Matthew West is once again expanding his writing skills beyond his hit songs. The Christian artist will release his sixth book, The God Who Stays, based on his 2019 single of the same name, in September. The book. inspired in part by the struggles brought on by the pandemic, is described in a press release as an “engaging and thoughtful exploration, balanced with West’s trademark wit and humor, that helps us reconnect to the Biblical truth that God is with us.”
West shared the news on social media, revealing how words his mother told him years ago continue to come to fruition today.
“Many years ago my mom told me ‘Matthew, someday the Lord is going to use you to write books, not just songs!'” he wrote. “I thought my mom was crazy, turns out my mom was right. They always are. I’m so excited for you to read ‘The God Who Stays!’
“I truly feel that it is a message for our world right now,” he continued. “We have all been through so many hard times and this book is a chapter by chapter reminder that there is one who is always with us, always faithful, always good! I can’t wait to share this with you.”
Many years ago my mom told me “Matthew, someday the Lord is going to use you to write books, not just songs!“ I thought my mom was crazy, turns out my mom was right. They always are. I’m so excited for you to read “The God Who Stays!” pic.twitter.com/d8hNgbPl91
— Matthew West (@matthew_west) April 13, 2022
West released his poignant single, “Truth Be Told,” in 2020, later releasing another version with Carly Pearce, who happens to be a good friend of West.
“It’s a song about honesty and authenticity, and how hard that is to find in our world today,” West tells Everything Nash of the song. “But what inspired me to write it is how hard it is to find in my own life sometimes. That song is kind of like my autobiography in three minutes. It’s the story of a kid who grew up, his dad was a preacher, and so he grew up in church, and from a very young age, learned how to put on a show, put on a face and smile for the church.
“Smile for everybody, and make sure that they knew that the preacher’s kid was all right,” he continues. “Or, as the song says, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine.’ … I just wrote that song as a way of breaking free from that, and just going, ‘What if I’ve gotten it wrong? What if the world doesn’t want to see the polished version of my story, but instead the actual version of my story that by no means has all the right answers at all the right times?’ And so, I wrote the song in the hopes that it might set somebody else free to admit, ‘Hey man, I’m going through something and I’m tired of hiding it,’ or ‘I’m battling with some anxiety or depression,’ or whatever it might be.”
West is back at radio again, this time with “Me On Your Mind.” The God Who Stays will be released on September 6. Pre-order is available here.