10 Questions with ... Matthew West

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

LABEL:

• Sparrow Records

DISCOGRAPHY:

• The Story of Your life
• Something to Say
• History
• Happy

1. The songs on Matthew West's newest record "The Story of Your Life" came from the real life stories of his fans. Let's take a look at the stories behind these songs. The song "Family Tree" was inspired by the story of Rebecca Klein of Tampa, FL.

As a child, my home was filled with homosexuality, mental illness, anger and violence. The legacy my parents were leaving me was sure to be a life filled with emotional turmoil. But came Jesus. I found Christ at a young age and he walked beside me all the days of that difficult childhood. It didn't mean everything was better or easier but I was never alone. And most importantly, it meant I would receive a new legacy.

One of the most poignant moments in my life came when I was an adult and my father was dying from AIDS. I was standing in his home, talking with his gay partner, while my mother and father were in the adjacent room arguing with harsh words, speaking of emotional battles and suicide attempts. I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I listened to a conversation that embodied the very sad reality of all I had known as a child. My father's partner responded to what we were hearing by saying to me: "Well, I guess that is the legacy that you have." I responded with a resigned "Yes, I guess so." But at the very same moment that I uttered those words, God spoke to my heart with a depth and clarity that has never been matched when he said to me: "NO, that is not your legacy. You have my legacy because you are my child." And that truth made all the difference then, now and for eternity.

Matthew: On one of my last nights in the cabin, I was writing in my journal and reading over stories. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was a topic that I must write about, something God wanted me to communicate through song. I wrote the words "generational baggage" in my journal. This story impacted me greatly and painted such a vivid picture of just how heavy the weight of generational baggage can be and the toll it can take on a heart. What a wonderful reminder that God can give us the strength to put a stop to the past, and set our lives on a new road, bringing new life to our family tree.

2. The song "Survivors" came from Melody in Washington:

I was 31 with a two-year-old son and 9-month-old daughter. I noticed a lump and called my doctor but she dismissed my concerns and said I was too young for breast cancer. I felt urgency from the Lord to schedule a mammogram and the radiologist referred me to a surgeon. I remember the day the doctor told me I had cancer. Fear gripped my stomach. I knew I would go to heaven but I wanted to raise my two children. I didn't share my diagnosis with anyone at church but the next Sunday a friend was praying for me and began to cry and told me she was led to pray for me, and two other women said they knew the Devil was attacking me. After that I told others and received support from my church family. After six months of chemo and radiation, my husband moved out and my marriage eventually ended. The Lord provided for me and I kept my home and had health insurance. One month after the divorce I found another lump under my arm. This time I felt fear like never before. This meant the cancer had spread. My doctor told me I had to have even tougher chemo this time. My family and church prayed with me for God's healing. After several tests the doctor said I had a rare recurrence where the cancer had not spread to the rest of my body. I know God healed me!

3. A story from Greg in Tennessee inspired the song "One Less":

My wife and I started an adoption of a little girl named Lily in August 2007. We were able to finally bring her home in November 2009! I am the senior pastor of a church in TN and the adoption became a process embraced by our whole family of faith. As a part of the adoption my wife moved into an apartment there in that country so we could foster our now 8-year-old daughter. We spent seven months apart from one another. It was the most difficult test we have faced as a couple. The pain that marked those seven months was quickly replaced when we finally made it home. The joy we shared when we arrived here reminded me of what it must be like when one of God's children finally make it home. We left Guatemala with no fan fare and a few tears. We arrived at our home with church members lining the street with banners, cheering and sharing great relief.

Matthew: "Defend the cause of the orphans..." (Isaiah 1:17). The hundreds of stories from people who were so passionate about adoption inspired me. What a gift for a family to open up their arms and welcome in a child with no home! Every adoption story is truly the proof that God is involved in the details, even the smallest details.

There are so many orphans in the world today that the mission of giving them all a home to the human eye seems more like a mission impossible. But as I read one story after another about a child finding a home, I found myself saying, "That's one less, one less, one less broken heart in the world tonight." You may not be in a position to adopt an orphan in your life right now but there are many ways to carry out the command of the bible to care for the orphans. Ask God to show you how to care for the orphans. Every time you help, that's one less.

4. The song "To Me" comes from the story of Michelle in Michigan:

Have you ever felt the pain of middle school? I have through my son Connor. There are many things most people do not know about him. He struggles to learn on a daily basis and he thinks of himself as stupid; he also works harder then anyone I know and he is just looking for a friend that will accept him as he is someone to hang and do things with on the weekends. Doesn't everyone deserve a "true" friend? The pain of wanting a "girlfriend" so bad that you let those "popular girls" say mean things to you on Facebook. Facebook says he has 255 friends, friends that would not even say "hi" back when he passes them in the hallway at school. Nevertheless, he is proud of all those so-called friends. However, he is my inspiration because through all the painful moments he still has such empathy for people and can forgive in a heartbeat. I always tell him that God has something special waiting for him because of all the struggles he has been through since his birth. I want him to tell me how he can get up each morning and still put a smile on his face and be positive when he has so many negative things going on around him each day? He's learned it a choice!

