By: Laura Bennett
After what’s been a wild couple of years, Grammy-nominated recording artist Matthew West is encouraging people to embrace not only the “Christmas cheer” but the restorative message of the gospel it celebrates.
Facing months off the road and feeling the pressure to continue to provide for his family – and the band that travels with him – Matthew said, “God’s creativity has been on display in these last two years, and, I think he’s opened my eyes to some areas of my life that need to change”.
“My tendency when crisis hits is to go into survival mode,” Matthew said.
“I just pretended that I didn’t hear that 100 concerts just got cancelled.”
“I just pretended that I didn’t hear that 100 concerts just got cancelled,” – Christian singer-songwriter Matthew West
Finding other ways to be productive: writing a book, launching a podcast and writing more songs, Matthew said, “This productivity was blocking out the reality of the crisis from my mind”.
There was a moment, Matthew said, where he felt like God caught his attention and “patted him on the back” for being a hard worker but said, “don’t let this hard season pass without letting me do some much needed work on you”.
Releasing his new album We Need Christmas, is something Matthew hopes will help people have their own moments of clarity with God, as they enjoy end-of-year celebrations.
“I put We Need Christmas out into the world, because quite honestly that’s how the West family has felt these past two years,” Matthew said.
“Hard times just make your feet heavier, you know? By the end of the year you’re just exhausted.”
When we start listening to the lyrics of Christmas music and embrace Jesus in this season, “all of a sudden our hearts are flooded with these powerful reminders [that] everything we have lacked during this hard year – there’s one source (Jesus) that will provide it”, he said.
We Need Christmas is out now.
Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.
About the Author: Laura is a media professional, broadcaster and writer from Sydney, Australia.