This song had its roots in a poem that Julie wrote during a particularly difficult period of her life. I thought it had the makings of a great song, although it didn't have an obvious song structure - maybe it still doesn't.
Anyway, the verses (which are taken directly from the original poem) came quickly into music. The rest was very tough. We were looking for a good chorus, but it was impossible to find. So we finally settled on a couple of bridges that explained the background to the original writing of the verses.
The lyrics are below, and you can hear the song either in MP3 or RA formats.
The MP3 can be downloaded by clicking here
There is also an RA (794Kb), which you can either download or listen to streaming.
When trials and pain are hard to bear,
And life to me feels so unfair:
One moment, bliss, and I belong,
The next, the day starts out all wrong.
A bouncy step, a heartfelt grin;
A weary trudge, a secret sin.
A heart uplifted, light and free;
A dream soon shattered - not to be.
A life renewed, a spirit soars;
Another "past", the heavens pour.
A peaceful sleep, a taste of love;
A haunted night, a lonely dove.
A bright "hello", a tender kiss;
A sad goodbye, a love amiss.
A brand new hope, abated fears;
A dark, cold night, and bitter tears.
(Bridge 1)
Though I've been praying faithfully,
It seems my life is mocking me.
I tried to seek my help from man,
And found myself alone again.
But in my silent reverie
I saw a footprint that reminded me
Throughout the day
God carried me.
While "always" seems to loom ahead,
"Never" rears its ugly head.
And tender moments are so rare,
But disappointment has its share.
"Just hold on", the voice implores
As I encounter slamming doors.
A better day seems closer still,
And then I reach another hill.
(Bridge 2)
And so I seek a place to write,
So I can see in black and white
Love notes from God flow from my pen,
Then I regain my peace again
And in my silent reverie
I see a footprint that's reminding me
Throughout the day
God carries me.
A weary heart is low on faith
And brings dejection in its wake.
But "forge", I must, another round,
For God will keep me heaven-bound.
I may not always understand
Why we are dealt an empty hand.
I trust my God to see me through
And fade the clouds with morning dew.
All through the day
My God will carry me
(repeat and fade)
© 2000 Julie Kelly & Michael Lehr