An old hymn, a favorite from a time when I wore a younger man’s clothes begins with, “Break forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light”. Unknowingly, the hymn’s author--Sufjan Stevens—planted an ember of a seed within my heart for the Holy Spirit to ignite and fan the flame of God-songs from the depths of my very being!
My parents were singers. I tearfully (at this moment) remember the countless hours singing all the old familiar hymns with my mom as she ironed our clothes (even sheets and handkerchiefs!) each week. I recall family vacations when we five Stacy kids would sing hymns with our parents in our 9-passenger station wagon travelling on vacation. (Maybe that’s why my dad never had a radio in the car!) Seven-part harmony? I don’t know about that, but as my Friend Erik would say, it was a joyful noise unto the Lord!
For my nearly 70-year Faith Journey, the Beauteous Heavenly Light of Jesus has broken forth through me in many marvelous ways, but especially with Song. God, my God, gave me the Gift of a voice to sing His Praises, and I honestly can’t recall a time when I didn’t know some song to sing about my relationship with God.
I remember going to the Belle Plaine (Iowa) Nursing Home Sunday afternoons for their church service. Dad preached wearing his suit, and Elementary-aged Larry was wearing his little black suit and tie (of COURSE, he wore a tie!), loudly singing the “good old, familiar Hymns and songs” with the residents and possible family members.
I remember as a teenager in the last half of the 1960s learning to play the guitar, God allowed His Beauteous Heavenly Light to continue to break forth through me, as I used my voice and developing musical talents to lead worship services with what we called “Contemporary Christian Music”, a very radical and controversial paradigm shift in worship style across most church denominations at that period of time. The Spirit even moved me to write and share several songs.
God’s Voice continued to break forth through me in the various Church Choirs I’ve been blessed to sing with over the years, particularly those with alternative worship emphases. Most noteworthy would be Wellspring (Zion Lutheran—Stewartville), POH’s Spirit of Joy, and my personal favorite, Spirit Driven (POH)!
As one of the Singing Ministries at People of Hope, Spirit Driven was blessed with opportunities to use our God-given singing talents and abilities to break forth with God’s Wonderful Beauteous Heavenly Light while singing and actively interacting with many (MANY!!) Churches, Nursing Homes, Group Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, and Mayo Patient out-of-Clinic locations.
It was common at nearly every Spirit Driven singing event that some resident or family member from the audience would share how some particular song(s) touched them personally on that day, in that place. I firmly believe that God continually placed Spirit Driven at the exact, right place at the exact right time—time after time! Praise God for the phenomenal “run” of nearly fifteen years of Spirit Driven’s Ministry of singing and breaking forth with God’s Love and Beauteous Heavenly Light!!
I know in my heart-of-hearts that God, my God, has a place in the Heavenly Choir for me to break forth for an eternity of Beauteous Heavenly Light throughout eternity.
My Siblings in Christ, may you each be filled with the Spirit of God. May you see the face of Jesus in each of us Earthly Siblings. In the Holy Name of Jesus The Light, may you continue to break forth in Beauteous Heavenly Light today and for always.
-submitted by Larry Stacy
