“Once to every man and nation, Comes the moment to decide, In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, For the good or evil side… Then it is the brave man chooses, While the coward stands aside.”

– James Russell Lowell

This has become one of my favorite quotes and also one that I have determined to live by. I love the line that states “the brave man chooses.” The brave man is unafraid to take a stand. The brave man makes a decision. The brave man is not deterred by opposition. In my opinion, every Christian needs to take this stand if they are going to proclaim that they believe in Jesus. Otherwise, when a crisis is met, they will be the ones who fail. They will be the ones who look like cowards. What kind of example are they for those who do not believe in God? Their witness is lost.

Being a high school senior, I have come to realize something. In less than a year from now, I am going to be a freshman in college. I will be an adult making my own decisions, and that terrifies me. I am going to have to decide for myself if I am whole-heartedly a Christian. I believe I am a Christian; I believe I always will be. But the “whole-heartedly” part is where I struggle. I know that God is real. I believe everything the Bible says. I believe He is the only truth. However, I have trouble applying Him to my everyday life. I struggle to read my Bible and pray everyday. I can hardly find the time for it, and I know this has to change. I need to make my final decision. Psalm 25:4-5 states, “Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (NIV). These two verses tell me that God will lead me and teach me. He will help me make the right choice. I do not want to become the “coward” who cannot decide his beliefs. I want to set a good example to the people I meet everyday on my college campus. I want to be the Christian who is not afraid to take a stand, who approaches opposition with confidence, and who changes her world in some small way.