"Footprints" - "Carry Me"

I woke up singing Josh Wilson's "Carry Me" and started thinking about how desperate one can feel when you get to the point where you feel like you can't go on.  When Josh wrote this song, it was because he was experiencing panic attacks.  He didn't think he could go on.  But then the Lord gave him strength through it.  He begged the Lord for help.  It's interesting how he had to get to the end of himself in order to cry out.

"I'm at the end of myself
I know I've got nothing left
Feels like I'm stuck in the valley of the shadow of death
And I've been down here so long
I just can't find my way out
Oh God I don't stand a chance
Unless You carry me now
God carry me now"

Many times I've felt like I couldn't go on...  

Many times I felt like I was failing over and over...  

Many times mistake after mistake was made...  

Many times people tore me down and I allowed it...

Many times wrong decisions were made...

Many times the tears were uncontrollable...the hurt was so deep....

But then I cried out to the Lord.

"Carry me, carry me, carry me now
From my sinking sand to Your solid ground
The only way I'm ever gonna make it out
Is if You carry me, carry me, carry me now
God carry me, carry me, carry me now"

I praise His Holy Name that He has carried me through those "many times..."  I praise Him for being My Protector...My Strength...My Guide...  I praise Him for being with me at all times.  I think about the poem "Footprints"...  

Footprints In The Sand 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 in 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 son, my 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."  written by Carolyn Joyce Carty

The only way to be carried by the Lord is to live with Him.  How can we expect for Him to carry us through the tough times if we don't know Him in an intimate way?  We can't.  He never leaves us...it is us who step away from Him.  The desire of His heart is for us to live a life in His Presence.  We must cultivate a consciousness of living in His Presence in order to live it.  He has to be a part of our every waking moment.  Only then can we have peace.

Dear Jesus,
I am so thankful for the many times You have carried me.  I am also thankful for living in Your Presence so that I know You are carrying me.  Thank You Jesus for being My Carrier!  Amen.