5. "The Reason For The World" was inspired by the story of Amy in North Carolina:

I have wanted to share my story with K-Love, but I never sat down and typed. I know God wants me to share and to live my life according to his will. I have a cross that I wear everyday to help me get through each day. When I'm struggling with fatigue, depression or pain, I grab my cross and I know that God is with me. About two years ago, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I'm 35 years old and I have two children, ages 6 and 4. My daughter Abigail Grace was 2 when I was diagnosed and my son Trace was 4. I was also a teacher at a local school in our community. My neurologist told me I needed to stop working and "focus on my family." I didn't want to quit because I knew I was touching children's lives through education. It was harder for me to leave teaching than it was for me to accept my diagnosis. I had always felt God had a hand in my life and I didn't know why he was allowing this to happen. I didn't want this to happen but I feel like God is working through my life.

The theme I keep coming back to is: no matter how tough it gets, God will be there to carry me when I can't carry myself. He wants me to show other people through my life that he is God and keep the faith, no matter the trials and tribulations. This is just the beginning. I could go on and on and tell you all of the details but I think sometimes we get lost in the details and miss what is important. I will say I had two lesions: one on my brain and the other on my spine. I have been taking medication (Avonex), which causes fatigue and depression. The reason I am sharing is because I went for an MRI last June and one of my lesions was gone (brain). I still have the lesion on my spine but the doctors feel the medication is working. Well, that is true but I also know in my heart that God is working. He is still in the business of answering prayers and healing. I live my life differently than others. I wake up each morning not knowing what's going to happen next but I know that my God is with me wherever I go. I know he is keeping me around for a reason. He is showing me that he is control of my life. I'm not. Wherever he leads I'll go.

6. The Song "The Healing Has Begun" comes from Ginny's story, out of Texas, and Jess from Tennessee:

Ginny's Story: One of the worst decisions I ever made was 35 years ago at 18, I became pregnant and decided to get an abortion. I was too afraid and ashamed to go to my parents for help so I decided to fix my mistake and terminate the pregnancy. Marriage was not an option because I knew I did not love my boyfriend enough for marriage at that time. I still remember climbing the stairs in the clinic with a group of other young women. One of the women turned to me and told me not to worry and that she was there for the third time. There was a brief private meeting with a female nurse who explained the procedure and asked me why I was getting an abortion. I broke down in tears and told her I did not want to tell my parents. She then handed me a box of Kleenex and said, "Oh poor thing." I suppose that was her offering of compassion.

The procedure was more painful than I expected but I am sure it was not just a physical pain. I don't believe I understood what really happens in an abortion; I have always been sorry that I did not seek out other options. I am glad there are voices for the unborn child. I have often thought that if a kind, compassionate pro-life protester had approached me at the entrance of the abortion clinic that day, I possibly might have chosen to give life.

I know God has forgiven me and I will meet my child one day in heaven. I made a poor choice in 1975 but I have hope and a strong conviction to lead children to Christ at an early age by working in Awana's and Vacation Bible School. Mr. West, thank you for being at the E-Women Conference March 13, 2010!

Jess' Story: I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Hope Clinic in Nashville for a couple years and I led a Bible study that focused on grace, redemption and restoration for women who were post-abortive. I think I must have expected the women who showed up on the first night to be strung out or something. But the women who walked through that door were strong and beautiful. They varied in age, even some in their late 50s who had never dealt with the pain and shame of their abortions that had taken place decades ago. They were pastors' wives and daughters, women who had grown up in the church, women who were even leaders in their church. I was shocked.

When they began to open up about the moment they made their choice, some could even recall the color socks that the doctor had on that day or the color of eyes that the nurse had, but one couldn't even remember the season or time of the year when she had her abortion because she had pushed it back so much. Their stories were like reading a novel. We did a 15-week study where they discovered God's grace and love and learned to forgive themselves. Then at the end of the study we went early on a Saturday morning to a graveyard in downtown Nashville where there is a memorial for unborn children. We gathered around and remembered each of their children one by one. They brought flowers and wrote letters and read them and just did their best to say goodbye and hand their grief over to God. Some of them knew exactly the name they would have given this child and they would speak it for the first time that day!

It was amazing to see the difference in their spirit from the first class when they walked in and couldn't even look up when they told us their story to the last day when they showed up all dressed up with flowers and gifts for this baby that they never were able to meet, ready to truly hand them over to God. We always searched for songs to play at the memorial service that would give hope to these mothers and nothing ever seemed to fit perfectly. Maybe now you can tell their story.

7. The song "Strong Enough" was inspired by Tonia from Indiana:

By the grace of God, I am the mother of three awesome children, Haleigh (22), Kelsey (18) and Jordan (16). It has always been them and me against the world. I had my first daughter, Haleigh, at 19; we grew up together. When she turned 19, she had a bad car accident after sliding on black ice and shattered her right leg (high impact pilon fracture). She was in the hospital off and on for months. Her health insurance got cancelled because she couldn't maintain her full-time college status. She got MRSA from the hospital and ended up needing 11 surgeries.

