I was playing pickleball this morning when I heard someone on another court say, “She’s the coach’s wife.” A quick glance confirmed I was the only coach’s wife in the vicinity so I yelled across three courts, “I can hear you!” I just wanted to make sure they knew their voices were carrying before they said something regrettable.
Do you ever wonder how people classify you? She’s the crabby one… She’s the one who always has to give her opinion… She’s the kind one.
I find those titles either make me mad or are impossible to live up to.
I’ll tell you right now, everything you think about me is true. Spiteful? Yep. Kind? Yep. Dramatic, excitable, sloth-like? Yep, yep and yep.
I think we’re all a whole lot of things mixed up into a tube, wildly shaken and resulting in a kaleidoscope of many colors on any given day.
At least I am.
That’s why I got a tattoo. Don’t panic. My Aunt Mary gave me permission.
It says “I AM”.
The tattoo artist looked up as she finished and said, “There! Now you’ve got a start to an armful of self-affirmations!”
“Actually…” I began, “I AM is God’s name in the Bible, as in I AM the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and who was, and who is yet to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)
When the world looks like it’s going to hell in a handbasket, the words I AM remind me that God is still in control. None of this is taking Him by surprise and He’s not done working yet. Therefore, there is no need to panic.
It feels so good to let go of the titles other people give us, or the negative ones we give ourselves.
When we count on the I AM it frees us, because we no longer have to be the one saying:
I am in control.
I am handling this.
I am freaking out.
I don’t have to be anything special or live up to anyone’s expectations, and neither do you. After all, it’s not about who we are. It’s about staying focused on The Great I AM.