ENGLISH SPEECH | OPRAH WINFREY: God use Me (English Subtitles)

Summary

In this heartfelt speech, the speaker expresses profound gratitude to various individuals and entities, including Barbara Walters, the Harpo family, and King World, for their support and influence. They recount their journey from a young African-American child in Mississippi to a beacon of hope through television. The speaker's prayer for a meaningful life led them to a career in television, where they aim to touch lives, provide hope, and help people reach their highest potential. They pledge to continue using this medium to make a positive impact, especially in a polarized world, and thank the audience for an award that motivates them to persist in their mission.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Gratitude is expressed for the influence of Barbara Walters, who served as a beacon of inspiration.
• 🙏 Acknowledgment of support from the Harpo and King World families, and other individuals who have been instrumental in the speaker's journey.
• 💖 A special thank you to Steadman for his sweetness and integrity, and for his supportive role in the speaker's life.
• 🙌 Recognition of the importance of using media, particularly television, as a tool to impact and enlighten people's lives.
• 📺 The speaker's early aspirations were to be used by God to make a difference, which led to a career in television.
• 🕊 A commitment to continue using television as a platform to promote better living and to help people reach their highest potential.
• 🌈 The speaker's prayer from childhood was to be a vessel for positive change, regardless of the challenges faced growing up in Mississippi.
• 🌟 The desire to be a beacon of hope and understanding, mirroring the impact Barbara Walters had on the speaker's life.
• 🔦 The belief in a vision for one's life that surpasses personal imagination, and the pursuit to fulfill that vision.
• 🏆 Appreciation for an award that encourages the speaker to continue their mission of using media for the betterment of society.
• 🎶 The script concludes with music, indicating a ceremonial or celebratory context for the speech.

Q & A

Who is the speaker expressing gratitude towards at the beginning of the transcript?

The speaker is expressing gratitude towards Barbara Walters, the Harpo family, the King World family, and everyone who has nurtured them.

What does the speaker refer to as 'beacons of life'?

The speaker refers to 'beacons of life' as people who inspire and guide others, like how Barbara Walters inspired the speaker.

Who is Steadman in the context of the speech?

Steadman is referred to as 'the sweetest man with the greatest integrity' and is thanked for helping the speaker become everything they are.

What was the speaker's prayer growing up in Mississippi?

The speaker's prayer was for God to use them and their life for a purpose greater than they could imagine.

How does the speaker describe the impact of television on their life?

The speaker describes television as a tremendous vehicle that allowed them to touch people's lives and be a beacon of hope and understanding.

What is the speaker's goal in continuing to use television?

The speaker's goal is to use television to help people lead better lives and reach their highest vision for themselves.

What does the speaker mean by 'to be a light of hope and understanding'?

The speaker means to inspire and provide clarity to people's lives, helping them to better understand themselves and their potential.

How does the speaker feel about receiving the award mentioned in the transcript?

The speaker feels grateful for the award as it encourages them to continue their work in television.

What is the significance of the phrase 'from the beginning being a colored than Negros and black than the african-american child'?

The phrase highlights the speaker's journey and the evolution of racial terminology, reflecting their personal history and the societal changes they've witnessed.

What is the speaker's vision for their life?

The speaker's vision for their life is to be used by God in a way that exceeds their own imagination, to make a positive impact on others.

How does the speaker view the role of television in a polarized society?

The speaker views television as a medium that can be used to help people lead better lives and to promote understanding, even in a polarized society.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Gratitude and Beacons of Life

The speaker begins by expressing gratitude for life's full-circle moments, acknowledging the influence of Barbara Walters as a beacon of light in their life. They extend thanks to various individuals and families who have supported and nurtured them, including Steadman, Gayle, and Maya. The speaker reflects on their journey from being a child in Mississippi to becoming a beacon of hope and understanding through television. They emphasize their desire to use television as a tool to touch people's lives and help them reach their highest potential, even amidst polarization in the medium.

Keywords

💡Beacon

A beacon is a guiding light or signal that helps people find their way or gives them hope. In the context of the video, the speaker refers to Barbara Walters as a 'beacon of light', symbolizing the inspiration and guidance she provided. This relates to the video's theme of personal growth and the impact of influential figures in one's life. The speaker expresses gratitude for being able to see this beacon and aspire to achieve more.

💡Full-circle moment

A full-circle moment is a situation where things come back to where they started, often with a sense of completion or fulfillment. The speaker uses this term to describe their current moment as a culmination of their journey, which began with looking up to Barbara Walters. It illustrates the theme of personal evolution and the cyclical nature of influence and inspiration.