As a single parent and her mother, I didn't leave her side. I would go home while she slept long enough to sleep a bit and run through the shower. I remember feeling so alone though. My family was and is great. They were there as much as they could be, but at night when the lights were out, I would lie in my bed and just cry from the loneliness and exhaustion, mentally and physically. It's been three years ago and she is still recovering. She was at one hospital that wanted to amputate her leg from the knee down so I had her transferred to the hospital in our hometown where two wonderful doctors were a godsend and took over her care.

She is still in a boot, still has an open wound that is healing due to compromised blood flow and has a long road of healing ahead as far as surgeries and physical therapy are concerned. But she is beautiful, living her life, going to college, living on her own, being independent and not letting it keep her down.

Most importantly, she is still here with us. I have told her all along that God has a reason for everything and she definitely has a purpose. One of the times that we were in the hospital going through this horrific ordeal, I said to her "Haleigh, the Lord doesn't put anything on us that he doesn't think we are strong enough to handle." She said, "Well, he must think we are pretty freaking strong then!"

If it weren't for my faith, I would have gone out of my mind. Life is hard but God is good and I am a firm believer that there is power in prayer. Through all of that, I never felt like he left my side. He guided us to do what was necessary to protect her and sent us the wonderful doctors who took care of her. On a side note, my daughter Kelsey has pretty much a full-ride scholarship for college in the fall and will be majoring in pharmacy and is sunshine. My son, Jordan, is getting ready to get his license, which scares me to death. My kids are my life and I thank God for them every single day! God bless, Matthew!

8. The story from Amber of Oklahoma inspired "Two Houses":

At 22, I have lived a life far beyond my years. My life began through an act of adultery. I grew up in an alcoholic and abusive household. We constantly moved every time my mom or dad got remarried but somehow I met a friend along the way that introduced me to Christ. Not only did God become my safety but the church became my getaway. I found love in the people I encountered at my church and, more importantly, in God. I fell in love with a God that could offer me dreams and hope for a better life. At 15, I moved out on my own. I had faith that that would be the best decision I ever made, and it truly was.

I have now graduated college, but more importantly I have found a love for ministering to children in need. I want to spend my life dedicated to helping children find the love and hope they need to believe in themselves. I want to help them see that someone cares for them even when they feel insignificant. That one person changed my life by introducing me to something far greater than I could imagine and I want to be that light in another person's life. I am thankful God has blessed me with the passion to help others who are immersed in a life that seems to have no escape. Without my past I would not be where I am today.

9. The song "Broken Girl" is for every person that sent in their story of abuse:

There were so many of these stories that it broke our hearts. With this being such a sensitive subject, we wanted to write a song for all the girls, they will know who they are.

Matthew: In my first two days at the cabin, I received one thousand stories. About one out of every four stories dealt with the topic of sexual abuse. Many of these stories were from women who had been molested as young girls by a family member or neighbor. As I saw the stack of stories dealing with this same topic begin to grow larger and larger, my heart just broke. I guess I knew these kinds of horrible tragedies happen in our world, but for the first time I was face to face with just how often it happens, and also the fact that people in the church are still dealing with pain from childhood abuse, afraid to talk with anyone about it.

I'm the father of two beautiful girls and as I read on, I found myself becoming angry about the fact that these women had their innocence stolen away. I knew I must write about this, but how? Not exactly an easy topic to capture in a song. So, I just began to pour out my heart to all the broken girls who sent me their stories. I want them to know that they "don't have to stay the broken girl."

There were hundreds of stories that inspired this song, but for obvious reasons I have chosen to let them remain nameless. "Broken Girl" is for anyone who has been the victim of abuse, anyone still dealing with the shame and the scars that abuse has caused. A song written in the hopes of helping these women find the courage to step out and place there abusive past in the hands of a healing God.

10. The song "My Own Little World" is the album's first radio single and was a song inspired by every single story submission:

This song is Matthew's response to what he just experienced by reading the 10,000 stories that were submitted. We really felt that this song set the table for the rest of the album. It provides perspective and will allow for us to dive deeper in to the stories and songs on the album.

There is one story that really captures the point of opening your eyes to a world in need of Christ, from Michelle in Florida:

I wish you could make a song that would inspire people to care: about God, Jesus, each other and ourselves. If people cared about this life, there would be such a difference in the world. In fact, all of the memorable and cherished moments of my life stem from someone who cared, who loved like Jesus. For example when I was in the hospital, there was a nurse who took care of me, who showed me love, patience and compassion through my uncertain, terrifying illness. And as my life has gone on, I realized that through these few people that cared that I came in touch with are the people that made a difference in my life in a positive way. They have all led me to Jesus and to his unselfish caring and love for us. Through the nurse's unselfish kindness I was led to become a nurse as well and give back. Your songs already inspire me so much and I am thankful for you and your ministry. May God bless you on this journey.