Refreshing Your Wellspring

June 4, 2014 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

Click above to listen to Wellspring from Unveiled as your background reading music (piano and English horn duet with Jill Haley). 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 ever had your breath taken away by a cold water spring?

Did you just go for it and jump in, or did you take longer and tip toe your way in? One of my memories is from Barton Springs Pool in Austin, Texas. The pool itself measures three acres in size, and is fed from underground springs with an average temperature of 70 degrees. The cold water will take your breath away, but it is so exhilarating and incredibly refreshing. Here is how this relates to the song Wellspring…

There is a verse that says “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) When I was composing the music you are listening to, I found a way to make the piano have a bubbling or rippling sound. I envisioned myself hiking in a distant forest, coming upon an old well and quenching my thirst with its cool and refreshing water. The English horn symbolizes that I am not alone on this quest to renew my heart daily, to not let it become bitter or hardened.

When our hearts are renewed, refreshed, or even exhilarated by something God reveals to us, or does through us, our living looks more like beautiful flowers or trees. I am still learning to embrace the mystery and uncertainty that is part of this journey into wonder and adventure. Sometimes you just have to “jump” — take a leap of faith — instead of tip toeing, when God invites you into the “pool” of His activity. There is no limit to its size, and instead of coming from underground, His divine “springs” will refresh and sustain you from above.

What step can you take to nurture your heart, your “wellspring of life” today?

How Do You Awaken the Dawn?

June 2, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 4 Comments

Click above to listen to Awaken the Dawn from Unveiled as your background reading music (piano and five guest artist ensemble). If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from Amazon, iTunes, or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available).

How will you “awaken the dawn” today?

For me, every sunrise ushers in a feeling of hope, a sensation of awakening with passion for a new day, a summons for gratitude in spite of my struggles. I love to watch and photograph sunrises like the one below, but there is a catch. I have to wake up very early, and get in position. Writing these two steps created an “aha” moment. Here is what I mean…

Breaking down “Wake Up Early”
Wake — This reminds me to breath in God’s attributes of true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy. Not just to survive, but to thrive. Up — This reminds me which way to look for instruction, guidance, wisdom, and when life gets me down. Early — This reminds me, as though I were treasuring a live sunrise, to treasure God’s grace and to give Him thanks first (early) each morning. One of my favorite quotes is, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive” (Wild at Heart by John Eldredge).

Breaking down “Get In Position”
Get — This reminds me of my responsibility for my posture toward God, people, and tasks. Instead of “get” illustrating selfishness, I want it to be about what Paul says in Matthew 6:31 (The Message): What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. In – This reminds me be “in” the moment, to be ready, to nurture my inside (private) heart life in order to experience a more fruitful outside (public) living. Position — This reminds me I have a role in the story, a part to play, a position to take in today’s story God is writing (for example: husband, father, child, brother, leader, co-worker). You can fill in the positions He has for you.

How can you better “awaken the dawn” tomorrow?

“My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.” — Psalm 108:1-2.

To and Fro

April 23, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 2 Comments

Click above to listen to “To and Fro” from album “Unveiled” as you read. If you enjoy the music, please consider supporting by visiting stantonlanier.com, iTunes, or Amazon.

Does the phrase “To and Fro” have a positive, negative, or neutral meaning to you?

It depends on the context of course, but I would say I have a leaning toward the negative. In this case, “to and fro” can mean wandering aimlessly, not being on a firm path, wasting time, like branches blowing “to and fro” in the wind, etc. This was what would come to my mind when I heard “to and fro” for most of my life, but in 2006 my perspective changed when I started composing the melody “To and Fro” for my 5th album “Unveiled.”

I had heard about the verse down below before, but it started to go deeper into my heart that year, and “to and fro” began to take on a positive light. What if, instead of viewing “to and fro” as my wandering, I could see it as God’s directing and supporting my path. I wasn’t thinking about it at the time I photographed the above train at night, but this image can represent my journey down a “track” that represents God’s guidance one step, one railroad tie at a time. God lights my path (i.e. I am in the dark without Him). He equips me and helps me fulfill His calling, plans and purposes for my life. I encourage you to consider this take on “to and fro” as you listen to the music and meditate on the verse below.

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” – 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NASB).

Another version says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (NIV)

What are your main heart commitments? Are you ready to embrace a new kind of “to and fro?”

Scoring Big – A Basketball Discovery

March 28, 2014 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

Click above to listen to Discovery (from my album Unveiled) as you read. If you enjoy you can stream, download music, or find sheet music at the following links: Unveiled CD, MP3 Album, Piano Book, Discovery PDF Sheet Music, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora.

What is an awesome “mountain top” memory you could call on today for encouragement?

Since this weekend is the Sweet 16 of the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (it’s okay if you don’t care), I couldn’t resist sharing a story from my past that I call on from time to time. To set this up, you have to know I was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, home of the North Carolina Tar Heels. This gave me a love of ACC basketball, and I would later go to college at Georgia Tech during some great basketball years (1982-1986). I played high school basketball in the Florida panhandle — what I like to call “football country.” We had a Florida state champion football team. Lots and lots of basketball practice, wanting to play in the ACC one day (which did not happen), and having some great teammates at Milton High School, led to two favorite “mountain top” sports moments. My junior year I scored 30 points in a game. I was never more “in the zone” than that night, going 14 for 19 from the field and 2 for 2 from the free throw line (there was no three-point line to reward my long range). My senior year I didn’t have much playing time, but was blessed to be on a team that made it to the Class AAA Final Four for the state of Florida. We lost in double overtime in the semi-final, but it was still a mountain top. During college and early career years I learned that life would be a roller coaster, filled with some mountain tops, and more valleys. When my age matched my career high point total for a basketball game — age thirty — I discovered that the true meaning of success involved surrender, rather than striving to “score big.” It was the year that Joshua 1:8-9 would really take root in my life, and forever alter my game of life. “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” There is a basketball player inside me when I compose, record, and play concerts on the piano, seeking to offer God’s peace, rest, hope and healing to listeners. My prayer is that everyone who encounters the Scripture-inspired melodies would discover or re-discover a mountain top moment. What is one of your “mountain top” memories, and how can this give you confidence and courage today?

Podcast #3: The Quest

October 31, 2012 By Stanton Lanier 4 Comments

I am excited to finally share Episode #3 of the Pianist of Peace Podcast. To receive the greatest benefit, take 10 minutes to pause and listen without interruption. There are three elements to help you experience peace and rest, inspiration and creativity in your life today:

Part 1 – A short, personal life story to inspire your journey.
Part 2 – A full-length melody to help you pause and reflect on a specific aspect of your life.
Part 3 – A few questions to encourage and challenge you to live a better story.

[buzzsprout episode=’64812′ player=’true’]

Stanton Lanier The Quest Live in Concert

The Quest, Live in Concert with Tracy Silverman on Violin