Footprints

Margaret Fishback Powers

One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to me and one to my Lord.
When the last scene of my life shot before me
I looked back at the footprints in the sand
and to my surprise,
I noticed that many times along the path of my life
there was only one set of footprints.
I realized that this was at the lowest
and saddest times of my life.
This always bothered me
and I questioned the Lord
about my dilemma.
'Lord, you tole me when I decided to follow You,
You would walk and talk with me all the way.
But I'm aware that during the most troublesome
times of my life there is only one set of footprints.
I just don't understand why, when I needed You most,
You leave me.'
He whispered, 'My precious child,
I love you and will never leave you
never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints
it was then that I carried you.'

Above is a very famous Christian poem by Mrs Margaret Fishback Powers. Ways of reading it will vary among people, but from Spiritual perspective, the point of the poem I believe is this: it is when you are facing difficulties and working hard to overcome them that you can be truly aware of the existence of God, or Great Spirit, and why you were born here on Earth. Through trials and tribulations, we learn most.  We are all children of God.

You will find the story about how the poem came to be recognized as her original work in her book, Footprints (Michigan: Zondervan, 1993/2002).

Keep singing

Keep the heart singing!
Keep the mind clear!
Keep the face toward the light!
The shadows then are behind.

Edgar Cayce

Diana

"Her public image is one of beauty, grace and caring. Her private life is one of simplicity and humility. She has time for everyone, the old, the sick and the deprived."

Andrew Morton (1997).  Diana: Her Trus Story - In Her Own Words. Completely Revised Edition. p. 345.


You will find a true story about how Morton's book was produced in YouTube.

When divorce is recommended

"Most often, the readings did not recommend divorce, as it was seen as simply a postponement of a lesson or a situation that would eventually need to be faced. However, there were occasions when divorce or separation was recommended. Individuals were advised to end their relationship if one of the following was occurring in their marriage: (1) if the individual was in physical, mental or spiritual danger by remaining with the other person; (2) when two people had come together and each had overcome what required to be worked out together; and, (3) when one individual had overcome the lesson and the other refused to. For example, on one occasion a fifty-three-year-old woman was encouraged to follow-through on a divorce and told: "thy usefulness one to another has passed. (3179-1)"

K. Todeschi (2011). Edgar Cayce on Reincarnation and Family Karma. p. 29.

It means that if none of these is your case, it may be better for you to stay in the relationship and to do your best to solve the problem with your partner. Marriage is one of those relationships in which you are supposed to learn many important lessons.

True healing

"The only thing I know that truly heals people is unconditional love."

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, MD.

True self-love

'Self-love isn’t selfish; it's healthy self-esteem. The egotist, the braggart, the self-promoter, the diva, and the salesman—those who come across as self-loving in order to sell themselves or their products—are often insecure at heart. The man I once thought was the most put-together person I knew, a model of public self-assurance and self-promotion, told me in a moment of mutual confidence that he played a game called “dodge the bus,” which meant he stood at a dangerous street corner and tried to see how close he could come to being hit.
　　“What if you were killed?” I asked, flabbergasted.
　　“Then the world would be rid of a worthless thing,” he answered.
　　True self-love doesn't need to be broadcast or publicly displayed. It is an inner state, a feeling, a strength, a happiness; it is security. Remember, souls are part of the One, which is love. We all have souls. We are always loved. We can always love in return.'

Brian Weiss (2004).  Same Soul, Many Bodies. p. 138.

Soulmates and reincarnation

These programs (most probably made by ARE), based on research on life readings given by Edgar Cayce, are highly recommended for those who are interestested in topics such as reincarnation or soulmate relationship in particular, and spiritualism in general.

Soulmates, reincarnation & healing relationships 1
Soulmates, reincarnation & healing relationships 2
Soulmates, reincarnation & healing relationships 3
Soulmates, reincarnation & healing relationships 4
Soulmates, reincarnation & healing relationships 5

You have nothing to fear

"A burden has been placed upon your shoulders; how you bear it you will decide. If you square your shoulders and say, "This is my burden, I will carry it", it will become lighter because your soul will grow and in growing allow some of that inner strength to heal you. There is none spiritually impoverished for using honesty and courage in facing difficulties. You have nothing to fear."

Kazuo Kondo trans. and ed. Silver Birch: Kyo no Kotoba (Silver Birch: Words for Today). p. 61.

Karma is not a debt

'... even individuals who are familiar with the term "karma" are often mistaken as to what it actually means. Karma is not a debt, it is not a punishment, it is not an inescapable fate, it is not really something that exists "between" people, and ultimately it is not even "good" or "bad" in character. Karma is simply an interactive, energetic force that is set in motion through our intent, desire, thought, deed, and word, and as a result molds and shapes the resulting consequence of all our actions. It is a universally applicable and dynamic constant that is interwoven with everything associated with being human.'

Kevin Todeschi (2011). Edgar Cayce on Reincarnation and Family Karma. p. xvi.


In the end, it is we ourselves who decide whatever karmic lessons to learn in our earthly existence. 

Dreams

"In fact, from Cayce's perspective nothing of significance ever happens without it first being foreshadowed in a dream. However, one's personal will remains an important factor even in the face of a 'foreshadowed' future."

Kevin Todeschi (1998).

Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records: The Book of Life. p. 164.

Cheerful giver

"Remember that the Lord loveth the cheerful giver, as well as those who seek His face."

Edgar Cayce's Story of Karma.  p. 104.

Nothing is the end of the world

"Relax. Nothing is the end of the world. There is a solution to everything. We must never, ever, take ourselves too seriously."

Ted Waitt (a co-founder of Gateway)

It was nearly ten years ago that I came across these words. I cannot remember where I found them but I do remember they did help me cope with difficulties I was facing in those days.

Your soul needs the tears

"Your soul needs the tears. Think of a flower; it cannot bloom and it cannot survive without rain. It cannot bloom out into its full beauty without the sun. So think, if you can, of that divine part of you in your earthly body and when you have tragedy and tears, think of them as the rain falling to feed it, and then when the joyous times come, when something beautiful happens and your heart is full of joy, then that is the sun that is nurturing that fragile flower."

Doris Stokes. Voices. p. 221.

Doris Stokes is one of the most famous mediums in England.

She received this message in one of her dreams where a wise spirit person was teaching relatively new comers to Heaven.

His brother's sorrows

"We must spread not indifference, not disregard, not callousness to the well-being of others, but tenderness, mercy, compassion, sympathy and service. He whose soul is awakened cannot be indifferent to the sufferings of others. His brother's pains are his pains and his brother's sorrows are his sorrows."

K. Kondo trans. and ed. Silver Birch: Kyo no Kotoba. (Silver Birch: Words for Today) p. 56.

Application is more important

"Edgar Cayce repeatedly reminded people they could be successful—in terms of soul growth and personal transformation—if they simply applied whatever it was that they knew to do. Most often, individuals are aware of some of those very things which would enable them to become better people. However, too often there is a gap between knowledge and its application. The readings frequently admonished individuals to “do what you know to do and the next step will be given.” In other words soul growth is not dependent upon what an individual knows; instead, it is predicated upon what an individual does about what she or he knows."

Kevin Todeschi. Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records: The Book of Life. p. 158.

Hope, not expectations

"I have hope, but I do not have any expectations.

 Hope is fine, but expectations can lead to disappointment."

Brian L Weiss (2003)