•  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •   
  •   
  • New Free Resource

Stanton Lanier

Scripture inspired piano to refresh your spirit

  • Browse Store
    • Music Streaming
    • Piano Books & Sheet Music
    • Song Licensing
  • Concerts
    • Concert Schedule
    • Booking Information
  • Read Blog
  • Donate
    • Make a Tax-Deductible Gift to MTLTW
  • About
    • Stanton Lanier
    • Music to Light the World
    • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • View Cart

Before You Were Born

March 21, 2024 By Stanton Lanier 4 Comments

The new album Before You Were Born just released, streaming now on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube, Amazon Music, and all music services worldwide. You can also click below to listen to the title track as you read the story behind this new collection.

https://www.stantonlanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Before-You-Were-Born-Stanton-Lanier-c2024-MTLTW.mp3

 

Before You Were Born has been in my heart since last summer, when I read a book about the life of Jeremiah and was reminded how God knows us and sets us a part before we are born (Jeremiah 1:5). The idea evolved into my 16th album with the new composition Before You Were Born (Prelude) becoming the opening track, followed by a carefully ordered collection of twelve tracks. The subtitle Symphonic Meditations for Life’s Seasons describes the prelude followed by four sets of three songs to represent spring, summer, fall, and winter.

My long time friend Dr. Ken Boa has been one of the most significant influences in my life, faith, and music journey since I began attending one of his Bible studies over twenty-five years ago. He is an amazing Bible teacher and scholar, has authored over thirty books, and he is very gifted painter, which is one of his many hobbies. Four of his paintings formed the album artwork and symbolize the seasons, inviting you to listen, reflect, and let this album inspire you with God’s peace, hope, and beauty in the season of life you are currently walking through. Please visit Ken Boa – Reflections Ministries and also his website for the Museum of Created Beauty which was recently published to draw us all closer to Christ through the beauty of God’s Creation.

As an additional resource, use the links below to read or re-read the blog posts I wrote for each of the symphonic tracks representing life’s seasons. All of these songs and verses fill my heart with God’s peace and hope as I embrace His grace, truth, mystery, and wonder.

SPRING (Tracks 2, 3, and 4): Come and Talk with Me , Sky Whisper , and Harmonies of Light

SUMMER (Tracks 5, 6, and 7): Prayers for a Lifetime , Seeing Everything Beautiful , and All You Have in Mind

FALL (Tracks 8, 9, and 10): Quiet Revelation , My Spirit Refreshed , and Waiting, Walking, Running

WINTER (Tracks 11, 12, and 13): Wiping Away Every Tear , Circle of Quiet , and I Lie Down and Sleep

I hope this special music project inspires you, and encourages you in your life and faith journey.

Wishing you God’s grace and peace, Stanton

The Call of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:4-5, NIV)

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Filed Under: Inspiration, Music Stories, Spiritual Journey Tagged With: Before You Were Born, Fall, God's Beauty, God's hope, God's Peace, Jeremiah 1:5, Life's Seasons, Orchestral, Spring, Summer, Symphonic Meditations, winter

Harmonies of Light

April 19, 2022 By Stanton Lanier 8 Comments

Today is release day for the new song Harmonies of Light. You can stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, and all music platforms, or you can click below. As you listen, scroll down and read some of the story behind this song.

https://www.stantonlanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Harmonies-of-Light-Stanton-Lanier-c2022-MTLTW.mp3

 

The new title Harmonies of Light surfaced when I came across Isaiah 45:7, which talks about how God forms light and makes harmonies. These are only two of His vast, infinite capabilities, and they are definitely worthy of musical expression! I also found the word harmonies used in Philippians and Colossians, and included all three passages down below.

Since Johann Sebastian Bach is my favorite composer, and he phrased my favorite quote about music, I was inspired to use the opening chord progression and harmonies from his famous Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major. If you haven’t heard it before, you should look it up (renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma performs a gorgeous version on YouTube). After finding the left hand chords, I began experimenting with melodies in the right hand. The ideas began to flow over a couple of days, and the opening section began to take shape. I initially thought I would continue to use Bach’s harmonic chords, but the initial sequence launched me into a new place. The Cello Suite harmonies became a slow introduction theme, followed by a variation on this with piano and a solo clarinet. Then I found my own chord progression and melody, which became the central theme of the piece. It appears first at the 2:25 mark, with piano and harp, and is repeated from 3:20 to 4:15 with the clarinet, orchestra and choir joining in. The introductory theme returns again for a slow, beautiful ending with its beautiful harmonies. The very end features a hint of the main theme melody to tie everything together and complete Harmonies of Light.

