Stanton Lanier

Scripture inspired piano to refresh your spirit

How Thanksgiving Leads to December Peace

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Click above to listen to Thanksgiving with piano and English horn as you read. If you enjoy, listen to this and more music from Best Holiday Album Winner December Peace (ZMR Awards), the just released 2019 Christmas album December Peace II, and check out the 31 Days of December Peace devotional softcover book or e-Book.

How can Thanksgiving lead to December Peace?

My good friend and mentor Ken Boa consistently encourages me to practice two disciplines: Gratitude and Remembrance. As I prepare my heart and attitude for the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., I was reminded of two verses that have transformed my life and faith journey. Here is how I believe these can prepare you and me for December Peace, and even can lead us there…

2015 Dec Peace CollageAs you are listening to Thanksgiving, reflect on these words: “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.”

Recorded in Philippians 4, verses 6 and 7 point me toward giving thanks. They focus my heart and mind on gratitude. This prompts me to remember God’s blessings. Then I begin to think about particular times when God has been faithful to provide for me, to see me through a difficult time. For example, when our house was robbed, when there were emergency room visits to the hospital, when I was having fears and doubts about the future, etc. By practicing the thanksgiving in verse 6, this leads to the peace promised in verse 7, which will guard my heart and mind.

I composed the song Thanksgiving from these verses, because I am often tempted to be anxious about everything, not just anything. The music expresses child-like faith, and skipping through life with joy. I wrote the Advent and Christmas season devotional 31 Days of December Peace, to offer real life stories filled with hope and inspiration (from my life and the lives of special friends). Each leads to peace and rest, to gratitude and remembrance, to experiencing “December Peace.” Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday season filled with thanksgiving, peace and joy!

As you prepare for Thanksgiving, and for December, ask yourself these questions:

  • Who are some people you are grateful for?
  • What are some things you are grateful for?
  • What difficult times has God helped you through?
  • When did something amazing and good happen that encouraged you?

SO LOVED Track #12 – Spread Your Wings

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Click above to listen to track #12 Spread Your Wings from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

How do the words “spread your wings” inspire your life journey right now?

For much of my life the words “spread your wings” were all about me. As a teenager and younger man I wanted to “spread my wings” — achieve success, have financial security, see the world, live a life of adventure on my own terms, etc. Eventually at age thirty I reached a point of surrender. Instead of “striving to achieve” I slowly began a new journey of “abiding to receive” God’s blessings of life purpose and provision. Little did I know, many years later I would compose an instrumental song titled Spread Your Wings, inspired by the story of Ruth. I hope the melody and these thoughts inspire your life journey today…

As I was creating the album So Loved from selected Bible characters and their stories, Ruth and Boaz were top contenders. The more I read the story and searched for a title (found in the book of Ruth, chapters 2 and 3), the phrase “spread your wings” stood out. Don’t we all aspire to live a “spread your wings” kind of life? And yet, as it was for me at first, doesn’t this make us think of spreading “our” wings to enjoy the freedom and independence this seems to offer? When Ruth said to Boaz, “Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer,” this is a picture for us of how God redeems us by His grace. Boaz was the son of Rahab the prostitute (her story inspired track #10 Scarlet Threads). Boaz and Ruth were great grandparents to Jesus by twenty-eight generations. Through Jesus God spreads His wings over us, covering all of our sins, and completely forgiving us. He offers us the “peace that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), and the opportunity to know and trust Jesus as our Savior and Friend. Wow. This is the kind of “spread your wings” life I want to live!

P.S. The opening 1:10 of the song expresses our longing for redemption, and the beauty of receiving God’s gift of salvation through Christ. Then the piano slowly “sings” the phrase “spread your wings over me” four times, followed by “spread your wings, spread your wings, spread your wings, over me” three times. After another verse section variation, beginning at 2:44 the chorus builds even larger all the way to the ending, repeating the above phrases over and over. This allows God to sing His Word over us as we surrender to and trust in His covering. Within the track the words “spread your wings” are played thirty-five times by the piano.

P.S.S. The bird in the photo is an African Darter, which I took in July 2015. Through my music and ministry Music to Light the World, my family and I were invited by Family Legacy to serve orphans in Lusaka, Zambia. We were able to visit Chobe National Park to see amazing wild life along the Chobe River in Botswana.

