In the movie, Akeelah and the Bee, Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne) introduces a truth to Akeelah (Keke Palmer) by way of a partial quote by Marianne Williamson.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I’ve known about this quote for the past few years and it has often been helpful in illuminating my life experience. But for me, there always seemed to be an element missing although I could never place my finger on what it was. This past June 2006, I found myself literally standing on the sandy shores of a West African beach. The night sky above me, filled with stars you can’t see in NYC. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks was my soundtrack as I looked up to the heavens and attempted to engage God in deep conversation, exposing the longings of my heart. I just wanted Him to pull back all the layers to get at the real part of me… which was shrouded over by almost constant waves of fear and a lack of understanding.

Fred Hammond quoted King David in one of his songs asking, “What is man that You (God) are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4) Then Fred goes on to ask, “Could an Awesome God find common ground with him?” This is where I was - LORD, why did You take the time to create me? Am I worth anything? I found my mind pondering Marianne’s quote. And as I began to give it thought and considered my own meaning and purpose, words began to come to me. I wrestled with them, seeking to understand if they were true. In recent months I added to them so that my thoughts would be complete. So this is my version of the now famous quote.
“My deepest fear is that I’m inadequate; that somehow I’m not equipped to rise to the occasion and meet the challenge head on. That I can’t live up to the potential of the abilities I’ve barely discovered existed within me.  My deepest fear is that I will fail - so I often do not try and remain paralyzed. But even deeper, beneath my fear,  I find a dream that burns so faint - yet intense as the calm before the storm and the darkly lit night before a star explodes in brilliance.  This dream screams beneath the layers of my deepest fear which has been my life thus far - and declares, “I am powerful! Created by God with purposeful intent! Equipped to handle any challenge and empowered by God’s Spirit which is poured out without measure! I am beautiful, creative, bold and compassionate. I have worth.” My deepest dream declares that I am unequivocally free! (Though at times I feel bound.) But this dream must be believed…  When I choose to yield to this truth and walk in the deepest of deep things… my deepest fear is diminished as the light of God’s ability to release others to their deepest dream is actualized.”

-Allen Paul Weaver III -

Let me know what you think.