Everything I Am

words & music by Doug Howell (2015) • © 2015 Creative Measures LLC

everything I am
everything I’ve done
I pour it out to you, Lord
everything that’s good
and everything that’s bad
I lay it down before you, Lord

we start out with nothing
and that’s where we end
we lose track of all we held dear
all we can seem to hold on to
are the things we can somehow leave here

everything I have
everything I’ve lost
it all belongs to you, Lord
all I know is true
all I’ve learned is false
I bring it all before you, Lord

what matters most
is being with you
becoming what you had in mind
somewhere under layers of
who I should be
lies who you long to find

everything I am
everything I’ve done
I pour it out to you, Lord
everything that’s good
and everything that’s bad
I lay it down before you, Lord

Reviews

You were a great influence on me in the 70s. One of my favorite songs in life is your Life us Like a Melody. I have worn my LP just about out. Can I still get that on CD? Your music is still a constant blessing… —Wendy S. J.

I am among the chief offenders in wishing I had the energy I had in my 20s, but it’s so good, such a blessing, to hear well-seasoned everything. The nuances of maturity you each brought to the table shine through. I needed this. Grace and peace and a whole lotta love. —Steve W.

Love it, Doug! As I was listening it reminded me of “When It’s All Been Said & Done” by Robin Mark. To answer your question, I would say that out of all the songs I’ve listened to & sang over the years, “All I Ever Have To Be” (by Amy Grant) is my “life song” because the lyrics always remind me that “everything I am” is because of His mercy & grace. —Jay E.

Doug, I just love this song. It’s a beautiful composition that so fits the lyrics. Also, the arrangement is fantastic. You are really multitalented! —Mike K.

That’s beautiful, Doug. Warms my heart to hear your sweet voice! —Katie C.

Doug, you have had the Lord in your heart as long as I have known you. Even when we were little children at Stanton Elementary I loved you and admired you. I have so many songs that inspire me but one of my favorites is “It Is Well with My Soul.” You have always been and continue to be a blessed inspiration to me. —Deborah G. H.

So beautiful! Ordering the music so I can teach it at Greensky Hill! —Jonathan D. M.

Oh my God. I really never knew I could hear your music again. I scrolled down the list and can’t wait to hear them. Did you put them on CD? If so I want to order them. —Craig K.

Absolutely beautiful. Blessed me. —Ralph H.

Love it. ♥️ Lol–I do love the guitar parts! But I love the rest, too. The song is quintessential Doug–it contains the reason so many people have been moved by your music over the years. You still have it! —Dina H. L.

It has always has been this, you may have heard it before. https://youtu.be/IyrH9cJLrzA —Murray G.

Beautiful. There is something about your voice that soothes my soul. —Diane S.

2018 Notes

Special thanks to former Good News Circle buddy, Daniel Leonhardt, for his wonderful contributions on acoustic and electric guitars. So great to work with you again, Dan!

Do you have a “life song”? I do—now, that is. I was planning a sort of “life story” concert a few years ago, hoping it would be a way to help others who were struggling to reconcile their faith with their sexuality in the same way I had struggled. I would share some of my tried-and-true songs, of course, but also wanted to include some others that had never seen the light of day, and never been unleashed on concert-goers. Songs that expressed in a very intimate, sometimes painful way what it was really like to follow God when I was hanging on by my fingernails. And while I was choosing the songs and pulling my thoughts together, it hit me: I really need a life song that sums up everything I’m trying to say. I’d often thought of “Jesus Never Fails” as my life song up to then, and I still think it is in some ways. But it just didn’t seem like there was any song that did what I felt needed to be done—not just a song about His faithfulness no matter what, but more my response to His faithfulness. It didn’t take long for the song to be born, but the concert never came about, and few have ever heard it, as I’ve only sung it for a couple of small groups. I haven’t had a chance to record it until now.

I’ve been really enjoying the sermons on the Bread of Life that Pastor Katlin and Father David Glaser (my David) have been sharing with us throughout August at Holy Apostles in Hilo. Having just released my first new song from Hawai‘i a few weeks ago, “The Lord’s Prayer,” I couldn’t help but be struck by the powerful connections between the lyrics of this song and the “daily bread,” the Bread of Life, which is shared with us each week at the Lord’s table. We kneel to receive the bread, the wine—the Body, the Blood. But we also kneel to give our bread, our wine. Our body, our blood, our life. We can only bring what we have, but we must bring it all. We receive all He has to give, and give all we are. The good and bad alike. All of it.

And I was reminded of a line from another song from way back, “New Wine”:

only let me bear the fruit of Your vine
then lead me to Your winepress
and drink me
while I drink You

I hope the words of this song speak to you. And if you’d like, get in touch and let me know what your life song is.