Letter From A Burning Heart

Posted by John on Sep 30th, 2009 | 2 comments

My dear friends,

I have been putting off this letter mostly because of pride. However, after spending this past weekend with godly friends seeking God’s face together, seeking wise counsel, praying and listening, I have come to believe that it is time to share what is on my heart and trust God with the rest.

Since childhood I have known two callings from God that have remained till this day: composer and pastor. Not a pastor in the traditional sense of leading a local congregation, but as a pastor through music, inspirational writing, and speaking. I trust my newsletters have been a glimpse of this. My piano music is becoming less about John’s dreams and more about the heart of the Father. It is my response to His calling to inspire and encourage with creativity, to call all men and women back to that which should be sacred, holy and pure. It is in fact a call to worship, not in our formulaic rituals, but in every ounce of our created, creative beings.

For instance, my next piano project will require my full attention over the next year as I work with ten families who have lost a baby, unborn or newly born. The world sometimes thinks of these little ones as insignificant, but it only takes a few seconds listening to their mothers to know just how valuable they are. And when we search the Scriptures we find that their value lies not in the opinions of man, but in the image of God that they carry. They are our equals, handcrafted by their Creator, even if His plan for their lives was much different than our own.

I will be composing ten piano works, orchestrating them, performing and recording them for these families. The end product will be a CD that will minister to these and countless families around the world struggling with the loss of their baby. Photographers working with the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS) organization will be able to use this music freely with their photo slideshows to give families like these something by which to remember their little ones.

God has called me to do this and I am obeying. I need your prayers and support during the coming year. It has been and will continue to be gut-wrenching, but it is worth entering the pain of these families. I can’t begin to tell you what this means to them. My heart is broken for them, but God is reshaping it to become more like His own.

My dear friends, if you believe in what I am doing, I ask for your support. Here are some ways you can help:

1. Pray for me as I compose, perform, record, orchestrate, mix, master, manufacture, and market this project. Pray for me. Pray for my family. Pray for these ten families. Pray that God would use this project to call all people back to a deeper sense of the sacred.
2. Buy my new solo piano CD, Zuzu’s Petals, for your Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. My kids sleep to it every night, and Becky loves to cook and read with it. I’m sure you’ll find other ways for it to minister to you and your family.
3. Join my “street team”. Let me send to you 6 of my new Zuzu’s Petals CD that you can sell to family and friends as Christmas presents/stocking stuffers for $15 each. Then send me the money.
4. Contribute financially. This project will require a considerable amount of money, and I have given all I have. It will require even more.
5. Introduce me and my music to others who would care about this project.

Please let me know if you are interested in helping in any of these ways. I look forward to keeping you posted on my progress and letting you hear the finished project.

I am so grateful to have friends like you. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Your servant in Christ,
John Albert Thomas

The Cure For Fear

Posted by John on Sep 10th, 2009 | no comments

“Where no hope is left, is left no fear.” ~ John Milton

Fear can be good or bad. Fearing a 4,000 foot drop to the canyon floor without a parachute is good.  But what about the bad kind?  I’m talking about that slothful parasite that latches onto your mind and starts draining the life from your heart and even your faith.

In Psalm 56:11, after King David of Israel was seized by Philistines in Gath, he wrote, “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”  I don’t know about you, but I would be a bit hopeless and fearful if I was carted off by a foreign enemy.  Why is David so fearless?  He says that trusting God eliminated his fear.

In 1 John 4:18, the apostle says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  Why is John without fear?  He says that living in God’s loving presence purges fear.

Cure for fear: Trust God and live in His love.

So, what are you afraid of?  Losing your job, your house, your car, your family, or even your life?  Does it cripple you? Does it keep you from living or loving as God intended?  If so, turn your eyes off the object of your fear for a moment and ask yourself, “Do I really trust God?  Do I really know the depth of His love for me?”

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments!

A Delicate Subject

Posted by John on Aug 14th, 2009 | no comments

These past two weeks have been rather emotional as I’ve been working on my next project.  I have been delicately working with ten families who have lost an unborn or newborn baby to honor them with free Piano Portraits, creating piano works that are truly inspired by the uniqueness and value of their little ones.

Please forgive me if this a sensitive subject for some of you.  I am trying to be as respectful as I can, but this project needs to be done as the moms I have talked with have expressed their deepest gratitude. Talking with them, looking at photos and videos, hearing and reading the stories, has been difficult at times, but I believe that healing is taking place.

I have composed and made rough draft recordings of three piano works already, and I will continue over the next couple of weeks.

Through the encouragement of another composer, I discovered the feasibility of orchestrating my piano works as well as releasing a solo piano version.  So now I aim to release a 2-CD set, one solo piano and the other orchestrated.  This will take longer to accomplish, but I think you’ll enjoy the results that much more.

Please pray for me as I continue to minister to the families of Gracelynn, Cameron, Mackenzie, Jayden, Paige, Isaac, Layla, Shaunna, Christopher, and John.  I know that they (and you) will be blessed as we walk together through this experience.

John

P.S.  I am currently looking to supplement my income through concerts in people’s homes, background music for parties, selling my music to companies as hold/background music, and even website development.  If you know of any opportunities, please send them my way.  Thank you!

