Pegadas na Areia

by Margaret Fishback Powers

A verdadeira história por detrás do poema que inspira milhões de pessoas em todo o mundo.

Quase todas as pessoas já leram ou ouviram, pelo menos uma vez, o poema Pegadas na Areia. Alguém observa a trajectória da sua vida na forma de pegadas deixadas na areia. Ao lado das suas, há outro par de pegadas, numa metáfora de que o senhor caminha sempre ao lado daqueles que n’Ele confiam.

Uma noite tive um sonho.
Estava a passear na praia com o meu senhor.
Pelo céu escuro passavam cenas da minha vida.
Por cada cena, percebi que eram deixadas dois pares
de pegadas na areia,
um que me pertencia
e outro do meu Senhor.

O poema Pegadas na Areia foi escrito em 1964 por Margaret Fishback, uma jovem que procurava orientação numa encruzilhada da sua vida.
A criação do poema, a sua perda subsequente e a sua espantosa redescoberta estão interligados com a história do encontro de Margaret com o seu marido Paul e os desafios e alegrias da sua vida em conjunto.
Esta história proporcionará renovação espiritual e emocional a qualquer leitor que queira conhecer a verdadeira origem de um poema que, ao longo de décadas, passando de mão em mão, impresso, divulgado na Internet, dito, atribuído aos mais variados autores ou a nenhum, tem inspirado e confortado muitos milhares de pessoas no mundo inteiro.

Genres: Christian, Poetry, Nonfiction, Memoir, Christian Living, Spirituality, Biography

160 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Lana Colby hurd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great inspiration story. To my friends: I own this book, if you want to borrow it, let me know.

[Wanda Gibbons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew this woman was going to be in Woodstock a few days after I was going to be leaving. I went to the bookstore and bought 6 copies of the book. I wanted a signed copy for me and then the others just to be signed by her so that I could give them to friends, put one in my school library and have at least one to lend to friends. A very inspirational and moving story about this woman, her troubles and challenges as well as those of her family and how having the poem, losing the poem and then finding it again affected their lives. Numerous events are fraught with either the presence of God and his guiding hand or coincidence. This made a great discussion at the church book club.

[Sara Berbigão · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5*

[Debra Clewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book under a biography section whilst I was browsing the net for an inspirational read. It is actually an autobiography of a family's amazing journey with the Lord. I, like so many thousands of others, have seen and read this piece of prose many times over the years. And, also like so many thousands, I had no idea who the author was. That was explained by the author herself, after much of her written material went missing in a house move. Margaret Fishback Powers details many, many times when her faith, and the faith of others, had saved her and her family. It is hard not to get emotionally involved in her life story. When she discovered her writing had been stolen and no copyright redress, she went into a spin. Many years of angst later, she explained her reasons for the decision that she eventually came to, before things were set right. This piece has been an encouragement for people worldwide over a long period. There is another piece of Margaret's writing I cam across in the '90's, which at the time was attributed as an anonymous piece. It is one I have shared called A Letter from a Friend. Her family's personal struggles, alongside the spiritual ones, had me reading this book in about 2 hours. I am grateful for the inspiration that Margaret has shared throughout the tale. As in all things, God is good. Even though many would not agree, Margaret and her family would tell otherwise.

[Phil Princey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book about the person who wrote the poem 'Footprints'. Authorship had always been put as 'anonymous'. The poem was every where, in frames, on mugs, and all types of merchandise and soon had variations adapted to other topics.

Well it so happens that Margaret Fishback Powers is the author of this poem (and I believe her). It has been quite a controversial fiasco around the 1980s. She had written it in the 60's.

In this book you get a brief biography and the event that inspired the poem. There are other quite remarkable stories of hardship in this book. And the overarching lesson is that of trusting God, which is what the poem is about!

It really is a delightful book with short chapters and a delightful read for sure!

