Author's Note and Disclaimer: Most of us are familiar with the 'Footprints in the Sand' analogy of our walk with God. For those who are not, I will briefly explain. The analogy is that our walk with God is down a beach and we (us and God) leave prints in the sand. When we are in God's will, our footprints are directly in His. When we stray from His will, our footprints drift away from His.
I have always liked this analogy, and I have heard many variations of it. So I have written a short story combining the versions I have heard with some ideas of my own. This said, I hope you like my little story. =) **ArwenStar**


A Journey Through The Sand

I am not one to dwell on the past, but sometimes it's good to look behind you and see where you've been. So I went back a few years, to look over my walk with God. At first things were going well, my footprints inside His larger ones, but suddenly my footprints disappeared!
"Lord!" I cried, astonished. "What happened?"
"You sinned," He replied, "but you repented, and I had the ocean wipe out the memory of that sin."
I pondered this a moment, then continued walking. Sure enough, soon my footprints reappeared inside His, and no sign of my wandering feet could be seen. A little farther on, my footprints once again left His, but this time I could clearly see my prints drifting away.
"Lord, why can I see my footprints here?" I asked.
"Because you have not repented of that sin," He answered softly.
I blushed, ashamed that I had not thought to repent of this sin. Quickly I knelt and bowed my head, asking for forgiveness. When I looked up, the sea was splashing and gurgling happily as it joyfully wiped my straying prints from the sand. Smiling, I carried on. The footprints went on and on, mine carefully placed inside His. Then I stopped, shocked by what I saw. The sand was thrown everywhere, deep gashes and footprints criss-crossing in no defined pattern.
"Lord!" I cried, aghast, "what happened this time?"
He looked kindly at me, a warm smile on His face. "We danced."
I laughed, remembering our wild dances. I carried on, but I did not see anymore dances. Instead, a little farther on I saw a pair of oval marks just outside His footprints, but there was only one pair of these odd prints, and I saw no footprints.
"Lord, what did I do now?" I asked.
"You sat down," He answered. "I tried to tell you I had greater things for you, but you were afraid to continue, afraid to leave this place where you were so comfortable, so you sat down and did not come when I called you."
"But why are my prints outside Your footprints?" I asked quizzically.
"Because My will was for you to carry on, not stay in the same place," He replied gently. "You disobeyed Me, so you were outside My will."
I hung my head, but I saw that I had not kept sitting, but had risen and once again followed in His steps, so I once again set out along our trail. Farther on I saw footprints around ours, but never crossing them, and they were grotesquely shaped and the sight of them filled me with dread.
"What are those?" I asked fearfully.
"Demons," He said coldly. "They came to tempt you."
"Did they succeed?" I asked meekly, afraid of the answer.
"Look and see," He replied.
I looked slowly, and saw that a little after the demons appeared there was a shape in the sand like someone had fallen there. Tears stung my eyes, ashamed that I had given in to temptation. After that, I could not see my footprints.
"Did I leave Your will again?" I asked despairingly, indicating the missing prints.
God shook His head, a soothing smile on His face. "No, I carried you until you were strong enough to walk on your own again."
Sure enough, a little ways after that, my footprints reappeared in His. And as soon as they did, they immediately broke off into a dance.


End. Please review!