Patiently Waiting



The blood has drained from my face, now cold, like a touch from the hand of death.  I look around and all that I see are faces staring back at me as they go by.  I’m on a journey, alone, with no one by my side.  My eyes are teary and somewhat closed, but I can still see.  Everything is going around and around and I can do nothing else, but hold on.  My head is spinning like the times I played 'Ring Around the Rosie' with childhood friends, or when I twirled myself around and around on a swing at the park—it’s that kind of dizziness that I feel. 

My stomach, empty of food, feels tight and woozy, with pressure on the lower bowels, making me feel like I want to mess my pants—pressure like an over tightened belt that’s around the gut.

It is hard to put into words what this up and down, going around feeling is like.  This trip will soon be over and everything will be back to normal—calm and quiet.  It won’t be long now.  No movement or motion will come if I patiently wait.  I’m glad my prayer life is what it is as I continue to hold on for dear life.  My body has never experienced the emotions or sensations that it’s going through at this moment. 

There is a young woman standing just beyond my reach, patiently waiting.  I see her from time to time, and then she fades from sight once more…there she is again, but this time she’s waving goodbye to me.  Or is she waving hello, with a smile, so kind and gentle?  As I reach my hand toward hers she quickly disappears again.  I know she won’t leave; she will be patiently waiting for me to come around again. 

My trek of ups and downs and going around is almost over.  This journey that I’ve never experienced here-to-fore is finally coming to an end.  Around and around I go; where I stop nobody knows.  My squinting eyes give way to full vision—I see clearly now. 

The young lady takes me into her loving arms as she loosens the securing harness that was tightly placed around my waist.  “Oh Dennis…your face is so cold from the cool, night air,” she said.  “Is it over?”  I asked with a disappointing sigh.  With a smile on her face she replied, “Little brother, if you want to ride the carousel horse one more time before we leave, you can.” 

She hugged me and then gave me a big kiss.  We walked hand in hand for a short time and found another ride for small children.  In appreciation I said, “I’m having so much fun!  Thank you for bringing me to the carnival tonight.  I love you Sis.”

This story expresses love and compassion, which reminds me of my walk with God.  I know He will never leave nor forsake me, yet there are times that I feel alone on this trek through life.  At these times I stand on God’s Word and walk by faith.

“Footprints in the Sand,” was written by Mary Stevenson in 1936, which explains my feeling in the above story quite well.

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 were one set of footprints.

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 have only been one set of footprints in the

sand.

Why, when I needed you most, you have not been

there for me?”

The Lord replied,

“The times when you have seen only one set of

footprints in the sand,

is when I carried you.”

Mary Stevenson

(Jeremiah 29:11-13), “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  vs.12 “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”  vs.13 “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd