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Day 29 for “31 Days of December Peace” ~ Pursuing Your Passions, Part 2

December 29, 2017 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

Click above to listen to Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming as you read, from December Peace (Best Holiday Album, ZMR Awards). If you enjoy, consider sampling and ordering the CD, MP3 Album or sheet music. You can also listen on Spotify, Pandora Holiday Channel, Apple Music and all other digital streaming services.

This story is from 31 Days of December Peace (soft cover or PDF eBook). Also available from Amazon Kindle, iTunes, and other e-Readers.

Where could you use some “December Peace” today?

Pursuing Your Passions, Part 2 ~ by Stanton Lanier (Copyright 2012, not to be re-published without permission)

Continuing from yesterday…

In the summer of 2004, I left Ronald Blue & Co. to become a full-time pianist and composer after founding Music to Light the World. The greatest blessing of my call to financial planning was not that it was a life calling, but that I had learned God would speak to me and I could hear His voice if my heart was surrendered to Him. The improbability of my career shifting from money to music is a miracle and a mystery that has stretched our faith, but God has been faithful.

Picture 4

The principles of Ronald Blue & Co. were vital in giving my wife and me the financial ability to follow God’s call. We both worked before having children, lived well within our means, and paid off all of our debts except our home mortgage. We made extra principal payments over time and were able to convert from a 30-year to a 15-year mortgage with the same payment. We maximized and diversified our savings using recommended money market and mutual funds. God also challenged us to be more generous in our giving during these years.

Below are two additional steps and scriptures that have had a powerful impact on our faith journey. I hope they inspire and encourage you to pursue your passions.

3. Invite. After you have prayerfully asked God to speak, waited upon Him, listened for His voice, obeyed what He says, and clarified the vision He has revealed to you, then you are ready to invite others to pray for you and even contribute to your cause. Ask God to help you seek to please Him and not men. “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

4. Imitate. Imitate the faith of others who are surrendered to God and seeking His will in their lives. Spend time with them and learn from them. Imitate Jesus’ desire to please the Father. “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:6-7).

Is it time to invite others into your vision and story? Who can you imitate?

Filed Under: Calling, Life Stories, Spiritual Journey Tagged With: 31 Days of December Peace, December Peace, How a Rose E'er Blooming, Isaiah 65:24, life purpose, Lo

December 29th ~ Pursuing Your Passions, Part 2

December 29, 2015 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

https://www.stantonlanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/11-Lo-How-a-Rose-Eer-Blooming-StantonLanierc2009.mp3

Click above to listen to Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming as you read. This piano solo is from 2009 Best Holiday Album December Peace (ZMR Awards, winning over Enya and Yo-Yo Ma). If you enjoy, please consider sampling and ordering the CD, MP3 Album or sheet music. You can also listen and download on iTunes and all other digital outlets.

This story is from 31 Days of December Peace (soft cover or eBook). Also available from Amazon Kindle, iTunes, and other e-Readers.

Where could you use some “December Peace” today?

Pursuing Your Passions, Part 2 ~ by Stanton Lanier (Copyright 2012, not to be re-published without permission)

Continuing from yesterday…

In the summer of 2004, I left Ronald Blue & Co. to become a full-time pianist and composer after founding Music to Light the World. The greatest blessing of my call to financial planning was not that it was a life calling, but that I had learned God would speak to me and I could hear His voice if my heart was surrendered to Him. The improbability of my career shifting from money to music is a miracle and a mystery that has stretched our faith, but God has been faithful.

Picture 4

The principles of Ronald Blue & Co. were vital in giving my wife and me the financial ability to follow God’s call. We both worked before having children, lived well within our means, and paid off all of our debts except our home mortgage. We made extra principal payments over time and were able to convert from a 30-year to a 15-year mortgage with the same payment. We maximized and diversified our savings using recommended money market and mutual funds. God also challenged us to be more generous in our giving during these years.

Below are two additional steps and scriptures that have had a powerful impact on our faith journey. I hope they inspire and encourage you to pursue your passions.

3. Invite. After you have prayerfully asked God to speak, waited upon Him, listened for His voice, obeyed what He says, and clarified the vision He has revealed to you, then you are ready to invite others to pray for you and even contribute to your cause. Ask God to help you seek to please Him and not men. “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

4. Imitate. Imitate the faith of others who are surrendered to God and seeking His will in their lives. Spend time with them and learn from them. Imitate Jesus’ desire to please the Father. “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:6-7).

Is it time to invite others into your vision and story? Who can you imitate?

Filed Under: Calling, Life Stories, Spiritual Journey Tagged With: 31 Days of December Peace, December Peace, How a Rose E'er Blooming, Isaiah 65:24, life purpose, Lo

A Music Video for Counting Life’s Blessings

March 10, 2015 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

This post was designed for taking a few minutes to pause, watch, and listen…to count life’s blessings. Take a deep breath and soak in the Rivers of Light music video filmed in the north Georgia mountains. You can reflect on the verses underneath if you like.

The first verse, which is lyrical, meaning the piano is actually singing these words, is from Isaiah 65:24: “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” When a friend introduced this verse to me, I was blown away. God knows the prayers in my heart before I even call to Him. And He hears my prayers before I am finished speaking to Him. Wow. Take a moment to pause and open your heart to Him, to speak with Him, to listen for His answer.

The second verse is the overall theme for this song, and encourages me to count life’s blessings. “Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.” (James 1:17) This was captured in the Unveiled CD liner notes: “Desirable and beneficial gifts from heaven are painted in this song as rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.” Take a moment to pause and give thanks to God.

What life blessing does this post help you recall?

Filed Under: Inspiration, Peace and Rest, Uncategorized Tagged With: Isaiah 65:24, James 1:17, rivers of light, Scripture Inspired Piano, Unveiled

Rivers of Light – A Piano Prayer

June 6, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 10 Comments

https://www.stantonlanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/06-Rivers-Of-Light.mp3

Click above to listen to Rivers of Light from Unveiled as your background reading music (piano and flugel horn duet with Jeff Oster). If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from Amazon, iTunes, or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available).

Have you counted your “rivers of light” blessings lately?

Here is why I ask. When I was creating Rivers of Light there were two inspirational verses behind the notes. Whenever I play this piece in concert with its custom video of a north Georgia waterfall and river, it is like a piano prayer — here is why.

DSC04748
The first verse, which is lyrical, meaning the piano is actually singing these words, is from Isaiah 65:24: “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” When a friend introduced this verse to me, I was blown away. God knows the prayers in my heart before I even call to Him. And He hears my prayers before I am finished speaking to Him. Wow. Take a moment to pause and open your heart to Him, to speak with Him, to listen for His answer.

The second verse is the overall theme for this song, and encourages me to count life’s blessings. “Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.” (James 1:17) This was captured in the CD liner notes: “Desirable and beneficial gifts from heaven are painted in this song as rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.” Take a moment to pause and give thanks to God.

How does this “piano prayer” speak into your story today?

Filed Under: Giving Hope, Music Stories, Peace and Rest, Spiritual Journey Tagged With: God hears prayer, Isaiah 65:24, James 1:17, Life's Blessings, Piano Prayer, rivers of light, Unveiled

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