with Felicity Marlow Principal , Norwest and Ngarra Christian Colleges

Each of us has within us a powerful drive to understand ourselves and to know who we are and , from an early age we instinctively make statements beginning with the phrase I am . You may have observed your little girl using mum ’ s make-up and then looking in the mirror and saying , “ I am beautiful .” You may have noticed that when your child dresses up as a superhero they make statements like “ I am strong .” Or perhaps sadly , you may have heard your child say “ I am dumb ” when they have felt defeated in their learning .

Think about the different emotions that are stirred by those last two statements ; “ I am strong ” vs “ I am dumb .” “ I am ” statements are powerful and how we finish them impacts our emotions , attitudes and approaches to life , and ultimately plays a significant role in identity formation . In fact , “ I am ” are two of the most important words because what we put after them can shape our reality . Often though , we don ’ t finish our “ I am ” statements accurately , rather , we take a moment in time or isolate one part of ourselves to finish the sentence . For example , just because I can run doesn ’ t mean I can lay claim to the statement “ I am an athlete .” And just because at a previous school I was given the title “ IT Coordinator ”

does not mean “ I am an IT whizz .” The danger in finishing our “ I am ” statements this way is that we are coming to conclusions about who we are without realising that we only see a tiny part of the big picture of our lives .

Using what we do , what we wear , the titles we have been given , the way we look , or what another person says about us as a reference point for finishing “ I am ” statements is problematic because they do not capture the complete picture of who we are .

The good news for us and the young people that are in our care is that when we know God and enjoy a relationship with Him , we learn how to finish these “ I am ” statements in ways that are accurate and provide us with purpose , meaning , and

confidence for the whole of our life .

You see , God , our Maker , has the complete picture of who we are . He knows the beginning from the end . He was there in the beginning , and he promises to be with us every day . He has the complete picture of who we are , where we fit in , and what our purpose is .

I relish the privilege that we have at the College every day to orientate

young people to what God says about them so that they can finish their “ I am ” statements truthfully . It is these identity forming statements that provide direction , meaning , and purpose in life .

If you would like more information about education at Norwest or Ngarra Christian Colleges , please visit www . norwest . nsw . edu . au