[Océane · Rating 4 out of 5]

[read in the french version]

Je ne savais pas vraiment à quoi m'attendre en lisant ce livre étant donné qu'on me l'a offert et que le quatrième de couverture ne m'aidais pas vraiment car il contenait uniquement le poème "Des pas dans le sable". Ma lecture de ce livre a révélé la douce histoire d'une enfant de Dieu au travers des circonstances plus ou moins joyeuses de la vie. Force est de constater qu'en tout temps, Dieu ne nous lâche pas et si l'on ne voit qu'une seule trace de pas, c'est qu'il nous porte dans ses bras ✨

[Baldwin Ng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-reading this short book brought back memories of our Lord’s unceasing love. While the story revolves around the famous author of the Footprints poem, it was far more interesting to hear and learn from Mr and Mrs Powers - offering a peek into their authentic struggles and triumphs/joy in their walk with Jesus. Highly recommend this!

[Erica Teixeira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro inspirador sobre a vida da autora de um poema que todos conhecemos. Muito bom!

[Kylie Abecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with this poem when I was a young girl and I always wanted to know who wrote it and often wondered if there was a story behind it. This book answered all my questions.

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the poem "Footprints in the Sand" or "I should say In a Dream", so it was great to read the story behind its creation and who the author was.

[Kimberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice story. Sometimes it jumps ahead and skips a lot of the story leading up.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a simple and light read that I received from my one-on-one Anhelina. Filled with beautiful stories, and really made me reflect on whether or not I give things to God when they feel unjust.

[Norma Zenkus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Pegadas na Areia
"LINDO este poema, ADORO

Este livro tem como titulo A verdadeira história por trás do poema..

Já há muito que aprecio este poema, não sei explicar mas sempre me senti bem quando o leio.Tenho-o no meu quarto, tenho-o em marcador de livros e gostava de o passar para quadro (mas a seu tempo). Agora uma volta do meu filho aqui pela biblioteca da nossa terra quando viu este livro, lembrou-se logo que eu iria gostar e claro que..... não se enganou. O livro é espectacular, faz jus ao poema. Muito bonita e emocionante esta história cheia de amor e coragem e o principal de tudo, MUITA FÉ.
"Obrigado filho, por me trazeres este livro, onde fiquei a conhecer o porquê deste tão lindo poema e a inspiração para este poema ter sido escrito e que eu tanto ADORO."

[Anne Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book about the woman who I later learned supposedly wrote the poem Footprints. I say supposedly wrote because when I looked her up on the Internet, I couldn't find her! Then looking up the poem, it seems that several people say they wrote it. Even in this book, the author said she encountered her poem in bookstores crediting other authors with writing it. But her Christian values told her to let it go and not bother with lawsuits. Whoever wrote the poem, it doesn't matter since it's so beautiful and will never get old.

[Maria Carmo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book during a plane trip! It was quite moving and I found it interesting, not just from the incredible Faith that it shares and portrays, but also because it show's an Author's psychological reaction to the fact that their Poem was being used without any notion of who had written it! This inner conflict and the way in which it was resolved were the facets I mostly reflected upon.

Maria Carmo

Lisboa 12 January 2010

[Nancy Wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

We met Margaret and her husband at Dairy Queen in Tillsonburg.. Chatted with them for a while before finding out who she was... she even took a picture with our family.. and gave me her book and poem , autographed!

[Neivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dan aku slalu tahu Tangan Tuhan senantiasa menggendongku kala rintangan menghadang"

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

good its interesting about the poem

[Cws]

811.54

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been an inspiration and a challenge for me. Written in an extremely simple and basic literary style, it is nonetheless a book worth reading.

[Meredith Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what to think whether she is the true author or one of the other two people who have come forward to claim this amazing poem. Either way, it was an interesting and easy read.

[Delia Huitema · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it - got to meet her in person and she is wonderful! Even got her autograph!

[Readergirl77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gift from my mom. I love Footprints.

[Ricardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very funny stories.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Footprints is one of my favourite poems and I enjoyed reading the story from the author that lead her to write the poem. Is is very inspirational.

[Chas Bayfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. I had no idea that there was such a dramatic origin to the poem, and good on Fishback Powers for getting the recognition she deserves as a writer.

[Lorraine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Religious and Spiritual book. Ok