2024 Vision — Offering Moments of God’s Peace, Hope, and Beauty to a Global Audience through Scripture Inspired Instrumental Music (scroll down to make a secure online donation)
Dear Friend of Music to Light the World,
Hello and hope you are having a blessed year! I write to you with a spirit of celebration and gratitude.
August 2024 was the 20th Anniversary of Music to Light the World! Since 2004, God has used Scripture inspired, instrumental music to offer His “peace and rest in a hurried world” to twenty million lives globally, nudging each person’s heart closer to Christ through the Holy Spirit. Ten years ago we hosted our Treasures of Peace 10th Anniversary Gala in Atlanta, Georgia where three hundred stakeholders and guests gathered in October 2014. All of us who were there experienced the beauty and wonder of Jesus, and will always remember it as a very powerful and personal God encounter. Down at the bottom of this page are highlights from each of the twenty years to see your place in the story.
Celebrating twenty years floods my heart and mind with gratitude and remembrance. God has been so faithful in my and my family’s life. He demonstrates His Ephesians 3:20 “immeasurably more” over and over, above and beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. The ministry has released 173 songs and 16 albums to date, and we thank God for His unlimited creativity and generosity — His ways are truly higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Thank you for your faith and generosity in praying for and investing in the “much fruit” God has produced through Music to Light the World (John 15:5), whether you have supported through music recordings, piano sheet music, concerts, donations, or a combination of these.
Eighty families provided the majority of donations over twenty years, but many more gave generously as well, making it possible for God to reach 20 million lives around the world (over 10 people per dollar given). We are forever grateful this financial support which helped fund 150,000 CDs, 175 million music streams, and generosity to cancer patients and Zambian orphans.
As we continue God’s story through Music to Light the World, He is giving us a sense that donations will only be needed for a few more years. Please pray with us for His wisdom, plans and timing as we steward the ministry’s resources and global impact. Even though the music is generating over sixty percent of income, there is still a donations need of $100,000 per year to help make this transition.
Will you prayerfully consider making a generous one-time gift or giving annually toward a three-year donations goal of $300,000 from now through 2027? Thank you, as we trust the Lord to provide.
Tracks and albums are available on every music streaming service. Just search my name to listen and enjoy. You can also select “Read Blog” on the website main menu to see the story behind every song by scrolling down or searching by title. Thank you again for being such an incredible blessing in my life, faith, and ministry!
Love in Christ,
Stanton Lanier, Pianist of Peace®, on behalf of our MTLTW Board of Directors & Leadership Team
Invest as a 2024 Vision Partner (Secure One-Time Gifts)
Invest as a 2024 Hope Partner (Smaller One-Time Gifts)
*Your tax-deductible gift can be mailed by check to “Music to Light the World”:
Music to Light the World, PO Box 674041, Marietta, GA 30006
Music to Light the World is a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry. Gifts are tax-deductible. (Tax ID# 65-1214574)
Thank you for writing your story into the Story of God through Music to Light the World from 2004 to 2024.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:31
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” ~ Proverbs 11:25
“The aim and final end of all music should be unto the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” ~ J.S. Bach (my all-time favorite composer, lived from 1685 to 1750, composed 1,128 pieces)
2004 ~ Five founding donors give $5,000 each to launch MTLTW. The 3rd album Draw Near releases following Walk in the Light (2001), Still Waters (2002), and the first thirty Scripture inspired piano pieces.
2005 ~ On a March Monday night my wife said, “I can’t take it any more” (the ministry and living by faith). The next day a $20,000 anonymous donation is in the PO Box. 4th album The Voice is recorded at George Lucas Skywalker Sound, first of six albums produced by Will Ackerman, Founder of Windham Hill Records.
2006 ~ 5,000 CDs are donated to Christian School students through Let Your Light Shine chapel concerts.
2007 ~ 5th album Unveiled releases. Awaken the Dawn (Psalm 108:1-2) becomes a global listener favorite to this day. One of the largest Christian bookstores in the U.S. at the time buys 6,000 The Voice CDs as a Christmas gift for every employee.
2008 ~ Concert ministry multiplies, performances in 27 states, Canada, and overseas from 2004 to 2019.
2009 ~ New Zealand based Les Mills Fitness begins a 15-year partnership that leads to 29 music licenses for relaxation and meditation during fitness classes attended by 300,000 people per week in 70 countries.
2010 ~ 6th album December Peace wins ZMR Best Holiday Album 2009 award over Enya and Yo Yo Ma.
2011 ~ 7th album A Thousand Years releases with hymns and classics, and original favorite Bread of Angels. First of three exhibit years at the American Association of Christian Counselors World Conference.
2012 ~ 40,000 Rivers of Light compilation CDs donated to Beads of Courage, offering God’s peace, hope, and healing to children with cancer and their families, 31 Days of December Peace devotional is published.
2013 ~ 8th album Open Spaces releases. The title track joins others airing on Sirius XM, satellite and cable.
2014 ~ 9th album Treasures of Peace releases at the 10th Anniversary Gala with 14 favorites, 2 new songs.
2015 ~ God invites our family and MTLTW to serve orphans in Zambia on the way to Australia and New Zealand vacation and performances. Breathe single and music video release (becomes #1 track on Spotify).
2016 ~ Sky Whisper Sound Studios begins Atlanta composing years for music, 10th album Climb to the Sky release concert held at Georgia Tech’s Ferst Center for the Arts (my alma mater for 1986 B.S. in chemistry).
2017 ~ Walking on Air single and music video filmed in British Columbia release after Canada concerts.
2018 ~ 11th album So Loved. Sixth of ten years donating music and playing at St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
2019 ~ 12th album December Peace II. Berklee School of Music Certificate in Composing for Film and TV.
2020 ~ Three new singles release. Ministry surpasses 7,500 piano book and sheet music sales/downloads.
2021 ~ 13th album The Outlaw Ocean Suite releases as a contribution to NY Times reporter documentary.
2022 ~ 14th album Treasures of Peace II collection releases with listener favorites from 2015 to 2022.
2023 ~ 15th album Solo Piano Dawn releases, featuring twelve new solo piano melodies written in 2023.
2024 ~ 16th album Before You Were Born — Symphonic Meditations for Life’s Seasons releases in March.