can be refined or destroyed. We can let the fires and storms of life siphon off the things that do us harm, or we can let them take over completely. In Isaiah 43:2 (NLT), God says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

We have HOPE, no matter what we face, when our hope rests in His Power!

As God’s fellow workers, then, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!

2 Corinthians 6:1–2

“My” Tom Jones was also a singer, though not famous to anyone other than our church family. He jumped into leading singing. One week, he approached my mom and asked if she knew a particular song. When she said she did not know it, he declared, “We’re going to learn it!” So they did. Every time I hear or sing the song, I think of him. Sometimes, we get so used to what we’re singing that we don’t pay attention to the words. When I read the words of this song, it’s a promise and a way of life. The song is “I Love the Lord.”

Tom Jones was diabetic and legally blind, yet he did not make excuses to avoid serving. In spite of his limitations, he created beautiful things through carpentry. Because he was legally blind, he worked from a pattern in his mind. He and my dad made an amazing cabinet (it’s called the Tom Jones cabinet) that now sits in my schoolroom. It’s held everything from toys and stuffed animals to school and craft supplies, batteries, and extension cords and even served as a pantry and bookshelf. It’s been in three states, eight houses, and two storage facilities. He also made my cradle, which is now overflowing with my daughter’s stuffed animals.

He didn’t let what he couldn’t do get in his way. You can wait forever for the perfect time, or you can take action.