Who Am I

I debated with myself for all of two seconds about whether or not I should put a question mark after "Who Am I" , and I decided not to, and as you read this, you'll see why I chose not to put it at the end of the title.

I remember the night of June 17th, 2009 like it was yesterday. It was a wednesday night and I was at church and at the end of the service, someone had put the song "Who Am I" by Casting Crowns on, and I guess I really needed that reminder, because even before the first verse was even over, I found myself crying...


"Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart"

I don't know why God would care so much as to know my name, or even care enough to feel my pain, or even love me so much as to come to earth and die on a cross because of my sin. I don't get it, but I'm in awe of Him.


"Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are"

And before the song was even half way done, I knew I had to write about it... it was my first thing to write about without it being a school assignment, Yes, I've re-read it, I don't think it's the best one, but something inside me told me to begin writing. I didn't even want to write... I thought it was lame and for losers. Well, I guess I'm one of those lame losers then! but whatever label you give me, it doesn't matter, I'm still going to write no matter what I'm called by others who don't understand.

Writing for me, has become a way to get alot of things off my mind and onto something else. Writing has become a huge part of my life... all because I listened to God.

My grandpa would sometimes tell me that because I'm generally a shy person, that I'd become a writer. At the time, I was hoping he'd be wrong... but I think you know what the answer to that is, now. I'm glad he was right.

"I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours"

There's something the comes to mind, and it's that prison field trip we went on in March, and that number, '5071404' , isn't something that I've forgotten... while we were there, we were told that the number around our necks was our identity.. at least when your in prison, that's your "identity", because there, they don't care what your name is, who your family is, what your personality is like, they just care about you serving your time for the crime you've committed. I've been thinking about the number around our necks, and my identity in Christ... I mean, it's not like when you get to heaven, there will be some angel with gold plates or whatever at some door or something, and handing out them with a number on it... a creation number, like 23435241314312. That would be highly confusing. 'sides, God knows us, by NAME! Not some stupid number.

He actually cares enough to know us by name, know every thing we feel, know exactly how many hairs are on our head, know every thought, know every motive behind our actions, know that we will sin, and still have the same love for us that he'd die on that cross, again for us because of our sin.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

I may only be a teenager who is looked down on, but don't think I'll let you get away with that, I will be more than glad to prove you wrong. God doesn't set age limits on who He can use and how and when He'll use them. He could use a little kid to teach you something, like how much you love them and how much God loves you and things like that. God will use whoever is willing to do what He's called them to, whenever and however He chooses. God doesn't listen to us when we tell Him what we think He should do, He's God, we are not... let Him handle it.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

"Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob." Psalm 24:6

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;" Psalm 25:4

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:16-21)."

"God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved Ephesians 2:4-5"

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies (Psalm 36:5).

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7).

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love (Psalm 48:9).

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever (Psalm 52:8).

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15).

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever (Psalm 136:26).

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3).

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17)

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends John 15:13).

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love (John 15:9).

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39).

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-5).

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9-10).

(Yes, that's a lot of bible verses, and no I don't care)


- Katelyn