Stanton Lanier / Sky Whisper Sound, LLC

Scripture inspired piano to refresh your spirit

Power of Being before Doing

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Click above to stream Counting the Sand of the Sea from my 10th album Climb to the Sky as you read…

Have you experienced the transforming power of Being before Doing?

In March 2006 our house was robbed. It was the middle of the day. Our son and daughter were at elementary school, and my wife and I were out. A neighbor said they saw a person standing at our front door, who appeared to be soliciting. Instead they were the lookout, while a team of robbers broke in a back window, tore through our house in a few minutes, and stole everything they could find that was small and valuable. My wife and I were wearing our wedding rings, and I was at a meeting with my notebook computer, but otherwise $10,000 of jewelry and cameras — even the money in our kids’ piggy banks — was gone for good. All the sentimental value of each item was lost. Even many years later, this is a painful memory. It took time for me to surrender my anger and frustration to God, and to fully forgive these people.

I believe there is a key element of our lives we can be robbed of every day if we’re not careful. It’s the practice and discipline of “Being before Doing.” It seems like a small thing, but it’s actually huge and has great value. In our “doing” we should not settle for results that are only good or better, when God’s “very best” is available to us. His best outcomes are the “much fruit” Jesus promises in John 15:5 if we abide in Him.

According to Nielsen Research, the average American spends about 11 hours a day staring at a screen. We know we use our screens for work and leisure, but some of our screen time is robbing us of “Being” time. This leads to God’s “much fruit” being stolen from our “Doing” time.

I captured the below photo during a recent family hike in Arches National Park, Utah. We totally unplugged for five days of fall vacation. A few days after getting home, God revealed an entire new song within a few hours, which is much faster than normal. It was one of those “watch this” moments where He demonstrated how after some quality “being” time, He can “do” things very quickly and powerfully. Instead of more striving we need more abiding and being, so God can do the striving and doing for us.

Do you maintain a healthy pattern of “Being Before Doing?” This most likely requires you to unplug from every device, or at least go offline. When was the last time you invested one hour, or maybe even one day or one week, to just “be” and not “do”?

Do you routinely have a clear sense of hearing God’s voice in your life? Of knowing what He wants you to do next? Of knowing when He checks your spirit, and lets you know to wait?

I love Frederick Buechner’s quote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Ravi Zacharias reminds us there are great needs in the world, but God asks only that we take on our portion.

We all have a special purpose to make a positive difference in the world, to bring hope and healing to people’s lives. However, only God can bear 100% of humanity’s pain and suffering, the ways we judge, compare, hurt or think wrongfully of each other instead of loving, serving, and encouraging one another. Only God has the bandwidth to provide 100% of the hope, healing, and leadership needed to transform our lives and the lives He touches through us.

So what is your portion? Have you unplugged and asked Him? Have you quieted your world, eliminated all distractions, and asked God to help you hear His voice? What He wants you to do next?

Picture me holding up a DSLR camera with a large lens. Let the DSLR camera represent our Being. Now, think of me holding up my phone beside the DSLR camera. Let the phone symbolize our Doing. This word picture has a lot of depth and meaning. Think about how investing in the value of our Being (the high resolution, focus, and magnification) powers the fruitfulness of our Doing (daily tasks, projects, and applications to make a positive difference).

How could you benefit from some “being” time right now?

An Invitation from Dawn and Dusk

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Click above to stream Dawn and Dusk Take Turns Calling as you read. For additional reflection, I am also including the music video at the bottom, which was filmed during sunset in a south Georgia pecan grove.

Which is most inviting to you — a beautiful sunrise or a beautiful sunset?

This is not an easy one for me. I love both, don’t you? If I must choose, I would make a beautiful sunrise a slight favorite. I have seen several over the past year. The most memorable were from an ocean shore or from a hilltop or mountain view. Maybe the awe and wonder of a sunrise comes from being rewarded with such beauty, after making the extra effort to rise early in the morning. Or, maybe it is the grace and hope, the new beginnings, symbolized in every sunrise.

IMG_9935Sunsets don’t require us to rise early, but to patiently watch and wait at day’s end. They can be just as beautiful, or sometimes even more beautiful than a sunrise. As long as you can see the horizon, with an unobstructed view, there is always a chance to behold a wonderful sight. The awe of a sunset could come from the sense of ending a day peacefully. Perhaps we have worked hard on a project or rested well on a vacation. Or, maybe it is the grace and hope in storybook endings, in finishing well, embodied in every sunset.

One of my favorite pieces from my newest album Climb to the Sky is titled Dawn and Dusk Take Turns Calling. I loved this phrase the moment I came across it in Psalm 65. Even more suitable, the psalmist writes what dawn and dusk take turns calling — “Come and worship.” Perhaps this is the nudge we are feeling when a beautiful sunrise or sunset takes our breath away…our hearts are being invited to come and worship God.