How can you go deeper in trusting God to spread His wings over you?

SPREAD YOUR WINGS | RUTH
Ruth 2 and 3. “Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” God protects us under His wings when we fully surrender to and trust in Him.

SO LOVED Track #11 – If You Say So

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Click above to listen to track #11 If You Say So from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

What “deep water” is God calling you to?

If You Say So is a tribute to Peter’s bold faith. We can relate to his story because, like us, he was longing for spiritual hope and beauty, and yet he was broken and imperfect. His devotion to Jesus led him to proclaim, “Even if everyone else falls to pieces on account of you, I won’t.” And yet, three times he denies ever knowing Jesus. As I composed this song it became a conversation between the piano and cello, with French horn underneath. Here are the two phrases the notes are singing, which we can apply to our life and faith…

If You Say So I will. If you listen for them, you may hear how the piano and cello are singing these words throughout the song. The song opens with “But if you say so, I will” repeated four times. Peter and his co-workers had been fishing hard all night, and had caught nothing. Following this, Jesus told him to push out into deep water and let his nets down for a catch. They caught a huge haul of fish strained the nets to capacity. This story inspires me to ask God two questions: “Do You have something you want to let me know? Is there any deep water you are calling me to?” If we lean in by faith to ask, listen closely, and obey, we can experience God’s faithfulness and fruit in our lives beyond our capacity to comprehend or imagine.

Do You Love Me? The piano and cello notes begin singing this phrase in the middle of the song, and more and more to the very end, where these words shaped the final four notes. After His resurrection Jesus asks Peter this question three times (remember Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before the crucifixion). In our lives, we know Jesus loves us because He says this, and promises this to us, so many times in Scripture. The entire album and title track So Loved are a testimony to His great love for us (John 3:16). The question “Do You Love Me?” has become even more powerful for me. Even though I am (and we are) broken, sinful, and imperfect, Jesus loves us first. He invites us to love Him in response with grateful hearts. When we experience His love and grace more fully in our lives and stories, it overflows from us to people we encounter in God’s “deep water” moments.

How do the music and words offer you hope and beauty today?

IF YOU SAY SO | PETER
Luke 5, John 21. Peter’s bold words “but if you say so I will” and Jesus’ words “Do you love me?” inspire us to know God’s patient tenderness toward us.

PUSH OUT INTO DEEP WATER (LUKE 5:4-11, MSG)
When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, “Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.” Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I will let out the nets.” It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch. Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. “Master, leave. I’m a sinner and can’t handle this holiness. Leave me to myself.” When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him. It was the same with James and John, Zebedee’s sons, coworkers with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.

DO YOU LOVE ME? (JOHN 21:15-19)
(This happens following Jesus’ resurrection, right after Peter has a second miraculous catch of fish). After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Master, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me? ” “Yes, Master, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.” Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me? ” Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep…”

SO LOVED Track #10 – Scarlet Threads

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Click above to listen to track #10 Scarlet Threads from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

Where in your life could you use a ray of hope?

The idea behind Scarlet Threads, inspired by Rahab’s story, was to musically express the tension in our lives between darkness and light. We all are seeking light and hope, yet we don’t always walk in the light, or find a sense of hope. How can Rahab the prostitute offer us a ray of hope? Here are some insights for reflection as you listen to this piece…

The Set Up: Joshua chapters 2 and 6 tell the story of Rahab the prostitute, who showed hospitality to two Israelite spies, and hid them from the king of Jericho. When Jericho fell, she and all her family were the only ones spared because she had helped God’s people. The spies had instructed her to tie a cord of scarlet thread in the window so they could identify her house and rescue her family. Rahab’s name is found in Matthew 1:5 in the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah (his great, great grandmother by 29 generations). She is also included in the Hebrews 11 “Hall of Faith” (verse 31) among many great characters of the Bible who exemplified faithfulness and obedience to God. Theologians view the scarlet thread as a symbol of Jesus’ blood shed on the cross for our sin.