Does Your Company Use Music?

Did you know that all businesses have to pay royalties to entertain customers with music, even if it’s just the radio playing in the background?

Because of that, I have made my 80+ minutes of piano music available to license for these purposes and more:

To license my music for use in your business, please visit http://PianoGraphy.com.

Featured Fan:  Anthony Dodson

I asked Anthony Dodson to tell us all a little about himself.  Here’s what he had to say:

Upfront I must confess that Christ is first and foremost in my life, and my relationship with Him colors everything I do.  That being said, ”Where do I want to see myself in the next ten years?” is a question that I am deeply compelled to have an strong answer for. After many years in food service I have found myself drawn again to webpage design, something I did during the internet’s very early years. Reading Dan Miller’s newsletters (48 Days To the Work You Love) has given me the boost I need to finally choose self-employment.  My love for creativity (thanks, Mom), my technical know-how, and my photography abilities make web site design seem a perfect fit, a place to burn some of those creative fires inside of me.  And I love helping others; I am excited about working with people to bridge the gap between their business vision and an online solution. I currently live in Tullahoma, TN and am looking for employment while I build my business on the side.  To tout  John’s music just a bit, I was so delighted when I stumbled upon his work because it was exactly what I had been looking for.  His music is peaceful and serene without being boring; it’s stirring and inspiring and has many potential uses in my line of work.  I have used and look forward to using his composition quite a bit in the future for slide shows and other creations.  John is a great conversationalist and also writes wonderful blogs, but I probably don’t have to tell you guys that.  I appreciate John for making me the fan of the week but I would be amiss if I also didn’t say “Thank You” to John for all the gifts that he shares with us.

Thanks, Anthony!

Tip:  Answering These Questions May Change Your Life

Ask yourself, “What would I do tomorrow and the rest of my life if I was given $100,000,000 tonight?”

After paying off debts, donating to charity, sharing with friends and family, etc., what would you do?  Would you quit your current job?  If so, how would you spend the rest of your time on this planet?  This is your dream, your calling.

Then ask yourself, “What’s keeping me from doing that now?”  A decision you made long ago?  A lack of planning?  Fear and doubt?  Negativity from others?

Then ask yourself, “What behavior or action will I change today, tomorrow, and each day until the dream becomes a reality and the calling is fully embraced?”  Routine?  Attitude?  Time?

If it’s your calling, are you answering the call?  Find out how at http://48Days.net.  It’s a free online community, and I’d love to see you there to discuss your ideas.

$100,000,000 Dream – Part 2

Posted by John on Aug 9th, 2009 | no comments

Here we are several months later and God is shaping the landscape of our lives.  Since the last entry regarding this dream I have sought the Lord’s direction in the music world.  Daily I have whittled away at ideas, fashioning them till who am I converges with what I do.

Earlier in the summer, Becky and I developed a unique gift idea for husbands to impress their wives.  We named it Piano Portraits because in it I try to paint a portrait of an individual in sound, recognizing and promoting their uniqueness and value.  The prototypes were a complete success, but we wanted to expand this concept to compose lullabies for children as well.

I was also persuaded that I needed to license my music to photographers and videographers, so I launched a website called PianoGraphy which allows me to interact with them directly.  This led me on a quest to find the best way to reach photographers with my music.

During my research I stumbled upon an organization, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, which connects photographers with families who have just lost a baby.  These volunteer photographers go in on a moment’s notice and take professional photos so a family can remember their precious little one.

Having spent several mornings asking God for direction with my music, I immediately knew what to do.  I called the organization and asked for permission to reach out to 10 families and donate Piano Portaits to them in honor of their baby.  With their permission, as long as it was a 100% donation, I posted a call for volunteer families.  Within one week, ten families volunteered.

I couldn’t just throw together 10 piano works.  I determined to interview each family on the phone.  I am still in this process.  It has been heart-wrenching to go through the stories, the photos, and the videos.

When I talk with the moms, I ask them to describe their baby.  I ask them to list some of the hopes and dreams they had for their baby.  I write down these words and phrases.  They become the inspiration for the melody, the rhythm, and the mood.

The more I talk with the moms about their babies and what I am doing, the more I realize that this really means something to these moms.  It recognizes and promotes their baby’s uniqueness and value in a way that nothing else can.  Photos require the attention of the eyes, but music carries throughout the house.

So how does this all relate to the $100,000,000 dream?  What if, alongside pastors and missionaries, we open our countryside getaway to families who have just lost a baby so they can have a safe place to grieve?  Think about it.  The dream grows.  I welcome your comments.

Next CD Project Announced!

Posted by John on Aug 3rd, 2009 | no comments

I am preparing to work on my next CD, which deals with an emotional and sensitive theme. In fact, I need your prayers for wisdom and tact.  Here’s the scoop.

In the process of researching how I could collaborate with photographers with my music, I came across the organization, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS).  They minister to families who have lost a baby.  Volunteer photographers donate their services to take baby pictures for these families.  I have decided to donate my Piano Portrait services to these families as well.

You can read about it here:

NILMDTS Family Forum