Footprints in the sand

One night
A man had a dream.
He dreamt he was walking
Along the beach with the Lord.

Across the sky flashed
Scenes from his life.
For each scene, he noticed
Two sets of footprints in the sand;
One belonging to him
And the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life
Flashed before him,
He looked back
At the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times
Along the path of his life
There was only one set of footprints
He also noticed that it happened
At the very lowest
And saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him
And he questioned the Lord about it.

“Lord you said that
Once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during
The most troublesome times
of my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when
I needed you most, you would leave me.”

The Lord replied:

“My son, my precious child
I love you
And I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
When you see only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”

(Carolyn Joyce Carty)