The Application: The solo piano sections of Scarlet Threads (there are three) represent God’s grace and forgiveness toward Rahab and each of us. The beauty in the piano melody is a symbol of God singing a beautiful song over Rahab, and over our life as well. God saved Rahab and knew she would be an ancestor to the Messiah, and His salvation is available to us by faith in Jesus. The rhythmic, darker sections of the song represent the sin and scandal in Rahab’s life, as well times in our lives when we wander from God’s ways. Even with our brokenness, God has forever redeemed and saved us when we put our faith and trust in Him. He sees in us and sings over us more beauty, light and hope than we can imagine. Can you hear His song just for you? Will you join me in embracing His promise in John 1:5? The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

What part of the music or words above give you a ray of hope today?

SCARLET THREADS | RAHAB
Joshua 2. “tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window.” God redeems our sins like he saved this prostitute, Jesus’ great grandmother 29 generations earlier.

SO LOVED Track #9 – Heart and Soul

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Click above to listen to track #9 Heart and Soul from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

What are you pouring your heart and soul into right now?

This could be your work, your hobby, your family, your marriage, your next vacation, your walk with God, or any number of noble pursuits. The song Heart and Soul is a soundtrack inspired by the life of Caleb, whose great faith resulted in a life of even greater adventure as he trusted God’s guidance. A better phrasing of this question in my journey is “How is God stirring my heart and soul to follow Him better, to follow Him like Caleb?” This requires a wondrous and mysterious combination of stillness and waiting with surrender and action. As you listen to the music and read about the six sections of this song below, I hope you will find fresh inspiration and wisdom in making your life choices and decisions…

1. Section 1 (First 45 seconds, 0:00 to 0:45). Approaching God in Stillness and Waiting. The song opening expresses our wanting to know what to do next. This requires moments of prayerfully getting quiet, and listening closely for God’s gentle whisper.

2. Section 2 (Next 45 seconds, 0:45 to 1:30). Moving with Surrender and Action. This section symbolizes taking first steps as we begin to find our rhythm with faith and obedience, and to know God and His voice more intimately, like Caleb.

3. Section 3 (Next 60 seconds, 1:30 to 2:30). Going Deeper in Stillness and Waiting. This section is a little bit longer than the opening, symbolizing deeper stillness and waiting — listening more attentively, and hearing God’s voice more clearly.

4. Section 4 (Next 45 seconds, 2:30 to 3:15). Moving with Greater Surrender and Action. Our life and faith rhythm gets bigger and louder so to speak, as we interact with God, listen for His voice, and obey His further instructions more swiftly.

5. Section 5 (Next 45 seconds, 3:15 to 4:00). The Blessing of Communion and Interaction. This musical bridge takes us into still deeper communion with God, interacting with Him as we combine both waiting and acting. He knows our needs and guides us faithfully.

6. Section 6 (Final 60 seconds, 4:00 to ending). The Blessing of Affirmation. As we follow God with all our “heart and soul” He encourages us and gives us greater confidence. Like Caleb, the chorus melody and rhythm now begin to represent the growing fruit and impact of our life choices and decisions. This happens as we continue to trust and obey God in all things.

Which phase of this process is most meaningful to you at this moment?

HEART AND SOUL | CALEB
Deuteronomy 1, Numbers 13-14. “he (Caleb) was all for following God, heart and soul.” When God says “let’s go” and we obey, all things are possible with Him.

SO LOVED Track #8 – Strength Is Yours

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Click above to listen to track #8 Strength Is Yours from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

How do you bring forth strength when you feel weak and helpless?

When I am overwhelmed by life struggles or battles I may ask the questions, “Lord, why is this happening?” or “Where are you Lord?” As you listen to Strength Is Yours, journey with me for a moment into the story behind this song and its application in our lives. Then perhaps listen again with a renewed perspective. Here is how this song and its meaning came together…

It was about 1180 B.C. The Israelites were completely overwhelmed in Judges 6. They were being defeated and overrun by the Midianites. They were way outnumbered, all their crops were being stolen, and they were hiding in caves to find some sense of safety and security. This was the scene when God appeared to Gideon, a man small in stature, and called him a Mighty Warrior. Gideon was certain God had made a mistake and needed quite a bit of convincing before his faith would reach beyond his current reality. When we face life’s battles or life seems hopeless, in mystery and wonder God offers us hope that He knows everything we are going through. Not only does He join us in the battle, He is fighting our battles for us.

