The Voice CD

Click above to listen to Freedom from the album The Voice (recorded at the George Lucas Skywalker Sound Studio). If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from Amazon, iTunes, or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available).

What do you appreciate about freedom?

Personal freedom has been a breakthrough experience in my life. For many years I thought I could achieve freedom through success and being in control. Then I discovered that the human spirit finds true freedom through serving others in love. Seeking to grow in a freedom that is centered on others has been an adventure filled with emotion and risk.

The song Freedom almost became the title track on this album instead of The Voice because this truth has been so powerful for me. The notes represent running through life with a heart that is free, pausing to treasure this freedom, and discovering higher levels of giving oneself away. I trust that the music and texts that inspired it will help you experience a freedom that gives you hope . . . makes you come alive . . . sets your heart free.

How can you live out freedom with more gratitude, more giving?

“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” — Psalm 119:32

“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows.” — Galatians 5:13

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” — John 8:32

Half Dome View – Yosemite National Park

In the next few months my song Contentment from The Voice CD will be heard in 13,000 fitness clubs in 70 countries. It will be used for the cool down, deep breathing time at the end, following an intense one-hour workout with instructor and DVD.

This inspired me to write down a few steps to help turn us from discontentment toward contentment:

Think about things you don’t have OR focus on giving thanks for things you do have
Dream about goals that haven’t happened OR take one positive step to make progress
Worry about outcomes you can’t control OR surrender outcomes and serve others well
Be frustrated by what hasn’t gone your way OR remember when things turned out okay
Let fear and uncertainty cause inertia OR let faith and adventure move you forward
Measure where you have less than others OR count life’s blessings that are priceless

Contentment liner notes from The Voice CD: It is so easy for me to be discontent with my circumstances or to worry about the future, even though I know there is so much to be thankful for. I wrote this to slow down my mind from thinking anxious thoughts, and to focus on the things in life that are pure and lovely. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (1 Timothy 6:6, 6:7-8, Philippians 4:11)

How can you learn to be more content today? What areas can you turn from discontentment toward contentment?

How Freedom Became a Piano Melody

Contentment = Peace and Rest