Stanton Lanier / Sky Whisper Sound, LLC

Scripture inspired piano to refresh your spirit

Dreams in the Night – How I Minimize Anxious Thoughts

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Click above to listen to Dreams in the Night from my fifth album Unveiled as your background reading music. If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from iTunes, or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available). What life circumstance is causing anxious thoughts for you? I am an “anxious thoughts expert,” so before I forget, I want to mention two other resources I encourage you to take in after reading this post. The Dreams in the Night Live Concert Video and My Personal Faith Story Video are tools you can use to help minimize your anxious thoughts to find peace and rest. What are your “dreams in the night?” What are your greatest fears and doubts? I struggle with anxious thoughts daily. There is always something to be anxious about, right? And it always involves uncertainty about the future. When I surrender the future, let go of the past, and live in the present (really live — come alive), this helps minimize my anxious thoughts. In life, and in this musical melody, there are both restless moments and restful moments. But there is more… photo As I share in my personal faith story, I grew up with worrisome and perfectionist tendencies. Combining this with experiences of defeat fueled my anxious thoughts (I still remember the 8th grade spelling bee — I misspelled the first word in front of all my teachers and peers, and I was devastated!). However, there were also moments of victory which sparked confidence (like when I scored thirty points in a high school basketball game). Unless I practice letting go of past defeats, they will be a negative influence in my thinking. Instead, I want to practice recalling the thrill of past victories. This helps maximize my faith in what is possible. Even when I seem to be in a good place — living in the present and having confidence —anxious thoughts can still appear, keeping me from peaceful rest. Amid unsettling dreams in the night there are still whispers of optimism and expectation. God’s still small voice assures me of His care for me, and His presence with me in all things. The best antidote for anxious thoughts is to open my heart to Him, to listen for His voice, and to meditate on His Word. What “moment of victory” from your past, or scripture verse helps maximize your faith? Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on people, fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake. — Job 4:13-14 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:6-7 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” — Lamentations 3:22-24

Six Ways to Be More Content

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Click above to listen to Contentment from the album The Voice. If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from iTunes, or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available).

How is your contentment on a scale of 1 to 10?

It is so easy for me to be discontent with my circumstances or to worry about the future, even though I know there is so much to be thankful for. I wrote this melody to slow down my mind from thinking anxious thoughts, and to focus on the things in life that are pure and lovely.

Here are six ways I have found, which help me move from discontentment toward contentment…

Wherever You Go

  1.     Think about things you don’t have OR focus on giving thanks for things you do have
  2.     Dream about goals that haven’t happened OR take one positive step to make progress
  3.     Worry about outcomes you can’t control OR surrender outcomes and serve others well
  4.     Be frustrated by what hasn’t gone your way OR remember when things turned out okay
  5.     Let fear and uncertainty cause inertia OR let faith and adventure move you forward
  6.     Measure where you have less than others OR count life’s blessings that are priceless

Which of these would help you increase your contentment level?

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” — 1 Timothy 6:6-8

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” — Philippians 4:11

Why I Composed Bread of Angels

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Click above to listen to Bread of Angels as you read. If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from iTunes or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available). There is also a popular YouTube video you may enjoy – Official Bread of Angels Video.

Where do you need provision most right now?

Life has taught me there will be times when provision is needed, and I may have little or no control over the outcome. In 2010-2011 the melody Bread of Angels was born out of experiencing things only God could do with regard to providing. Sometimes I see clouds in the sky reminding me of angels and this song. Sometimes life experiences teach me to keep surrendering and trusting. See below for some memories where I was in need and God provided, followed by the verses that birthed the music for Bread of Angels…

Angel in Clouds

  • Relationally. I didn’t even know or expect this one, but just yesterday my family and I ran into very dear friends who live several states away. We were precisely in the same place in the same moment. What a great surprise and blessing it was to visit and catch up!
  • Financially. During Music to Light the World’s first ten years, there have been moments every year when we are not sure where the money will come from. God never does it the same way, but has used generous donors, supporting customers, concert opportunities, music licensing, and more to provide just in time financially.
  • Logistically. When A Thousand Years was released in 2011, I was invited to be interviewed on a Toronto-based television program that reached a large audience across Canada (the show would include a live performance of Bread of Angels). In my excitement, I totally forgot to have my passport ready for the trip (it was locked in a safety deposit box over the weekend and my departing flight was on Sunday evening). All I had was a photocopy of my passport and my apology for forgetting the real thing. It is a long story, but amazingly I made it through seven checkpoints in the U.S. and Canada during the trip. Every customs agent would ask me questions, shake their head in disbelief, and then decide to let me pass through, including a secured screening area where I was instructed to wait for processing.

Our needs for “manna” provision can also be physical, spiritual, emotional, or can involve other life circumstances. These needs and Psalm 78:25 are why I composed Bread of Angels. What memory or verse can remind you to trust God for provision today? “…He (God) rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of the angels; He sent them food in abundance.” – Psalm 78:24-25