Stanton Lanier

Scripture inspired piano to refresh your spirit

Chasing Splendor New Song Story

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Today is the worldwide release of the new song CHASING SPLENDOR, an epic, cinematic instrumental. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, YouTube Music, and more. This song has over forty tracks and is filled with adventure and awe. I am passionate about including these two experiences in my life, and hope you can feel adventure and awe in the music. Below is some of the story behind the composition. To see more about the song’s inspiration read my earlier post Chasing Splendor.

I composed this like a film score because our life stories are like an epic movie on the big screen. The world is watching and every life we touch matters. CHASING SPLENDOR opens with a big movie chase “scene” featuring rhythms, strings and brass (“God’s beauty and love chase after me every day of my life” – Psalm 23:6 MSG). Then the first splendor movement is revealed with pianos, keyboards, choirs, strings, electric guitar and soundscapes. The chase returns with more intensity as a symbol of how passionately God pursues us with His beauty and love, and the grace and forgiveness He so wants us to know. This brings us to a second splendor movement that evokes an even deeper sense of awe as we soak in the beauty (“Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on your wonders” – Psalm 145:5 MSG).

Musically, as the splendor continues, elements of the chase return (rhythms, string, and brass parts), but in a new way. The chase is now in sync with the splendor. The chase has become more gentle, joining the splendor together as one. The song finishes with a climactic, powerful drum boom. As God chases us, if we open our hearts to trust Him and surrender, the splendor He sees in us begins to shine. Jesus wants to display His splendor uniquely through us as we trust and obey Him. This process takes time and is lifelong, but we have the opportunity to see His splendor grow and flourish in our lives. The irony is that greater splendor comes from deeper surrender. We must rely on God’s all powerful strength through us, instead of our own limited strength.

How does CHASING SPLENDOR speak into your life and story today? 

Chasing Splendor

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Chasing Splendor is the title of a new cinematic instrumental releasing in a few weeks. The musical idea has been taking shape in my mind for a good while. There is powerful meaning and symbolism behind Chasing Splendor which encourages me, and I hope will encourage you (the composition and recording features forty tracks). I plan to share more inspiration once this new single releases on all the music streaming services (Spotify, etc.). Below are two life applications for now…

1. God is Chasing Me and You. Psalm 23:6 says, “Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life…” (MSG). These words from David to God are heartfelt. They flow from his experience of God as a trustworthy Shepherd and Guide in his life. Do you sense God and Jesus pursuing you sometimes? I do, but not as frequently as He actually is chasing after me (every day of my life). This chase is much more epic than it seems in our day to day routines. Life is like a great film and the author and director is God our Father. He loves us and forgives us so much. He has such amazing plans in store for us. He wants us to trust and obey Him, to “ask boldly” for His direction and favor (as I shared in January’s post How are You Dreaming Big for 2020 ?). Contrary to our human way of thinking, we must yield to the chase. We must surrender our striving to God, and seek to wait, walk, and run in stride with His plan and His timing. Are you yielding to His pursuit?

2. God Sees Splendor in Me and You. Psalm 145:5 says, “Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on your wonders” (MSG). People exclaiming over God’s splendor, and the lavish splendor of His kingdom are written in verses 11 and 12 of this same Psalm. I cannot produce splendor myself. My sin and imperfections produce a broken view that my life is not worthy of God’s splendor. Yet God sees splendor in me, even when I don’t feel it. If we have trusted Jesus to bring us from death to life, and believe in Him by faith, the same power that raised Him from the dead lives in me and you. His splendor lives in me and you. God wants to display His splendor to a watching world through our lives. He is chasing us down, chasing this splendor out of us, so to speak. When we yield to the chase, we begin to notice His splendor more in us and around us. Does His beauty and splendor have you talking?

Which one of these speaks most to you today? God chasing you, or God’s splendor being on display in your life?

How are You Dreaming Big for 2020?

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As you read enjoy streaming Wherever You Go from the album Open Spaces (or listen on your favorite music service).

How are you Dreaming Big for 2020?

I want to Dream Big for this year. How about you? I want to be confident instead of hesitant, to have faith instead of unbelief, and to have an abundance mentality instead of scarcity mindset. Below are three actions I plan to practice while Dreaming Big for 2020.

1. Live Fully in the Present. Remember the past. Be mindful of the future. Live in the present. These wise words from a friend have been part of my Dreaming Big for a long time. The past year included many amazing blessings, along with some challenging trials. The future seems bright, but I can be afraid of what is uncertain and out of my control. My primary focus should be the gift of life today, and living fully in each present moment. I also need to rely on the promise “Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

2. Ask Boldly. I have found if I approach asking boldly from a posture of “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4), then my Big Dreams will better align with God’s Big Dreams for me. He is the Dream Giver, the Creator (with capital letters). I am a dreamer and creator (with lower case letters), asking God boldly to accomplish the Big Dreams He wants to come true this year in my life. This fills me with awe and wonder because I only know a small portion of what is in store. As I live fully in the present, and ask boldly, I remember the past with thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness in doing “immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within me” (Ephesians 3:20). I look expectantly to the future believing “God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish” (Philippians 1:6).

3. Move Forward by Faith. When I lean into listening for God’s voice—His gentle whisper—He guides me forward by faith. This can be a sense of the Holy Spirit nudging me toward my next step of obedience, God “speaking” to me through His Word or answers to prayer, or through acting on invitations from others with discernment. Moving forward can appear the opposite when the Holy Spirit checks my spirit to slow down or stop, when God is quiet and can seem distant during a season of waiting for clarity with a next step, or when people are offering me “good ideas” which are not “God’s best” plans. These tensions are why Dreaming Big requires faith and drawing near to God. I can move forward by faith, drawing strength from Hebrews 11:6 (without faith it is impossible to please God), and James 4:8 (Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you).

Which of these can you put into practice to energize your Dreaming Big for 2020?