Something New…

Welcome to HARP & STONES!

My name is Dylan, and you’ve just entered into a new thing that I’ve been working on in my heart for some time now. It’s nice to finally put in on paper and start letting it all out! I hope you’re encouraged by it.

First off, in a world of information overload and over-saturation, thanks for taking the time to check this new thing out. My goal is NOT to drown you and your social media feeds with more ‘stuff’, insisting you ‘follow me’ and share my blog!… but rather I want this platform to be a place where what is offered is some short, practical, unique, valuable, bi-weekly insights into living life where the Word meets the world, for those interested in finding that balance.

Secondly, the best part about this page is that you won’t only be getting a snapshot into my mind & heart, but the minds & hearts of several people that I not only call friends, but that I look up to immensely as people who have powerful voices, with so much to offer the world through the Word, but don’t always have the appropriate platform to share it from outside of their pulpits and ordained places of influence. There’s a really good chance you’ll even recognize many of the contributors!

So welcome to Harp & Stones:

A platform for those with strong gifted voices to offer insights into the Word to those looking to find a healthy balance living in this world.

Now, if you’re wondering why HARP & STONES, well let me take a moment to elaborate.

Music plays a major role in my life – always has, always will – and in my opinion it has the ability to either corrupt the soul or completely soothe it, depending on many variables. In the story of David on his journey to becoming King, there’s a season where he is charged with the responsibility of playing the harp for King Saul in order to literally cast out demons and soothe Saul’s soul.

So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

1 Samuel 16:23 [NASB]

This is a powerful account of the influence that music has on us, and perhaps you’re a little like me and have never even heard the sound of a harp played in real life before, but the principle remains the same, and certain styles of music we choose to listen to today have this same ability to soothe our souls. Also, my last name just happens to be HARPer, ironically, or not, take it how you will!

A little further along in the story of David’s journey to becoming King, David suddenly finds himself on the battlefield facing the infamous Philistine giant, Goliath. He chooses to use the weapon he knows best – stones and a slingshot!

He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:40 [NASB]

Most of us know what happens next – David takes one stone, slung it at Goliath, hitting him directly on his forehead, knocking him face first onto the ground. Stones were David’s choice weapon at that time and was the thing that he knew well from all his days as a mere shepherd boy. Stones protected him from the enemy.

Today we aren’t using stones to defend ourselves from the enemy, nor are we typically using harps to soothe our souls in order to find peace, but what we have been given is culturally relevant tools and instruments to use to produce the same results that David did with his Harp & Stones.

So may the words read from this platform help you utilize the tools, instruments, gifts, and strengths you’ve been given to produce the same results that David once did – results of peace and protection from the enemies of this world. As this journey begins, I pray you’ll receive peace from these posts, and learn how to equip yourself with the Word for battle in this world.

Yours truly, with love…

Dylan Harper