Are You Standing at a Crossroads?

April 16, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 2 Comments

Click above to stream Ancient Paths as you read. This track from Open Spaces features piano, percussion, French horn, and vocals to offer rest to your soul. If you enjoy the music, please consider supporting by visiting stantonlanier.com, iTunes, or Amazon.

Are you standing at a crossroads?

crossroads |ˈkrôsˌrōdz|
noun
an intersection of two or more roads.
• a point at which a crucial decision must be made that will have far-reaching consequences: we stand again at a historic crossroads.
• (crossroad) a road that crosses a main road or joins two main roads.

Each of our stories has many points of decision along the way. These can be small, medium, large, or huge. I can think of a few: Should I quit piano lessons? Where should I go to college? Is this shift manager job at a carpet mill the right one to begin my career? Should I ask this girl to marry me? Do I keep waiting or do I take a leap of faith?

It seems that a hope for “success” is present when we stand at a crossroads. We want to make the “right” decision, and not make the “wrong” move. When I was thirty my definition of success shifted from “striving to achieve” to “abiding to receive.” I began to trust God more with each crossroads, asking Him for guidance and walking in it by faith. In the beginning I thought I was starting to know His plans for my future. Instead, He started teaching me just to take things one day at a time, to listen for His voice with a heart of surrender. I think of it as trying to keep in stride with God’s pace. Sometimes this means waiting, sometimes walking, sometimes running, and sometimes sprinting to keep up. I don’t want to run ahead, but I don’t want to lag behind.

How is your pace right now, as you prepare for your next crossroads?

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

Spring 2013 Recording Sessions

May 1, 2013 By Stanton Lanier 2 Comments

A lot of exciting composing for the new album “Open Spaces” has been happening this year. I am excited to share this insider look into the creation of Music to Light the World’s eighth album, and to share behind the scenes video with you. Below is a 5-minute video collage from Monday and Tuesday, April 29-30, 2013 piano recordings and percussion overdubs, featuring samples of seven new pieces. I hope you enjoy!

Ancient Paths

February 28, 2013 By Stanton Lanier 2 Comments

I loved these two words when I came across them in Jeremiah 6:16 (from around the year 600 B.C.). There is something epic about movies or stories from an “ancient” time period. For some reason we are drawn to fantasies like Lord of the Rings and middle earth, a battle between good and evil from ancient times. Or, to the science fiction of Star Wars – a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Instead of looking at centuries past as old and outdated, I prefer a perspective of searching for nuggets of wisdom that were learned and applied long before my time.

Jeremiah writes, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'” Like me, I am sure you have had several “crossroads” in your story. Should I go to the right or to the left? Should I take this risk or play it safe? Should I live by faith or common sense? This ancient scripture instructs me to look, to ask, to seek — Where is the good way? What is God’s best for me right now (even if it seems challenging or difficult)? If I walk in this good way, I will find rest for my soul.

I wrote a new melody called Ancient Paths a while back. Just yesterday, I created a new music video to enhance meditation and reflection on these words from Jeremiah, while listening to the music. I hope you enjoy the video down below. I would love to hear from you with regard to the “good ways” you are seeking, and the tension this can create, as these can often require faith.

The Ancient Paths MP3 single is available for listening and downloading at stantonlanier.com, iTunes, Amazon MP3, and all other download services. Special thanks to Craig Corbin for his amazing images in the video.

Ancient Paths – My First MP3 Single

August 7, 2012 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16, about 600 B.C.).

Today – a new MP3 single release. Two months ago – no idea a song would be created that expressed this ancient verse. Here is it how it happened and what it means to me… ~ photo credits to my gifted friend Craig Corbin – www.craigcorbinphotography.com

In May a couple who has supported Music to Light the World for many years, made it possible for me to replace a 12-year old keyboard (my first 3 of 7 albums were created and recorded on this). I ordered a new Yamaha synthesizer and it arrived about a week later. In the first hour of playing around with the incredible piano sounds and endless mixing combinations, a new song was born (coming later). In the second hour, another new song was born that became Ancient Paths. The melody came quickly, and some surrounding variations surfaced during a few more short sessions at the keyboard. I knew it was complete in early July and was hoping to release my first MP3 single.

Today it happened. Here are a few thoughts on what it means to me…

Using our creative gifts feeds our heart, which then overflows in service to others
Things happen little by little, one step, one day at at a time; have patience; be thankful
“Stand at the crossroads and look” What decision are you facing today? The melody opens with a pattern of plodding through life, step by step, looking for the path.
“Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is” The melody sweetens as the good way is revealed with a sense of striding in it. What have you learned from history, from ancient paths, others who have gone before you? King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:11 that God planted eternity in the human heart. Have you thought of eternity as a “good way” before? What a mystery that we are “wired” to seek eternal life.
“and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” The musical combinations have an overriding hope to receive peace and rest. Walking through life, looking, plodding, finding the good way, smiling, striding, glowing.

Augustine wrote around 400 A.D. “God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.” What are you restless about in your life right now? How can you ask where the good way is, and walk in it? This really tests my faith at times. “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8). I love this promise. I need rest for my soul today. How about you?

Thanks for “listening” to some of the depth behind a piano melody that married to its title, Ancient Paths. I would love to hear from you with thoughts on this new piece of music, as well as the questions above. The MP3 is available at stantonlanier.com, and worldwide on iTunes, Amazon and all other digital outlets. Grace and peace until next time…