💡Nurtured

To nurture means to care for and support the growth or development of someone or something. The speaker uses this term to express gratitude towards those who have helped them along the way, emphasizing the importance of support systems in personal and professional development. This ties into the video's overarching message of gratitude and the collective effort required to achieve one's potential.

💡Steadman

Steadman is a personal name mentioned in the script, likely referring to a significant person in the speaker's life. The speaker thanks Steadman for his support and integrity, highlighting the role of personal relationships in shaping one's character and success. This underscores the video's theme of acknowledging the contributions of loved ones.

💡Polarized

Polarized refers to a situation where opinions or people are divided into opposing groups with little common ground. The speaker mentions the polarization in the medium of television and their intention to use it positively. This reflects the video's theme of using media as a tool for unity and enlightenment amidst division.

💡Lead better lives

This phrase encapsulates the speaker's aspiration to use their platform to inspire and guide people towards improvement and growth. It is directly related to the video's central message of using one's influence for the betterment of society and aligns with the speaker's goal to be a positive force.

💡Highest vision

The highest vision refers to the most ambitious or noble aspirations one can have for themselves or others. The speaker mentions leading people to their highest vision, indicating a belief in the potential for greatness within everyone. This concept is central to the video's theme of empowerment and the pursuit of excellence.

💡Prayer

A prayer is a solemn request or expression of thanks to a deity or higher power. The speaker recounts their childhood prayer to be 'used' by God, which signifies a desire to serve a higher purpose. This prayer is integral to the video's narrative, as it sets the stage for the speaker's life journey and their commitment to making a positive impact.

💡African-American

African-American refers to an American citizen of African descent. The speaker's mention of growing up as an African-American child in Mississippi provides context for the challenges and societal backdrop they faced. This detail is important for understanding the speaker's perspective and the video's theme of overcoming adversity.

💡Illumination

Illumination, in this context, refers to the act of shedding light on something, often in a metaphorical sense. The speaker aspires to be a 'light of hope and understanding,' using television as a medium to enlighten and inspire viewers. This concept is central to the video's message of using media for positive change and self-discovery.

💡Award

An award is a token of recognition given for an achievement or excellence. The speaker thanks the audience for the award, which serves as validation and encouragement for their work. This keyword is significant as it ties into the video's theme of appreciation and the impact of recognition on one's motivation to continue their mission.

Highlights

Full-circle moment of gratitude for Barbara Walters' influence.

Recognition of the Harpo and King World families for their nurturing.

Appreciation for Steadman's support and integrity.

Thankfulness expressed to Gayle and Maya.

Acknowledgment of the journey from being a 'colored' child to an African-American.

A prayer for being used by God to fulfill a greater vision.

The dream and desire to use television as a tool for positive impact.

The goal to touch lives and be a beacon of hope and understanding.

The aspiration to illuminate and reflect people's lives through television.

The blessing of being able to use television to help people lead better lives.

The commitment to use television to help people reach their highest potential.

Gratitude for the award as an encouragement to continue the mission.

The desire to see the end result of the work and its impact.

The importance of using television to bridge divides and promote understanding.

The choice to use television in a way that benefits society.

The vision to use media to help people lead better lives and achieve their goals.

Transcripts

[Music]

thank you this is this is certainly one

of life's full-circle moments for me

because it's it's so true we are all

beacons of life for each other and I'm

grateful that Barbara Walters was there

for me to see that beacon of light to

become all that I could be today thank

you miss Farber thank you I want to

thank the Harpo family and I want to

thank the King world family I want to

thank everybody who has nurtured me who

stood in the gap for me Steadman you're

the sweetest man with the greatest

integrity thank you for helping me to be

everything that I am and all that is to

come Thank You Gayle Thank You Maya

thank you all you know when I in the

beginning from the beginning being a

colored than Negros and black than the

african-american child

growing up in Mississippi my prayer was

for as long as I can remember God use me

use me use this life I don't know what

the future holds for me but I know that

there is a vision for my life that is

greater than my imagination can hold use

me use me what would you have me to do

and that dream that desire that prayer

brought me somehow to television and to

be able to use this tremendous vehicle

of television to go into people's homes

and somehow be able to touch their lives

and to be the beacon that Barbara was

for me to be a light of hope and

understanding to share some sense of

illumination that maybe sometimes

reflects people's lives and sometimes

opens them up to themselves is the

greatest blessing God could have given

me and I want to continue to use

television as we become more polarized

in this medium I choose to use it in

whatever way I can we can to make people

lead better lives to lead them to the

highest vision possible for themselves

that is the goal I thank you for this

award because it encourages me

- righto and see what the end would be

thank you

[Music]

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