One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking with the Lord. Across the 
sky flashed scenes of 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 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." 

By Mary Stevenson