How does Psalm 65:8 inspire you today?

“Far and wide they’ll come to a stop, they’ll stare in awe, in wonder. Dawn and dusk take turns calling, ‘Come and worship.’” — Psalm 65:8 (The Message)

“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.” — Psalm 65:8 (NIV)

How Do You Climb to the Sky?

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This week is the 1st anniversary of my 10th album Climb to the Sky. You can click above to listen above as you read, and visit the  Climb to the Sky album page for the CD, MP3 Album, and Sheet Music. I am also including the music video at the bottom of this post for additional inspiration (filmed during a mountain sunset at 6,200 feet).

How do you “climb to the sky” in life?

This title track has such deep meaning in my story. I meditated on Psalm 139:8 “If I climb to the sky you’re there…” for quite a while before the music was revealed to me. This verse is rooted in the opening words of this Psalm, “God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight.”

There are many “broken stories” from my life which God has gradually healed and redeemed over time… Stuttering when I was five years old, which made me very shy. Getting glasses when I was ten years old, which I despised (I could still make a lot of basketball shots without wearing them). Having a sixth grade “girl friend” break up with me because I had not kissed her. Failing my first exams at Georgia Tech. Working as a shift manager in a carpet mill all but two Sundays every month. Over striving to succeed and meet people’s expectations during college and my early career years. There are others I have shared in earlier blog posts. What are some of your broken stories you need to climb above?

ctts-imageWe are all on this “climb to the sky” in life. As children, we may have experienced this while climbing trees, flying a kite, or looking out an airplane window for the first time. As adults this can also come from life experiences we enjoy. I have found an eternal view to be most helpful. My “climb” is founded on a perspective that, one day at a time, life is an “adventure to live” instead of a “problem to solve” (credit to John Elredge from his book Wild at Heart). There is a sense of wonder and awe, and God’s loving kindness toward us found throughout Psalm 139, which is definitely worth a read.

As you hear the piano “climbing” with the chorus notes, join me in remembering to keep alive your child-like faith, to give thanks for life’s many blessings, and to embrace the adventure God has in store for you, by faith. He loves us and knows us more than we can comprehend.

How does the music of “Climb to the Sky” speak to you?

10th Anniversary – Why I Composed Awaken the Dawn

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Click above to stream Awaken the Dawn as you read. For additional reflection, at the bottom I am also including the soothing, uplifting Awaken the Dawn music video filmed during an ocean sunrise on the Georgia coast.

What can you celebrate this week that happened ten years ago?

This week I am celebrating the 10th Anniversary of my 5th album Unveiled and the opening track Awaken the Dawn, which has consistently been a top listener favorite around the world. As I paused to look back and remember how this song happened, I was prompted to share more of the story with you…

I began composing Awaken the Dawn in May 2006, two months after the extremely painful experience of having our house robbed of everything small and valuable (all jewelry, cameras, etc.). I was on a quest for more hope in my life. The original working title was Waking Light. The inspiration was coming from Psalm 108:1-2, “My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.” I learned this passage is identical to Psalm 57:7-8, and these are the only two places in the entire Bible (NIV version) where the words “awaken the dawn” are used.

The music was nice, but for many months it featured a main chorus which was not stirring enough emotion. I worked on it off and on, and finally by early 2007 it was taking shape, with each musical section finding its place. In all the writing, re-writing, and playing the notes over and over, my heart’s longing was to express the deep essence of hope referenced in these Psalms. It was a lofty goal, but I wanted this message of God’s hope, without words, to speak to the heart of every person around the world who might one day hear this melody.

We have all been “robbed” of hope in various ways. This could be in our dreams, relationships, emotions, spiritual journey, health, circumstances, or any number of life events. It is interesting to me that God would inspire a song about hope following not just having our house robbed, but several other experiences of loss or struggle, where there were moments of hopelessness in my life. Hidden in the piano notes is a message from my heart to yours… I have found Jesus to be faithful when I put my faith in Him to provide the peace, rest, hope and healing I need each day.

How does “Awaken the Dawn” sing a song of God’s hope into your life?

Taken by a Cloud

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Click above to stream Taken by a Cloud from my 5th album Unveiled as you read this story from May 2014. I am also including the music video at the bottom so you can watch and listen for further reflection.

Have you ever been “taken” by a cloud? or had a beautiful scene take your breath away?

There is a splendor and mystery inherent in the world as seen in a common cloud that reflects something much larger than me. This idea originated from an ancient scripture, “As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud.” (from Acts 1:9)

I am thinking about clouds because this is my first blog post from an airplane. I have been “taken” by some clouds as I look out from my window seat. After departing from Baltimore in the rain on the way home to Atlanta, we soon were above the clouds looking down on them. Two recent experiences came to mind.

