Throughout life everyone experiences hardships and difficulties. Life isn’t always easy and sometimes people tend to lose their faith. They begin to ask questions such as: does God even care? Why would He let this happen? Why did God abandon me? Even though you may start questioning God, God never questions you. He is always with you through the good, the bad and the ugly. During times of uncertainty and hardships, I like to go back and read one of my favorite poems, "Footprints in The Sand," by Mary Stevenson:

One night I dreamed a dream.
As 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.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would 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 know it’s hard sometimes to believe that the one set of footprints is actually there not because you walked it alone, but because God carried. I know it is hard to remember when you feel battered and bruised by the stressed of life, that God has actually not forsaken you, but has been helping you carry your burdens. However, you can see this promise in Matthew 10:29-31 when it is said,

“No matter the decisions or choices you make, Jesus will never forsake you. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, and He cares about that Sparrow. My dear sweet, beautiful person, you are worth so much more than a sparrow. No matter where your life is taking you, or what you are going through, God has you. I know it is hard to trust that God will help you stand when nothing in your life seems to be going well. But God will not only help you stand, He will carry you through the storm if He needs to. He will not let you fail. His plans are even more prosperous and victorious than you could even imagine. So, never forget, when you see one set of footprints, He did not forsake you. He will always be with you.