Great Ocean Road

Click above to listen to a portion of Counting the Sand of the Sea as you read. Visit climbtothesky.com for links to the new music video, CD, MP3 Album, Sheet Music, iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify.

What is your favorite seashore memory?

My 10th and newest album Climb to the Sky has two songs drawing inspiration from Psalm 139. The first is the title track, and the second is called Counting the Sand of the Sea, which came from verses 17-18…

“Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them—any more than I could count the sand of the sea.” (The Message)

From 6th to 12th grade I lived in the Florida panhandle, about thirty minutes from Santa Rosa Island, part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The water is a beautiful blue green, and for many people, perhaps their favorite element. However, for me it is the sand — a glorious white color, with an extremely fine texture. There is just nothing like it between your toes.

The gulf island seashores are one of my favorites, but in 2015 a new seashore took first place, when I was able to see the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. The combination of cliffs, sand, and sea creates breathtaking views, and stirs the heart with God’s beauty and wonder.

Hillsong United is a worship band based in Australia, who wrote one of today’s most popular songs of faith titled Oceans. The chorus sings…

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Will you join me today, in remembering a favorite seashore, and in meditating on Psalm 139?

https://www.stantonlanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Breathe-Single.mp3 
Click above to listen to my new song Breathe as you read and reflect on these words (this new single released 10/27/15 on iTunes and all other outlets). Also, you can enjoy and watch the Breathe Music Video.
The piano notes, and the space between the notes, were inspired as I meditated on Scripture being God-breathed, my longing to live and breathe God, my need for time to “breathe” in the midst of a busy and noisy world, and for breathing room (margin) in my life and and the life of my family. Think on the verses below, and take some time to breathe today…
“…then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” – Genesis 2:7 (English Standard Version)
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” – Job 33:4 (English Standard Version)
“I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God…” – Psalm 34:1-2 (The Message)

“You’ve always given me breathing room, a place to get away from it all, A lifetime pass to your safe-house, an open invitation as your guest. You’ve always taken me seriously, God, made me welcome among those who know and love you.” – Psalm 61:3-5 (The Message)

“God, the one and only— I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I need comes from him, so why not? He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I’m set for life.” – Psalm 62:1-2 (The Message)

“With your very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you. – Psalm 119:73 (The Message)

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. – Psalm 119:105 (English Standard Version)

By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. – Psalm 119:105 (The Message)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (New International Version)

What is one of your favorite life experiences where you had room to breathe in the moment?