First, a few weeks ago I played a concert west of Chicago, Illinois near Wheaton College. My host was a new friend who graduated from Wheaton years ago. He took me on a tour of the Billy Graham museum there (Billy Graham also graduated from Wheaton). I photographed the above image in the final room of the museum. The Hallelujah chorus was playing from Handel’s Messiah, and the platform where I stood was surrounded by clouds. Carefully constructed mirrors created an effect that made the clouds go on forever whether I was looking up or looking down. This was a glimpse of heaven’s wonder and beauty, and it reminded me of Taken by a Cloud.

The second experience was last night in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I was invited to share some of my Scripture inspired piano at the HOPE International “Celebrate Hope” annual dinner, where 650 people gathered to hear inspiring stories from around the world, and support the great work that HOPE is doing. They specialize in micro-finance and savings programs for people in poverty who have a small business. Through targeted financial assistance entrepreneurs can grow their profits to help improve their living conditions, educate their children, and have a positive impact in their community. What is interesting is that at the core of HOPE International, is the faith, hope and love found in Jesus, and the Gospel of His grace and forgiveness. As I was “taken” by the incredible stories of financial and spiritual transformation in these impoverished communities, I was filled with eternal hope found in Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.

How can you apply today’s music and words to find greater hope?

As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.” Acts 1:9-11

Walking on Air – Guided Meditation #3

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The new song and video Walking on Air inspired me to create three short meditation opportunities to help you stop “doing” for a moment, so you can practice “being.” There are deep and meaningful insights available to us when we take time to pause and listen for God’s voice. Our moments of “being” with Him equip and energize our “doing” for Him as we seek to serve and love others well.

This exercise will seem simple, and it is, but it will not be so easy because you need to quiet your mind and silence any distractions. For this third meditation guide, as you watch the video below and listen to the music, I want you to think about your future, and how God offers us eternal hope. First, read the Scripture passages below…

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 1:8-9 (ESV)

“He’ll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise—they’ll go first. Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. Oh, we’ll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (The Message)

Next, watch the video (or close your eyes) and as you listen to the music, see what God wants to reveal to you. What is He saying about your present circumstances? Your past hopes and hurts? Your future with Him? Anything else? When God speaks, write down what He is saying to you, or at least take mental notes so you can hold onto His words for future encouragement.

Walking on Air – Guided Meditation #2

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The new song and video Walking on Air inspired me to create three short meditation opportunities to help you stop “doing” for a moment, so you can practice “being.” There are deep and meaningful insights available to us when we take time to pause and listen for God’s voice. Our moments of “being” with Him equip and energize our “doing” for Him as we seek to serve and love others well.

This exercise will seem simple, and it is, but it will not be so easy because you need to quiet your mind and silence any distractions. For this second meditation guide, as you watch the video below and listen to the music, I want you to set your heart and mind on pursuing three things: to know God, to worship Him, and to notice His vibrant beauty. First, read the passage below…

“God! Let the cosmos praise your wonderful ways, the choir of holy angels sing anthems to your faithful ways! Search high and low, scan skies and land, you’ll find nothing and no one quite like God. The holy angels are in awe before him; he looms immense and august over everyone around him. God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who is like you, powerful and faithful from every angle? You put the arrogant ocean in its place and calm its waves when they turn unruly…Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do—they can’t keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us— you’ve been so good to us! We’re walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God, Holy God of Israel, our King!” Psalm 89:5-9 and 15-18 (The Message)

Next, watch the video (or close your eyes) and as you listen to the music, see what God wants to reveal to you. What does He want you to know about Him—for the first time or in a fresh way? How was this worshipful for you? What did He say to you about His vibrant beauty? Anything else? When God speaks, write down what He is saying to you, or at least take mental notes so you can hold onto His words for future encouragement.

Walking on Air – Guided Meditation #1

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The new song and video Walking on Air inspired me to create three short meditation opportunities to help you stop “doing” for a moment, so you can practice “being.” There are deep and meaningful insights available to us, when we take time to pause and listen for God’s voice. Our moments of “being” with Him equip and energize our “doing” for Him as we seek to serve and love others well.

This exercise will seem simple, and it is, but it will not be so easy because you need to quiet your mind and silence any distractions. For this first meditation guide, as you watch the video below and listen to the music, I want you to reflect on celebrating one or two of your life’s most beautiful moments. When Hannah found out she was pregnant (with her son Samuel), 1 Samuel 2:1 tells us, Hannah prayed: “I’m bursting with God-news! I’m walking on air…I’m dancing my salvation.” (The Message)

Now, pause and ask God to bring to mind a beautiful moment or two from your life, when you were filled with celebration, when you were “walking on air.” Next, watch the video (or close your eyes) and as you listen to the music, see what God wants to reveal to you. What are the moments He brings to mind? What is something deeper He wants you to know? From these memories? About Himself? Anything else? When God speaks, write down what He is saying to you, or at lease take mental notes so you can hold onto His words for future encouragement.