In my 2021 video series Piano with Stanton Lanier my opening words for each of the 12 episodes is “…I believe we all have a song in our heart, and we can think of our life as a song as we seek to make a positive difference in the world.” And the Bach quote I love is, “The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” If we seek to glorify God and refresh the souls of people through our lives, this is one way to be a harmony of light in the world. I pray your light shines brightly today!

How does “Harmonies of Light” and its inspiration speak to you?

“I am God, the only God there is. I form light and create darkness, I make harmonies and create discords. I, God, do all these things.” — Isaiah 45:7

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” — Philippians 4:8-9

“He (Jesus) was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so expansive, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.” — Colossians 1:17-20

Filed Under: Inspiration, Music Stories, Spiritual Journey Tagged With: God's healing, God's hope, healing, Hope, piano, sadness, tears, wiping away every tear

Wiping Away Every Tear

March 15, 2022 By Stanton Lanier 7 Comments

The new song Wiping Away Every Tear just released today. It is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, and all other music platforms, or you can click below. As you listen, scroll down and read the inspiration behind this piece. (The “Explicit Lyrics” indication on some music services is an unfortunate error which hopefully will be corrected and removed soon.)

https://www.stantonlanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Wiping-Away-Every-Tear-Stanton-Lanier-c2022-MTLTW.mp3

 

I was inspired to compose and record Wiping Away Every Tear to express the need for hope and healing in times of loss or sadness. During twenty-two years of composing Scripture inspired instrumental music, within my fourteen albums and twenty-one singles there are some melodies and harmonies which “speak” to real life moments when we have tears, distress, or sadness. Hope, healing, and even forgiveness can all be found in time, and are available from God by His grace when we seek Him and ask Him for help. This can also require surrendering or releasing a circumstance to Him. This has helped me make progress toward not being anxious about anything, and experiencing God’s peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

Fear and anxiety are issues I have faced for much of my life, but God has continued to offer hope and healing. I have found Him faithful to guard and protect, and even bless my heart and life with His goodness and faithfulness. I hope this melody will inspire you and encourage you if you are facing any type of loss or sadness. The verses below were the inspiration behind this song, and have been helpful to me.  Wishing you God’s grace and peace today, and in your days ahead, Stanton

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” — Revelation 21:4

“…he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.” — Isaiah 25:8

Filed Under: Inspiration, Music Stories, Spiritual Journey Tagged With: God's healing, God's hope, healing, Hope, piano, sadness, tears, wiping away every tear

Walking in the Light

May 24, 2016 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

https://www.stantonlanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/10-Walk-In-the-Light-StantonLanierc2001.mp3

Click above to listen to Walk in the Light as you read. This is the title track from my very first album of Scripture inspired piano in 2001.

How do you know if you are walking in the light?

This question can have a lot of good answers. Last week while filming some music videos in south Georgia, I captured the image below. It is a beautiful symbol of how life brings light and darkness. By faith, we are called to walk in the light.

Isn’t it interesting how the setting sun draws our attention in the photo? We know there is darkness in the world, in life, and even in our hearts. This darkness, and the dark storm clouds pique our curiosity, but we are drawn to the light.

Here are four ideas to consider, which help me know if I am walking in the light…

IMG_1319

1. Walk in the light of God’s peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

2. Walk in the light of God’s rest. “The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'” (Exodus 33:14)

3. Walk in the light of God’s hope. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

4. Walk in the light of God’s healing. “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” (Isaiah 58:8)

Reflecting on these truths refreshes and encourages me. I hope they do the same for you. There is light, God’s light, beckoning to us in the midst of life’s storms. I would love to hear from you if this is especially meaningful to you today. You can send your comment down below.

Which idea for walking the light shines the most for you?

Here is the inspirational verse for the song Walk in the Light: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Filed Under: Giving Hope, Peace and Rest, Spiritual Journey Tagged With: 1 John 1:7, God's healing, God's hope, God's Light, God's Peace, God's rest, Light in the Storm, Walk in the Light, Walking in the Light

Copyright © 2025 · Music to Light the World · All rights reserved. Privacy Policy