When I hear the word route, my mind drifts back to Robert Frost and the traveler standing before two roads. His poem has stayed with me for years because life really is a series of choices, each one leading somewhere.

But over time, I’ve begun to picture my route a little differently.

Instead of a road stretching into the distance, I see a tree.

It begins as a tiny sapling. There are no branches yet—only possibilities. Then life happens. One decision leads to another. A new branch grows. From that branch come more branches, each representing another opportunity to trust, obey, wait, serve, forgive, or begin again.

Not every branch survives. Some are broken by storms. Others are lost during difficult winters. A few bear scars from lightning strikes or the weight of life’s unexpected burdens. Yet the tree continues to grow because its roots reach deep beneath the surface.

Looking back, I realize many of my own choices have led me down what Frost called “The Road Less Traveled.” They weren’t always the easiest routes, but they were often the places where God did His deepest work.

Our route isn’t determined by one monumental decision. It’s shaped by thousands of small ones made day after day. Each “yes” to God’s leading becomes another branch in the story He is growing.

Today I find myself less concerned about whether the road is popular and more concerned about whether it is the one Christ is asking me to follow.

After all, the safest route isn’t always the easiest one. It’s the one that leads us closer to Him.

 “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.”  Isaiah 30:21

The image is unforgettable. Yet I’m grateful that God doesn’t simply point toward a road and wish me well. He promises to walk every step of the journey with me.

Perhaps Robert Frost was right. One road can make all the difference, but I’ve learned that it isn’t the road itself that changes us.

It’s the One who walks beside us.

Lord, keep my feet on Your path and my heart rooted deeply in You.

I am joining a great group of Christian writers at 5-Minute Friday. We write for 5 minutes each Friday (sometimes longer). You can share your blog here https://fiveminutefriday.com/2026/07/02/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-outcome/