My Name is I Am

I came across this beautiful poem by Helen Mallicoat tonight, and it stopped me in my tracks. It was one of those mic-drop moments that shifted my perspective. I often find myself stuck in the past—regretting mistakes, replaying old embarrassments—or caught up in the future, worrying about what’s ahead and the challenges in the near future that I may have to cross. But this poem reminded me that, while I shouldn’t lose sight of the past or the future, God was with me then, He will be with me in the days to come, and He is also here, right now. Trusting Him with my life – both the past, present, and future – will help me to draw closer to Him and walk with peace and satisfaction knowing that He is fully in control of every part of my life. His presence is not confined to memory, failures, or anticipation. He meets me in this moment and walks with me every day – and that changes everything.

I was regretting the past
And fearing the future.
Suddenly my Lord was speaking:

“My name is I Am.” He paused.
I waited. He continued,
“When you live in the past
With its mistakes and regrets,
It is hard. I am not there,
My name is not I WAS.”

“When you live in the future
With its problems and fears,
It is hard. I am not there.
My name is not I WILL BE.”

“When you live in this moment,
It is not hard. I am here.
My name is I AM.”

Helen Mallicoat

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8

Response

  1. Kimberly Avatar
    Kimberly

    I love that you shared this—I’ve kept a copy of this poem taped in the back of my Bible for years, and it still catches my breath every time I read it. There’s something about the simplicity of “I AM” that pulls my thoughts back from all the places they wander. Like you, I can so easily drift into yesterday’s regrets or tomorrow’s unknowns, and miss the God who stands in the doorway of now inviting me to rest in Him.

    This poem has always reminded me that the Lord doesn’t meet us in the “what ifs” or the “if onlys,” but in the quiet place of this very moment. It echoes His promise, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5), and somehow that truth settles the heart. He was faithful behind us, He will be faithful ahead of us, and He is wonderfully, undeniably faithful right here—where our feet are standing.

    Thank you for posting this tonight. It was a gentle nudge to keep walking with Him one surrendered moment at a time, trusting the great I AM to hold every part of the journey.

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