The helpless feeling we experience is expressed in the intense opening of this soundtrack. The violin opens with a distressed melody, and is answered by the cello notes singing the phrase “go in this strength that is yours” in the midst of our insecurity and uncertainty. These were God’s words to Gideon, and they are His words to us, even when life’s battles lead to a hopeless heart. He promises to give us His strength and to be with us in all things. He is singing a “Mighty Warrior” chorus with angels and a heavenly orchestra of music, which builds in the song to a climactic finish filling our hearts with hope and strength. Let the music and this truth wash over you as you “go in this strength that is yours.”

What is one thing God is saying to you today through this music and its inspiration?

STRENGTH IS YOURS | GIDEON
Judges 6. God said to him, “Go in this strength that is yours. I’ll be with you. Believe me.” God is mighty and strong. He fights life’s battles with and for us.

SO LOVED Track #7 – Lush Meadows

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Click above to listen to track #7 Lush Meadows from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

What is a favorite “lush meadow” moment for you? What was the scene like?

As I composed Lush Meadows my heart was to write music that would take us to a beautiful meadow. I wanted to feel a sense of lying back and looking up at the clouds, of resting and relaxing in the moment, and of trusting God in all areas of life. This song was inspired by the 23rd Psalm and the peace and assurance expressed in David’s words, as well as Psalm 51 and David’s brokenness before God. Here is some of the story behind the soundtrack and how it happened…

David was called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He wrote half of the Psalms (75 of 150), defeated the giant Goliath as boy, killed a lion and bear when he was a shepherd tending his sheep, and was the second king of Israel. However, he was also sinful, afraid, and often cried out to God in distress. The tension within his character has helped me have a much deeper understanding of God’s grace and forgiveness toward us, as well as His love and power working through us. With all this in mind, the music encompasses the friction between the wonder and beauty of the Holy Spirit working in our lives (the lush meadows from Psalm 23), and our sin and brokenness before God (within this beauty the piano sings the words “Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me” throughout the song).

Musically, the piano is underscored by an atmosphere of deep peace to represent a lush meadow. The French horn symbolizes a shepherd’s horn. The harp is a tribute to David playing the harp and lyre as recorded in the Psalms. Listen to the song again, and allow God to sing His grace, forgiveness, and beauty over you.

How does Lush Meadows and its inspiration speak into your story today?

LUSH MEADOWS | DAVID
Psalm 23 and 51. “God, my shepherd, I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows. Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love.”

SO LOVED Track #6 – Stunningly Beautiful

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Click above to listen to track #6 Stunningly Beautiful from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

How often do you think of yourself as Stunningly Beautiful?

We usually associate the words “stunningly beautiful” with something outside of ourselves, such as a person, a piece of music, a work of art, a wonderful meal, or a place (like the Great Ocean Road at sunset pictured below). Have you ever thought about the possibility of God seeing you, just as you are,  as stunningly beautiful? Bear with me for a moment as I share how this song happened and what I learned…

Most of my albums include a love song for my wife, each of which are ultimately a love song from God to each of us. Stunningly Beautiful was inspired by the story of Rebekah, when Abraham’s servant traveled on a journey in search of a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac. The full story is an amazing read, and can be found in Genesis 24. It took many hours to compose this soundtrack expressing the scene where Rebekah comes to the well to fetch water, and God reveals her to be Isaac’s wife. The Lord brought me to tears as He revealed the beautiful melodies, and as He brought to light how he sees me, and sees each of us, as stunningly beautiful. Even though I am broken, sinful, and undeserving, the Lord sings a song of forgiveness, grace, and beauty over me. He invites us to accept His amazing gift of love and salvation, from the Lover to His Beloved.

Will you join me in asking God to help us see with His vision – that we are stunningly beautiful?

STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL | REBEKAH
Genesis 24. “The girl was stunningly beautiful.” God sees beauty in us and wants to show us His steadfast, unfailing, gracious, loyal love as He did for Isaac.

SO LOVED Track #5 – Salvation Song

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Click above to listen to track #5 Salvation Song from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

What does the title “Salvation Song” stir in you?

Salvation Song is becoming a listener favorite on So Loved. When I began working on this soundtrack inspired by life of Moses, I wondered if one piece of music could express all the key events of his story, and at the same time sing something beautiful to us as we listened. Think about the twists and turns, and the ups and downs in your own story as I share some highlights from Moses’s life.

