souldare

discover your created self

The Great “I Am”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”(Exodus 3:14 NRSV)

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I have always been fascinated by the conversation recorded in Scriptures, where Moses asks God, “What if the people ask me what is your name?” And God replies in simplicity and with ambiguity. What kind of answer is “I am who I am”? I believe more and more that is a simple, yet meaning filled answer.

As I have been mulling over this conversation, I noticed that while is it powerful to “hear” God proclaim this, it also impacts the way I view my self. I will share more on this idea, as the month unfolds.

I love approaching life as a daily adventure, seeking new ways to enjoy what I have. As ADVENT approaches, I’d like to offer daily prompts to enrich this year’s ADVENT{ure} into the holidays and winter, and especially the remembrance of Christ’s birth.

ADVENT{ure} PROMPT #1:

Use the prompt, “I am …” each day this week. Do a free flowing journal entry for 2-5 minutes. (I have done this before, and it’s interesting to see what surfaces when you use the same prompt for several days in a row.)

I find collage making both soothing and revealing, so as time allows I will share some for your enjoyment and consideration.

ADVENT{ure} PROMPT #2

What do the following collages bring to mind, as you think about the statement: “I am who I am”?

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Let’s invite the Great I AM to expand our understanding, to deepen our awe of creation, and to draw our attention to the burning questions in each of our souls this season.

Posted by:

kelrohlf

8 responses to “The Great “I Am””

  1. Cecelia. Lester Avatar
    Cecelia. Lester

    This journal prompt is just what I need. Thank you.

    Reply
    1. Kel Avatar
      Kel

      Glad the prompt was helpful, Cecelia. I’d love to hear what surfaces when you write about it.

      Reply
  2. lynndmorrissey Avatar
    lynndmorrissey

    Yes, yes, Kel, adventure and advent are intertwined. (Doncha just love word studies? Yay!) Interesting that you should use this prompt. It’s one of the 1st I use in Journal to the Self. To get ladies started, I quote those great lines about “I am” by Clark Gable in It Happened One Night. Lots of fun. Of course, individually, it can be more difficult to answer, b/c so often we associate who we are w/ what we *do*. Interestingly, several days ago, I wrote this response on another friend’s blog: “People will ask, ‘Who are you (or what do you do)?’ I’ll say, ‘I am an author.’ I just realized that the I am is a very faint and most imperfect reflection of the Great I AM, because I’m made in His image. But who am I? I am . . . . who? I write, yes, but it’s not who I am. 🙂 Prior to becoming an author I would say, ‘I am the executive director of the world’s largest airport USO,’ as if the fact that it did happen to be the largest was some sort of claim to worth. God took all that away and had me come home to raise Sheridan. Yes, I am her mother, and was at that time, too, but it’s not who I am. It’s not semantics- parsing, but requires deep thought. It would be more authentic to have said, ‘I do USO work,” or “I do writing.” But what I am is surely a child of God to whom He has given various skills and roles (to be used and lived out for His glory), and I believe He has given me an authentic purpose; but even were I not Sheridan’s mother or an author or a director or a singer, I would still have the same purpose.’ You know, Kel, I had never thought before about “I am” as a tiny, most flawed reflection of I AM. I surely mean no blasphemy. But as I saw that, I realized all of who I am must be intertwined (there’s that word again) with Christ. I am His beloved child. And maybe that is more than enough. Yes, my personal purpose to “encourage transparency” springs from that and in turn in the gifts He’s given me and how I’m to use them, but knowing He loves me as His child, and identifying myself in that way, is who I am in my deepest core. Tx for the prompt.

    Reply
    1. Kel Avatar
      Kel

      Glad to be on the adventure with you, Lynni! Such great reflections here…so much relates to what I have been contemplating. Much to think on and be thankful for in your thoughts here 💗

      Reply
      1. lynndmorrissey Avatar
        lynndmorrissey

        Kel, my friend Michelle DeRusha just wrote a lovely new book (to release Jan. 1st) called True You: Letting Go of Your False Self to Uncover the Person God Created. I finished it today, and really enjoyed it. She discusses some of the “I am” issue and uses an “open-center pruning” metaphor. I think you would relate because of your love for Missouri Botanical Garden’s Japanese Garden. It’s a particular kind of pruning, and she applies it to uncovering the real (true) you. Just thought I’d tell you about it as you ponder. Praying for your discovery. /www.amazon.com/True-You-Letting-Uncover-Created/dp/0801077915/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543816114&sr=8-1&keywords=true+you

        Reply
        1. Kel Avatar
          Kel

          Lynni, Thanks for the recommendation…I admire Michelle’s work and look forward to reading her new book in 2019 😁 the pruning metaphor sounds fascinating.

          Reply
    2. Jeanette Findley Avatar
      Jeanette Findley

      Who am I? Why am I? What am I to do? Where am I to fit? How am I know? …..When am I to die? am i? Am I? AM I? To man’s eternal question, Eternal God replies: I am Life. I am Love. I am Wisdom. I am Mercy. I am Infinite, I am Eternal. I AM! I Am! i am!

      (We become more desperate and distraught in our search for self and meaning and often rise from whisper to terrified scream. God, all powerful, begins with profound statement, and coaxes with a gentle whisper. We have to become still to listen to His answers.)

      Reply
      1. Kel Avatar
        Kel

        Wow! Beautiful and powerful reflections, Jeanette. Thank you for sharing them here.

        Reply

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About Me

Hi! My name is Kel Rohlf. I am an intuitive mixed-media artist, creative writer and performer. Life is a performance. I often attend.

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