Musings at Altitude

Just recently, I wanted to send some encouraging words to friends as they experienced a medical emergency and then struggled through the recovery process with their son.  As I thought about the trials they faced, I immediately thought of a poem that has brought me strength and encouragement through some of my deepest sorrow and toughest struggles…it’s called “Footprints” and the version I like the most is by Margaret Fishback Powers:

One night I dreamed a dream.

I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me,

I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

There was only one set of footprints.

I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life.

This always bothered me,

And I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

“Lord, You told me when I decided to follow you,

You would walk and talk with me all the way.

But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life,

There is only one set of footprints.

I just don’t understand why,

When I need You most, You leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you,

And will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you.”

I was reminded of that same poem again today while looking through recent pictures, but this time for very different reasons.  When we were at the hospital less than two weeks ago for the birth of our granddaughter, one of the very first pictures we have of her entrance into this world were her footprints on the back of her father:

But the footprints immediately after her birth were followed by an even more meaningful and special photo just a few hours later in the neo-natal intensive care unit:

This is a picture of Audrey reaching out and holding on to her Dad, as she worked through the fluid in her lungs and strengthened herself for her new life in this incredibly complex world.  As I think now of those footprints and this early picture of an infant’s embrace of her father, I’m reminded even more of the power and meaning of this poem and the incredible comfort it brings to know that just like Audrey can now faithfully believe that her father will carry her when needed in life, we all have a heavenly father that we can count on to carry us in life as well.  As the poem says, “when you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

I have been awed by this new life and this new member of our family, and I am already grateful to Audrey for the smiles that she creates and the reminders that she brings.  In this particular case, the reminder that we all have a Father that loves and cares for us and that carries us when we need His strength is priceless!