Thoughts from a Musician's Heart

A PLAN AS A MUSICIAN --- A PLAN AS A CHRISTIAN by Dr. Dave Porter

I am a tuba musician—meaning I express my musicianship through playing the tuba. Displaying my inner most musical and emotional expressions using such a large instrument can be very challenging. Over the years, I have wrestled with how to fine tune my fundamentals to allow maximum expression. This process involves training consistency, efficient methods of embouchure execution, and practicing phrases and musical thoughts until they are second nature.

My approach to achieving this involves a daily routine that helps me succeed with my endeavors. I feel blessed to have discovered my routine several decades ago and still continue to use it in the present day.

As a Christian, I grew up as a United Methodist minister’s child. In keeping with the name inside the title of our faith branch, we had certain methods of keeping ourselves centered on God. Sadly, besides going to church, I do not have many memories of what these methods entailed. I do remember deciding in college that if I was ever going to read the whole Bible, I needed to start and perhaps I should tackle it one chapter a day. Hallelujah! that method worked, and, like my approach to being a musician taking me forward one step at a time, I began to get through the Bible. I am humbled and thrilled that I am on my third time through, and God unfolds new meaning each time.

Even though I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment for finally reading the Bible, I really was not connecting with God in a personal way.

Knowing myself as I do, I realized I needed an organized method and routine to achieve a personal level of friendship and reliance on Jesus as my savior. One thing I became convinced about—my connection with God would need a better prayer life.

I drifted for many years with random praying, reading books about how to pray, and searching for a routine that matched what I was doing as an ever-growing musician. I realized I needed fundamentals of having God be in my heart, not just my mind, and that would lead me to live in His service and love others as He would like me to do.

For me, the answer was a process I came across called The Palm Prayer. I was drawn into The Palm Prayer because the process seemed to cover anyone or anything that I needed to pray for on a daily basis without leaving anyone out.

The prayer goes like this. The thumb reminds me to pray for close family and friends. The first finger is for people close to or important to me. The third finger for our nation and world leaders. The fourth finger for those that are struggling in their lives. And the fifth finger is about myself. The palm is all about God’s omni-presence and sovereignty.

Once I began to combine the daily chapter Bible reading and The Palm Prayer process, I began to feel closer and connected to God. My goal of being as close to God as I was to my music was able to come to fruition.

Just like learning certain fundamentals of playing, perhaps the greatest joy is having learned some favorite fundamental Bible verses that have become hallmarks of my life. Such as Matthew 6:21, Psalm 46:10, Romans 8:28, and Galatians 5:22-23, to name a few. 

God has been able to help me hear Him and feel connected to living my life for Him. Praise the Lord!

Dr. David Porter is on the faculty of  George Mason University and the MasterWorks Festival,

retired CMSgt from The United States Air Force Band, and a member of Eurobrass.