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 belonging to him,

and 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 was 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 I would never leave you.

During your times of trial

and suffering,

when you saw only one set

of footprints,

it was then that I carried you."