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 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 troublesone 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 son, My precious child, I love you
aand 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."