The Power of I AM - February 2021

I am a huge fan of the HBO television series Lovecraft Country. In one of the episodes, Hippolyta, one of the characters in the series, goes on a journey of self-discovery. Although she is enjoying her life and wouldn't trade it for the world, she feels an uneasiness within her spirit. She feels a burning desire to explore the world and the vastness of its galaxies. Hippolyta, unbeknownst to her, is about to receive a spiritual invitation to the crossroads of life. One path leads to destiny, and the other keeps her in the land of familiarity forged by the opinions of others. She tries to find the middle ground, but her thirst for adventure won't allow her to let go of what could be Pandora's box of unfortunate events. When you come to a spiritual fork in the road, there is no middle ground. Hippolyta is at this pivotal point in her life. She knows that there is more to life than what she is currently experiencing, and she wants in on it.

Hippolyta feels a spark of genius inside her, waiting for the perfect opportunity to ignite the brilliance within her. Her childlike curiosity is displayed in the opening scene in Episode 1, where she shares an intimate moment with her husband, George.

George is the editor of the Safe Negro Travel Guide. He often travels the country marking safe locations for black people to visit. Whenever he returns home from his travels, he writes reviews based on his observations while visiting each location. Hippolyta often takes his notes and writes reviews for the guide as well. The scene shows Hippolyta as a loving wife to her husband of many years. As she playfully rests her chin on her husband's chest, she begins to share her deepest thoughts with him.

Hippolyta is experiencing what I call a "mirror moment." She begins to express to her husband how she sees herself. George is preparing to go on another business trip, but Hippolyta has other plans. She tells George that she should take the trip instead and write her own notes. Hippolyta believes that her reviews are just as good as anyone else's. Her eyes light up as she speaks, waiting for an answer, waiting for some form of validation from him. His response did not match her expectations. "Are you serious?" he asked. George hears her words, but not her heart.

Hippolyta sighed. It was as if someone had stuck a pin into her heart and deflated all her dreams. She seemed to shrink back into her shell of familiarity. The stars in her eyes have now become a black hole of a dream deferred. That fire that was raging within her was extinguished. The man she loved couldn't see her beyond being his wife and the mother of their daughter. Hippolyta code switched, abruptly changing the discussion from an aspiring explorer to a conversation about preparing pecan pies for a social gathering.

George couldn't understand what was going on. He felt he was protecting her, but in actuality, he was limiting her. During the episode, Hippolyta would share her sparks of brilliance from time to time, but it was extinguished by those who only saw her through their lens of limitations. In Episode 7, Hippolyta was supernaturally catapulted into another dimension where she met a god-like being called I AM that posed a challenge to her. I AM said to Hippolyta, "Name yourself." At first, she was bewildered by this challenge because no one ever gave her the space to be herself, much less have an opinion. She was always known as a wife and mother for many years. I AM challenged her again with authority, "Name yourself."

At this point, Hippolyta finally accepted the challenge and ignited that spark of genius within herself. She released that fire that had been "shut up in her bones." Once she began to strip away the power of others to name her, things began to change. She became Hippolyta, the explorer, the warrior, the astronomer, the dancer, and the discoverer. All of these things were already inside of her, waiting to be activated by her own voice.

How often have we allowed other people to name us? How often have we tiptoed around the edges of unchartered waters, too afraid to jump in because of someone's opinion? Everyone has named us based on our roles in society, but what do YOU call yourself? Who are you beyond your job, beyond your status in the community, beyond your role at home, beyond your circle of friends, and on social media? Who are you allowing to place a mental ceiling over your life? Who are YOU?

What do you do when negative thoughts are running wild, untamed, and unchecked in your subconscious mind? We have all experienced thoughts of self-doubt. However, if an opposing force does not negate that inner voice, it will start to affect you mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. In essence, it is not the responsibility of others to name you. No one should have the power to draw a line in the sand when it comes to your God-given potential. Take that power back and begin to name yourself as God sees you. Biblically speaking, the originator of I AM is God Himself. He is the totality of all that is, all that has been, and all that will be. In Exodus 3:14, God said, "I AM THAT I AM." Now, if God can name himself, surely you can too!

The power of I AM―the power twins of destiny―can change the trajectory of your life. You have the power. Name yourself!

Carliss Maddox

February Blog Post

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