Walking on Air – A New Song of Hope and Beauty

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With September 12, 2017 being the worldwide release day of this new song, I encourage you to first watch the new Walking on Air Music Video. Then read the words below as you listen using the Spotify link above. When you finish reading, take time to watch the video or listen once more for a time of reflection. If someone comes to mind who could use some hope, please share this with them.

What is your anchor of hope when things seem hopeless? Are you noticing beauty around you?

I discovered in February 2017 there are only three references to “Walking on Air” in The Message Bible (included at the bottom of this post). This inspired a fifteen hour studio day in early March writing and recording a new song. During a July concert trip to British Columbia, a new music video was filmed to combine a musical and visual expression of hope and beauty in a world that so often can seem hopeless and unappealing.

Isaiah 55:8-9 is a powerful passage I rely on by faith whenever things don’t make sense, or whenever events are impossible to fully understand… “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (ESV).

Just as we all would love for a moment to be able to “walk on air” or fly like a bird, we also experience events in life that are the opposite of hopeful or beautiful. When my faith is tested, I can either put my faith in God’s promises or in my circumstances. In an Isaiah 55:8-9 kind of way, I have found God is always bigger than my situation and worthy of my trust. From tragic events happening around the world today, to remembering 9/11, to recovering from Hurricane Harvey or Irma, to whatever “storm” you may be facing in life, my prayer for you is to receive God’s grace, hope, and beauty through Walking on Air.

How does “Walking on Air” speak to your story today?

Interestingly, the three passages below use the phrase “Walking on Air” in contexts of celebrating life’s beautiful moments, worshiping God with vibrant beauty, and looking to the future with eternal hope.

1 Samuel 2:1 (MSG)
“Hannah prayed: I’m bursting with God-news! I’m walking on air…I’m dancing my salvation.”

Psalm 89:5-9 and 15-18 (MSG)
“God! Let the cosmos praise your wonderful ways, the choir of holy angels sing anthems to your faithful ways! Search high and low, scan skies and land, you’ll find nothing and no one quite like God. The holy angels are in awe before him; he looms immense and august over everyone around him. God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who is like you, powerful and faithful from every angle? You put the arrogant ocean in its place and calm its waves when they turn unruly…Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do—they can’t keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us— you’ve been so good to us! We’re walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God, Holy God of Israel, our King!”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (MSG)
“He’ll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise—they’ll go first. Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. Oh, we’ll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.”

How to Know When to Go, or Wait

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Click above to sample Delight from The Voice as you read. If you enjoy, use the following links to shop and hear more: The Voice CD, MP3 Album, or Piano Book, Delight PDF Sheet Music, Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon.

How do you know when to go, and when to wait?

It seems we all have this longing to know, should I go or should I wait? This could be a decision in the moment you are facing right now, or more of a long arch, life purpose decision such as a career change or sense of calling in your heart. I have been researching and studying answers to this question for a long time. Growing in making the “best” decision versus a “good” or “better” choice takes time, and is a lifelong pursuit.

The photo below is from a July mountain hike in British Columbia, which inspired today’s post. Do you see the path as where you are headed or where you have been? Do you notice the beauty along the way? I believe the ideas below will encourage you and help you with your “how to know when to go” decisions…

One resource that has really helped me with the question “Should I go or should I wait?” is the daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Below are two key highlights from the March 20th devotion titled “Friendship with God.”

THE DELIGHTS OF HIS FRIENDSHIP — Go Unless God Says Wait
It is possible to be growing in your friendship with God, to be “so intimately in touch with God, that you never need to ask Him to show you His will. When you have a right-standing relationship with God you have a life of freedom, liberty, and delight; you are God’s will. All of your common sense decisions are His will for you, unless you sense a feeling of restraint brought on by a check in your spirit. We are free to make decisions in the light of a perfect and delightful friendship with God, knowing that if our decisions are wrong He will lovingly produce that sense of restraint. Once He does, you must stop immediately.” This approach has transformed my decision making and faith journey. “Go unless God says wait (unless He checks my spirit)” is very different than “wait until God says clearly says go,” which is what I would prefer, and you probably would too.

THE DIFFICULTIES OF HIS FRIENDSHIP — Believe as You Go
“Whenever we stop short of our true desire in prayer and say, ‘Well I don’t know, maybe the is not God’s will,’ then we still have another level to go. Think of the last thing you prayed about — were you devoted to your desire or to God? The reason for asking is so you may get to know God better.” This has helped me to keep believing anything is possible with God, when He has asked me to “obey and go” regarding a specific direction or special project. Remember where you have been, and be grateful for God’s faithfulness. Focus on where you are headed, and have faith God will show the way.

How can Oswald Chambers’ words help you to know when to go, or wait?

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” — Psalm 37:4