Mừng Giáng Sinh

" Vinh Danh Thiên Chúa Trên Trời
Bình An Dưới Thế Cho Người Thiện Tâm "

Unknown Author

One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Scenes from his life flashed across the sky and he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life had flashed before him,
he recalled that at the lowest and saddest times of his life
there was only one set of footprints.

Dismayed, he asked, "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
I don't understand why, when I needed you most,
you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child.
I love you and I would never leave you.

During your times of trial and suffering
when you saw only one set of footprints...

That was when I carried you."

Dấu Chân Trên Cát

Hải Đà phỏng dịch

Đêm kia có kẻ nằm mơ
Dạo chơi cùng Chúa bên bờ biển xanh

Trời cao gió mát trăng thanh
Lung linh phản chiếu quẩn quanh đời chàng
Cảnh nào chàng cũng ngỡ ngàng
Đôi chân in dấu cát vàng mênh mang
Vết chân bé bỏng của chàng
Vết kia của Chúa Quyền Năng vô vàn

Khi mà cảnh cuối dứt ngang
Lúc chàng thử thách phân vân sống còn
Khi chàng khổ lụy hao mòn
Dấu chân trên cát chỉ còn một thôi ...

Chàng buồn, quì lạy Chúa ơi:
"Con theo chân Chúa suốt đời bên vai
Những khi con rất cần Ngài
Là khi Ngài chẳng đoái hoài đến con
Những khi con đợi mỏi mòn
Là khi Ngài đã bỏ con lạc loài "

Chúa cười âu yếm trả lời:
"Chúa yêu con mãi, chẳng rời con đâu
Những khi con chịu khổ đau
Là khi con thấy nhiệm màu lòng Cha
Dấu chân còn một là Ta
Đôi tay bồng bế con qua biển sầu .."

Những Nghi Vấn về Tác Giả của bài thơ "Footprints in the Sand"

Footprints in the sand
One of the world's most famous inspirational poem with a long, sad story

Carmen Colombo

In March 1997, we posted the story of "Footprints in the Sand" on WOW Zone, and a worldwide blitz of independent investigation and reporting began.

We receive letters of appreciation as well as letters with more information regularly. Everything that we can verify is posted, and nearly eight years later, more and new information keeps coming in.

As of May 2005, there are now four (4) versions and three authors of the poem, written at different times.

Following is a chronological order of what we have discovered so far regarding one of the world's most inspirational poems.

Story originally posted: March 4, 1997
Updates - Listed on this page, in chronological order:
March 1997, April 1997, May 1997, July 1997, January 1999(Mary Stevenson dies), September 2002, May 2003 (Statement by Mary Stevenson's son), Summer 2003, December 2003 (Statement by Carolyn Carty), November 29, 2004 (Statement by Margaret Fishback Powers), December 2004 (Footprints Hymn by Dr. Robert Atkins) February 2005 - Unique variation of "Footprints" poem sent in by its author
May 2005 - Statement and version by Burrell Webb

Frankly, we don't know what to make of it. We just report what we're told by the sources themselves.

We considered taking the story down to avoid further complications, but we are constantly reminded by visitors and researchers alike that WOW Zone is the only major website that has the full story, WITHOUT any vested interest in the poem. In fact, when we did take it down for a brief period, we were barraged with emails and telephone calls from all over the world. People said we had an obligation to the public to keep them updated, so posted it again

The story of "Footprints in the Sand" is on our site and we update it whenever necessary as a public service, notwithstanding our regret that one of the most beautiful inspirational poem ever written has such a sad story behind it.

Special thanks to everybody who contributed to this story through the years.

Wishing Only Well,

Carmen Colombo
WOW Zone

Last update: May 2005

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?"

The Lord replied, "The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you."

Mary Stevenson, 1936

Footprints
Also Known As "I Had a Dream"

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."

Margaret Fishback Powers, 1964

Footprints

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 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 of 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 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.

Carolyn Carty, 1963

Footprints

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 belonged to him the other to the LORD.

When the last scene from 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 lowest, saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him, and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all of 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 the 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. "

by Burrell Webb
Authored in the Fall of 1958

Footprints Hymn
It can be sung to the tune 'Londonderry Air/O Danny Boy'.

Upon the shore, I walked with Him at even
And I looked back upon the path we'd trod
And in the sand I traced our way at even
And I was glad I'd walked through life with God:
For side by side we'd journeyed through together
All through the world's wide wilderness of care
And side by side we'd journeyed through to even:
Safe at his side the Lord my God had brought me here.
But in my joy I caught a strain of sadness
To give me pause when thinking of my way
For on the shore I saw he'd left me lonely
When I had most the need of him to stay:
When I was tried he'd left me worn and wandering,
He'd left me lone when I was fighting fears,
He'd let me tread the steepest slopes in solitude
Before he came back to my side to dry my tears.
But then the Lord drew near to me in comfort
And in his tenderness he made it plain
That in the times when dread and darkness threatened
He was my shield and shelter from the pain:
For on his shoulders he was gently bearing
And on his shoulders I from harm was free:
The single trace of footprints of the Master,
The single trace of footprints shows he carried me.
So on the shore I walk with Him at even;
I face the latter days of life secure,
For if my pilgrimage reserves me sorrow
The footprints show that He is strong and sure:
If I am near the gates of heaven weary,
No longer strong enough to stride alone
The footprints show that he is there to carry me:
The footprints show the Lord my God will bear me home.
Submitted by the Author
Dr. Robert Atkins
December 2004