I worked for the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 22 years, and while I was posted in the Philippines, I became acquainted with the poem “Footprints in the Sand,” and the words made a very deep impression on me when I saw them for the first time – and they still do:
“Footprints in the Sand”
One night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the
Lord and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets
of footprints in the sand: One was mine and the other was the Lord’s.
When the last scene of my life appeared before me, I looked back at the
footprints in the sand and to my surprise, I noticed that many times along the path
of my life there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed
that it was at the lowest and saddest times in my life.
I asked the Lord about it: “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way.
But I notice that during the most troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why you left me
when I needed you most.”
The Lord said: “My precious child, I love you … I never left you
during your times of trial and suffering. When you see only one set
of footprints, it was then that I was carrying you.”
(Author Unknown)
The poem inspired me very much. It was the inspiration to the title and the cover of my book.
