Some of these words are Scripture. Some are song lyrics that hit so hard they became part of me. Some are just me, raw, in the middle of the night, trying to find words for something I couldn't quite name — while looking face to face at Someone I could.

I started writing these prayers for myself — and they became a lifeline. I'm sharing them here and now because I literally just can't keep them to myself. How does the nursery rhyme go that we learned as kids? "Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm going to let it shine. Let it shine, all the time, let it shine." God's just too good! Here it goes. Glory, glory!!

Listen. Just listen — Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You set Your glory in the heavens, and I can see it tonight — look up, look up — the moon, the stars, everything He set in place with His own fingers. And what are we, that He is mindful of us? What is mankind, that the God who spoke a hundred billion galaxies into existence — planets forming in the vapor of His breath — still turns His face toward us?

But He does. He does! He crowned us with glory and honor. He made us a little lower than the angels and said, this one is Mine. Before the beginning of time, with no point of reference, He spoke into the dark — and fleshed out the wonder of light. And everything that exists, every burning star out there, every mountain that bows its head at dusk, every ocean that roars at the shore — it was all made to worship. If the stars were made to worship, so will I. If the mountains bow in reverence, so will I. If the oceans roar His greatness, so will I — and if the sum of all our praises still falls short, then I'll sing again, a hundred billion times, because He is worth it.

So sing a new song. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Bless His name. Proclaim His salvation day after day, because the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. He is to be feared above all gods — and listen, every other god, every idol, every thing this world tells you to bow to — the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him. Strength and glory dwell in His sanctuary. Give Him the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come into His courts — because He comes. He comes! Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad. Let the sea resound. Let the fields be joyful and every tree of the wood lift its arms — because He is coming to judge the earth in righteousness and His people in truth.

And as He speaks — as He speaks — the voice of the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. It breaks the cedars of Lebanon. It strikes with flashes of lightning. It shakes the desert. It twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. When Israel came out of Egypt, the sea looked and fled. The Jordan turned back. The mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs — why, mountains? Why, sea? Because at the presence of the Lord, the God of Jacob, the earth trembles. He turns the hard rock into springs of water. He came and will not be silent. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth — a fire devours before Him, and around Him a tempest rages — and in His temple, all cry glory, glory, glory.

Now here is the good news. Here it is, lean in — that same God, that thundering, cedar-breaking, mountain-moving God — He is my shepherd. And I want for nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths — not because I earned it, not because I had it together — but for His name's sake. That is the grace of it! It's for His name's sake, not mine. And though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death — and I have walked there, I have walked there — I fear no evil, because He is with me. His rod and His staff, they comfort me. He knows right where I am. He chased down my heart through all of my failure and my pride, through every shadow, every wrong turn, every grave I dug for myself — and He was there. He prepared a table right in the middle of it. Right in the midst of my enemies, He sat me down and anointed my head with oil. I'm greasy here in the safety of His dwelling! My cup overflows. I'm standing here full — full! — because of what He has done.

And surely — surely — His goodness and His lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life. Every day. Not just the good days. Every day, His mercy pursues me like the sunrise. I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

He is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary — His understanding, nobody can fathom it. And He gives strength to the weary. He increases the power of the weak. Even the young grow tired. Even the strongest stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord — those who just wait on Him, just trust Him — they will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint.

I am dust, I know it — dust unto dust — and by the breeze I will blow. But by the fire I will rise. Because the dust took root, grew into a tree, and now the log burns in the flame of His love. Oh consuming fire — let it burn away everything that isn't Him. I will rise with the ash to the heavens, because on a hill He created, the Light of the world was abandoned in darkness to die — so that I wouldn't have to. A hundred billion failures disappear right there, right at that cross, where He lost His life so I could find mine. He left the grave behind. And so will I.

God of salvation, You chased me down. You transformed this flesh into a new creation. You turned mourning into dancing. You turned tears of sorrow into rejoicing. The veil is torn — open up, let the light in! Now I'm dancing on the grave I once lived in. And You didn't stop at me — eight billion different ways, every precious one, every child You died to save — if You gave Your life to love them, so will I.

So here is the blessing — write this on your hearts, it has been spoken since Moses: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. That is not a wish. That is a declaration. He puts His name on us and He blesses us. He is Jehovah Jireh — He provides. Jehovah Rapha — He heals. El Shaddai — the God who is more than enough. You are in Him and He is in you, and we are in the Father, and the Holy Spirit is upon us, coursing through these veins. Glory forever.

The grass withers. The flower fades. But the Word of the Lord lasts forever. And how could I breathe in His breath and not sing of His love? How could I sit here under stars He counted and named and not just throw up my hands and say thank You? The plans He has for us are good — plans to prosper, not to harm, plans for a hope and a future. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord! My spirit rejoices in God my Savior — for He has looked with favor on this lowly dust. The Almighty has done great things, and holy is His name. He has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation. He lifts the lowly. He fills the hungry with good things. He remembers His promise — to Abraham, to his children, forever. And that promise runs through us, right here, right now.

So praise the Lord. Praise Him from the heavens. Praise Him in the heights above. Praise Him, sun and moon and shining stars. Praise Him, you mountains and all hills, wild animals and cattle, kings and rulers, young men and women, old men and children — praise His name, because His name alone is exalted and His splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

There is only one response. Just one move. With arms stretched wide — worship Him. Come on, soul — don't you get shy now. Lift up your song, because there is a lion inside those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord! All that there is — is a hallelujah. It's not much. But there is nothing else fit for a King — except a heart on fire, singing:

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ask or think or imagine — according to the power that works in us — to Him be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, to all generations, forever and ever.

Amen.