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 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 decide 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
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."