Christian Music News & Reviews

Matthew West Asks Fans to Send Their Life Stories in Preparation for Fall 2012 Album

Matthew West

Similar in scope to his "The Story of Your Life" album, Matthew West is once again asking for fans to submit stories of their life struggles; possibly to be set to music on the upcoming album.

Response from “The Story of Your Life” has been overwhelming; not just from the insightful portrayal of personal struggles on the album, but also the need for fans around the world to express their stories. Therefore, Matthew writes in his blog below that he is officially receiving more stories from fans’ lives. He also includes an offer to get a FREE download from Matthew when you submit your story!

TELL ME YOUR STORIES (again) – currently writing for the new album…

Ever heard the saying, “Man plans, God laughs”? Well, that is ringing true in my life these days. I had my whole year planned, and that’s when everything changed! I was going into the studio to record a few tunes to release an EP this spring and wasn’t going to release my next full record until 2013. But while we were in the studio something special began to happen. These few songs were inspired by stories that were sent to me back when I was making The Story of Your Life. I was reminded of just how powerful the stories are that everyone sent and God began to put it on my heart that maybe it wasn’t quite time to move on to something different yet…

In the months since The Story of Your Life was released, a phenomenal thing began happening. We stopped collecting stories all the way back in 2010 when I finished making the record, but the stories haven’t stopped coming in. Most nights after concerts I walk back to the bus with a stack of handwritten stories that people deliver to me after the show. Many of the people say things like, “I know you’re done collecting stories, but I want you to read mine.” At my website, we continue to receive about a hundred stories a week. Well, I’m no Albert Einstein, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that maybe, just maybe, there are more stories that need to be told.

So, I’ve decided to officially begin collecting stories again. For one month, there will be a link at my website where you can submit your story. You can write about anything. Your faith, your fears, the best day of your life, or the worst. You can write about your family, your enemies, your secrets, whatever. Even if you are reading this and thinking, ‘my story isn’t worth telling,’ write about THAT! The only rule is, be HONEST. Be honest with yourself. Use this as a chance to stop for a moment and do a little assessment of your life and the story you are telling with it. Too often we get so caught up in the doing, that we never really stop long enough to ask ourselves why we are doing what we do or if our stories are heading where we want them to.

If you wonder how this whole thing works and you haven’t heard my record “The Story of Your Life,” I encourage you to get that record, listen to the songs, and read the stories that inspired them. You can also watch videos at my website that go further into the stories that inspired all the songs. The goal here is to encourage all of us to bring our stories out into the light in the hopes that God could use our story to help someone else. What good is your story if it remains untold? So, here’s a chance for you to tell yours.

One more thing, when you submit your story I want to give you a free download of my song, “The Story of Your Life.” Listen to the words of this song even as you write, and hear the question it poses. “Is This the end or only the beginning?” I hope this song and the experience of writing your story down can serve as a challenge to remember that every day is a chance to change your story, to allow God to lead you into the greater story you were meant to tell. This is the story of YOUR life, and it’s a story worth telling!

Posted from http://www.matthewwest.com/2012/02/08/i-need-stories/

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