A Walk on the Beach… with Jesus
"Footprints," also known as "Footprints in the Sand," is an inspirational poem about having faith in God. My husband shared a popular story with me last weekend as we took a walk on the beach. The tracks represent stages of our life. Jesus promises to walk next to us, and the story describes a person who sees two pairs of footprints in the sand, one of which belonged to Jesus and another to him or herself. At some points, the two pairs of footprints dwindle to one, especially at the lowest and most hopeless moments of the person's life. When questioning Jesus, believing that Jesus must have abandoned his love during those times, Jesus explains, "During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
Throughout my life, I have experienced many stages and crossroads. My childhood, those teenage years, college years, marriage, divorce, second marriage, and children. Each one of these stages was a blessing, and I genuinely believe that Jesus has been walking with me every step of the way. In the future, I will experience new stages and crossroads, daughters getting married, retirement, and grandchildren, to name a few. Each of these stages is a blog in itself and, in some cases, a book.
Different life experiences help you learn and grow, and your outlook on the world changes. As your age increases, so does your level of maturity. Life is a journey of self-discovery. Throughout your life, you'll find learning opportunities for becoming a better friend, partner, and family member. The growth and changes that we experience in our lives go beyond our physical being. We can develop social, self-conscious, and self-reflective capabilities. By understanding the stages in our lives and what each stage entails, you can build self-awareness and live your life with purpose and intention.
By living with intention, we set out each day to engage in meaningful activities that serve a good purpose and will have a positive influence on our lives. Volunteerism has many benefits. Making a difference with practical actions toward others can benefit your mental health. Giving back and helping others can help us feel better about ourselves. Also, remember to choose significant activities and try to live your life by your top priorities, values, and your beliefs.
A poem by Mary Anne Radmacher called Live with Intention inspired me. "Live with intention, walk to the edge, listen hard, practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is." Mary Anne also wrote a book that is available on Amazon.
When we live with intention, we will shine, and we are all meant to shine in our unique way. We have our special talents and gifts and can contribute extraordinary things to the world. Two of my sisters and I are authors of a children's book series, and It's time for us to shine as authors. As we found out, we each have the unique talents that we have contributed to writing our first book in that series; The Marshmallow Mystery. Teamwork and working together to solve a mystery is the theme of our book. If we share good ideas, as we did in our book, we will shine as children of God and in our future life stages.
Good luck to you on your journey walking on the beach! Thank you.
