For nearly fifty years, hundreds of people have been influencing my life. They have helped me to understand the purpose and the meaning why we are all alive today. The bible has also helped me to know God’s plan for our lives. I am a musician and a participant in God’s Cycle of Music so I would like to use my knowledge of music and the bible to share my explanation of God’s purpose and meaning for our lives with you. This book is written primarily to other musicians but I still believe that most of the ideas will be relevant to everyone. This book took nearly two years for me to write but it has taken all of the experiences throughout my entire lifetime in order for me to grasp the concepts that I will be presenting. It would be impossible for me to mention everyone who has helped me to develop and to share this explanation. However, I would like to express my utmost appreciation to some of the people at this time.

I would like to thank my mother, Alice Paulson, for teaching me that honoring God is the most important thing that I can ever do in my life and for sitting with me each and every day while I practiced the piano. She has spent her entire lifetime helping other individuals. This has taught me that I also need to honor God and to offer love and compassion to others by participating in God's Cycle of Music.

I would like to thank my father, Arnold Paulson, for teaching me to care for everyone; no matter who they are. My dad traveled around the United States and also presided over many different organizations in his local community so that he could help other people in many different ways. In 1952 he was named Minnesota's Outstanding Young Man for all of his unselfish accomplishments that made life better for people that he didn't even know.  

I would like to thank my lifelong friend, Reverend John Bjorge, for teaching me that we can share the love of Jesus with people wherever we may be. John showed me how I can include the Composer in any of the activities that I do each and every day. John also taught me to be humble and to live my life for the Lord. When I think of John, I immediately think, “WHAT A GREAT GOD PASTOR JOHN HAS!”  I will always be grateful to him for spending hundreds of hours with me when I was younger.

I would like to thank Mrs. Rhoda Nelson for showing me how I could become a participant in God's Cycle of Music. It was under Rhoda's Teaching that I was able to learn about the Composer so that I could become a child of God. I have had many wonderful piano teachers in my life but Mrs. Nelson was the one who told me that I needed Jesus Christ to become my Agent and that I needed to follow the guidance from the Conductor, who is the Holy Spirit. Through her influence and her instruction, I became a Student so that I could learn how to serve the Composer for His honor and glory.

One of my dearest friends was Mrs. Olga Bockes. She passed away without ever having a desire to participate in God’s Cycle of Music. My countless number of discussions with her helped me to understand why some people may not be willing to accept the material that is found in this book. I appreciate all of her contrasting opinions and I miss her very much.

I am very grateful to all of the members of my family, to my friends, and to my relatives who have given me support and theological debates over the years so that I could become more prepared to participate in God's Cycle of Music. I have also been influenced by people at many different churches and colleges. They have all helped me to mature as a Christian. I am very grateful to each and every one of them; especially for their wisdom and for their spiritual nurturing.

My wife Sondra and my three children, Marshall, Elliott, and Heidi, give me an additional purpose for living every day.

Dr. Neil Gunn-Russell has been a very special friend to me and a vital source of spiritual wisdom whenever I have needed his counsel.

Reverend Ron Rombough is a wonderful Teacher in God's Cycle of Music. He has given me biblical advice for the past 27 years. I am very grateful to him for the suggestions that he has made in order to keep this book true and accurate according to the teachings that are found in the bible.

I want to thank Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh and the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship. The Masterworks Festival in Winona Lake, Indiana, brings Teachers, Students, Members of the Orchestra and the Audience in God's Cycle of Music together; once every year. Each summer the Conductor reveals the Agent to thousands of individuals at the festival so that they can come to know and love the Composer. The Conductor also works in the lives of various people who attend the festival so that they are able to commit their lives and their talents unto the Composer for His honor and glory. The organizational structure and the intended purposes of this festival were important influences to me when I attempted to organize my thoughts regarding the metaphor of God's Cycle of Music.

Mrs. May Eng taught me that I need to use every opportunity in my life to serve the Composer for His honor and glory. She also made me more aware of the fact that my time here on Earth will soon be over but I still have an amazing future ahead of me because I will be able to live with the Composer forever in Heaven.

Mr. Pete Caputo is a great friend of mine who is also an author. He gave me the idea to write down my own thoughts on paper regarding God's Cycle of Music. Pete also helps me to grow closer to the Composer when I practice the spiritual discipline of fellowship with him.

I want to thank Mrs. Afton Rorvik for reading and editing this book. Her professional advice allowed me to organize and express my thoughts so that this book could be more helpful and enjoyable to all of my readers. I am very grateful to Afton for being willing to share some of her scholarly wisdom with me.

I am especially grateful to Mrs. Julia Craig for doing such an amazing job of assisting me with this work. It would be impossible for me to ever express in words my complete appreciation to Julia for her encouragement and for her helpful suggestions regarding the writing of this material. I know that this book will have a greater impact on the lives of many people because of the assistance that Julia offered to me.

Faith Annette Sand and the Hope Publishing House were willing to accept my book and put it into print. I can not begin to thank them enough for everything that they have done in order to make this book possible.

It is important for me to acknowledge my gratitude for the trials that I have had to face at various times throughout my life. These trials tested my faith so that I could understand my purpose and my meaning for being alive. I am also very thankful to God for the bible. It says in James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

My greatest appreciation is to God. He is the Composer, the Agent, and the Conductor in God’s Cycle of Music. I am so grateful to the Composer for making it possible for me to be alive. He also continues to watch over me so that I can fulfill my purpose and my meaning for being in this world. I want to give thanks to the Agent for dying on the cross for me so that the penalty for my sins could be paid in full and for negotiating my contract with the Composer so that I could actually have a personal relationship with Him. I want to thank the Conductor for introducing me to the Agent. I am grateful to Him for His spiritual wisdom and for the guidance that He constantly gives to me each and every day of my life as I continue to participate in God's Cycle of Music.

We are not able to understand the purpose and the meaning for our lives on our own. God works in us and He also uses many individuals so that we can eventually comprehend the plan that He has intended for our lives. I will always be grateful to everyone who has helped me to understand God’s specific plan for my life. Now I pray that this book will help you to know God’s specific plan for your life as well.