After hiding him for protection, his mother placed Moses in a basket and put it among the reeds on the bank of the Nile River. The Pharaoh of Egypt’s daughter saw and retrieved the basket, and raised him as her son. As a young man Moses killed an Egyptian who had beaten a fellow Hebrew. When Pharaoh tried to kill Moses for this, he fled to the desert in Midian, married his wife Zipporah, and had two sons. He encountered God at the burning bush, where God told him to go and bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses was hesitant because speaking was a weakness (he was slow of speech and tongue), so God allowed his brother Aaron to help him. When Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Israelites go, God brought ten plagues. When Pharaoh finally did let Moses and the people go, he and the entire Egyptian army chased them to the edge of the Red Sea. God parted the waters so the Israelites could cross on dry ground. They all made it safely to the other side, and every single Egyptian drowned when the sea covered them in their pursuit. A lot of other events happened, including the manna from heaven to feed God’s people in the desert, the ten commandments, Moses striking a rock to bring forth water for the people, and Moses striking a rock a second time later when God told him to speak to the rock to bring forth water again. This act of disobedience cost him getting to cross the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. With all these thoughts in mind, here is what happened when I started writing the music…

God began to reveal to me that instead of the dramatic, sometimes dark, sometimes triumphant music I was envisioning for Moses, perhaps He sang a more beautiful song over Moses’s life than I was imagining. Then, in a very profound way, this revelation moved me to consider how God also has a unique and beautiful song for my life, and for your life. He is singing this over us from heaven, and He wants us to “hear the music” so to speak, which can be very hard sometimes due to life’s moments of disharmony and discord. To know God’s grace and love filled song for us, we have to be still, surrender, and listen closely for His gentle whisper. This has been life changing for me to know God is singing beauty over me, even though I am broken, sinful, weak and ordinary, just like Moses.

Musically, this track has many instruments singing to represent the height, depth, and breadth of God’s love for us. There are layers of beauty, and His love for us is beyond what we can comprehend. I hope this song sings into your story in a powerful and beautiful way just like it has for me. I believe one reason it is a becoming a listener favorite is because every human being wants a “salvation song” in their life. God created us and wants us to know and trust Him. He offers us complete forgiveness, and He wants us to experience salvation through Christ.

How does this song and its inspiration speak into your faith journey?

SALVATION SONG | MOSES
Exodus Chapters 2 through 15. “God is my strength, God is my song, and Yes! God is my salvation. Your strong right hand God shimmers with power” (Exodus 15:2, The Message). All glory be to God as He sings His salvation song over each of our lives.

SO LOVED Track #4 – Open Eyes

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Click above to listen to track #4 Open Eyes from the new album So Loved as you read. You can enjoy the CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book and Sheet Music on the So Loved Album Page. You can stream the music on Spotify, iTunes-Apple Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, and more.

How has your vision been lately? Are you seeing the whole picture?

As the photo below invites (taken during a trail hike in British Columbia), I want to be on the right path when it comes to life choices and decisions. If you are like me, this aspect of “open eyes” — having a clear vision of what to do next — is appealing and desirable. However, there is a much deeper meaning behind this song. As you listen, I encourage you to open your ears and heart to fully experiencing this track. Reflect on its inspiration and how this is expressed in the music…

Our days are numbered (see Psalm 90:12 below), so the constant beat of the piano and string plucking represents the clock ticking throughout our life. The hints of tension and discord in the metronome-like clicks represent a blindness we all have, and a deep longing all humans have to see more clearly. The more beautiful, flowing chorus with piano, cellos and choirs expresses our eyes being opened to fully see and embrace God’s love and forgiveness. Even more so, the chorus symbolizes how, as for Elisha’s servant, it is possible for us to see our circumstances as God sees them, in all their fullness, and with His love and even His angels surrounding us. However, we have to believe and know Jesus as Lord and Savior before we can have “open eyes” to the grace filled, abundant life He offers us by faith. This is a great mystery, but it fills me with great joy, wonder and awe! God’s heavenly perspective encourages us when we seek to know and pursue His dreams for our lives. This is true to the very last beat of our heart, represented by the final strike of the piano at the end of Open Eyes.

What is one step you can take to have “open eyes” in your life and faith journey?

OPEN EYES | ELISHA
2 Kings 6. “Do not be afraid…O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” Lord, open our eyes to your perspective, to a grace filled, abundant life with you.

“When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,; the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:15-17, NIV)

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, NIV)