Footprints in the Sand

Well, let me start off by saying that I've never had a blog before.  So this might be a little weird at first, but I guess I'll get used to it.

So, here's the deal.  One of my friends told me a few days ago that she is going to go to every church in the city we live in with her sister.  Given, we live in a pretty small city in Utah, so there are maybe 10 churches other than the mormon ones you see on every corner, but I still thought that was a pretty cool goal.  So even though I have a church that I relate to pretty well, I decided to join them.

One of my other friends (not the one I'm going on my little journey with) asked me a few days ago if she could give me this little questionnaire for people from other religions..  I don't if it was a church thing or what  (well, okay, I imagine they're for SOME sort of church thing...I just don't know about the what part), but I felt like I was really vague on a lot of the answers.  The questions were tasking things about how spiritual I am and what gives my life meaning and stuff like that, and it made me realize that I don't really know how to answer those kind of questions.  So, I'm going to do a little soul searching and figure out what church really means to me. 

So, here's our plan.  Every week, we're going to go to a different church and try to learn about other religions and figure out what is really best for us.  I'm pretty sure the three of us are doing this for different reasons, but for me it's kind of about learning about other people and why they go to church, and what religion can really bring to your life.  Hopefully while I'm at it I can learn a little bit more about Christianity, and...I don't know.  Figure out more about myself, I guess.

So, to start this little blog, I have this poem that I read on a keychain once while I was waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store.  For some reason it stuck with me, and sometimes I wonder if the Lord will really carry me when I need it. 

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."
-Mary Stevenson