One night a man had a dream. 
 He dreamed 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 belonged 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 in 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 in 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 precious, precious child. 
I love you and 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."
~ Mary Stevenson ~