WHOA That's Good Podcast - How I Opened My Heart to God's Big Dreams

Episode Date: November 11, 2021

Matthew West, renowned singer and songwriter, joins Sadie in studio to discuss fully trusting the Lord amid trials and tribulations, how skydiving gave Sadie a new perspective on life, and the story behind "Gobble Gobble," Matthew's hit Thanksgiving song. Matthew also drops some serious wisdom about why we should stop striving and learn the importance of silence, stillness, solitude, and prayer. We say in prayer and song that we love and trust God, but when it comes down to it, do we fully believe that? - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's out one that's good to fail, welcome back to the world, let's get high cast. Y'all, I'm so excited for this Wednesday. This is actually very special because I have my high cast guest in town. This is so cool. I'm Matthew West with us and it is a joy to have you in West Monroe. I know you have an event tonight, but thanks for coming out some time. This worked out so great. It literally worked out.

I was just walking through the museum here. I'm just a huge, and a dark dynasty. And I happened to find your studio. No, and someone was like Matthew West is in there. Yeah, I was just buying some t-shirts. No, no, no, no. Honestly, though, I know you're joking, but the fan is mutual.

Like, we love you. My family loves it you do. And my family got to know you because my parents went on tour with you, which I'm sure was just crazy. Oh man, well getting connected with your family has been so awesome. And being in person today is super cool, because so much of what we do nowadays is virtual.

It is so true. So I'm like, I was gonna be in town for a special benefit concert. I was like, this is amazing. But your mom and dad, we went on a tour together and we did a special event for couples. And it was called Getaway Night. And the premise was encouraging couples

to have a Getaway night before they get so mad at each other that they wanna get away from each other. That's good. We had so much fun. And your dad, like your dad, man, was crazy. He's crazy. On stage, I swear dad man was crazy. He's crazy on stage I swear it was like I he's more rock star than I was Oh, he was handing out these like like sweat these these gifts to people that were like I don't he has his face on more

Merchandise than I ever seen. It's insane. There was one. It was like a Lufa. Oh, he has Lufa's he's like What's the Chiapet to that grows. If people were flipping out they just like who wants a loofah. Who what? It was amazing. We used to my sister so when we used to share a room we had a bath to bigot and she put my dad's like loofah and I was like no this is weird. Yeah. Get the loofah out. He's like he's face on the loofahs like why am I watching on pay it with Willie. I know it's so weird. But we went to a waffle house together late one night.

And I mean, it was hilarious because everybody that worked with that waffle house, they saw Willie and Corey right away. That's hilarious. I've never had such good service at a waffle house before. Listen, they turned it up for my dad. I mean, they kept filling up the coffee every five seconds. Can I get you anything else, sir? That is hilarious.

They told me, I remember they called me, and they were like, we're gonna ask Matthew and them to go to Waffle House with us. And they were so excited. Oh, yeah. That's their place. Even though they're not, it was so funny. You and my mom were like, what do we want for dinner?

And my dad's like this amazing cook. So she could have asked for anything. She's like, I just want to go to Waffle House. You know, in your deck, Ed, I'm pretty sure he ordered almost every item on the menu. Oh, that does not surprise me. That's him. He looks at the menus like everything,

which a Waffle House is really funny, because you only got so much room and they put everything on a different plate. Oh, it was awesome. I had a stomachache for a week after, but it was worth it. Well, speaking of stomachaches, I don't know if you even knew this on tour,

but my mom would call me and she'd be like, you're dead. She said every time they were doing their Q&A, he had the worst gas. I was like, oh my gosh, I wasn't literally not me when I was not laughing. My mom said, I had to keep his straight face. So whoever asked him to go on tour,

it was a gracious person, but no, they're awesome. And they have so much good advice, to be honest, they're such an amazing, godly couple. For us, me and Christian Christians here watching to look up to, and they're just awesome. Well, to have, so my wife was with me and William Corrie, and so there'd be a moment in every show

where the music would stop and we're all sitting up on stage. And we're just talking about our marriages. And we're being honest about things that have worked, things that haven't, what the Lord's shown us. And so I felt, you know, things that have worked, things that have haven't. What the Lord's shown us. And so I felt, you know, iron sharpens iron and it was so cool to be able to watch these couples in the audience really soaking it in and we were all coming from the place that your mom and dad, just like my wife and I, and hopefully like you guys, it's just, we never come at it from a place of hair.

Let me show you how. We got it figured out. None of us have it figured out. We're figuring it out as we go along and keep our eyes on Jesus. So I felt like I learned a lot watching your mom and dad. And whenever you see somebody off of the TV screen too, when you get to know somebody and you're like,

okay, they're real deal. Yeah, it's so refreshing. Yeah, that's so cool that you said that because that's something, I think people look at my parents or the way we talk about my parents and they're like, oh, they're just perfect. And I'm like, that's so cool that you said that because that's something like I think people look at my parents Or the way we talk about my parents are like oh, they're just perfect I'm like that's the beauty of them is that they're not perfect and then the first to admit it And I think growing up I got to see that it wasn't like some parents that tried to present themselves as perfect people

Those parents were like hey, this is where we got it wrong. This is where I messed up We're even coming to us like this is what I'm going through and like letting us see the struggle so that we could see how they overcame it through Jesus was amazing. So that's important. Yeah, that's important. Well, speaking of good advice, we'll get to the question of the way that's going to podcast. This is an intimidating question. Yes.

What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given? I've been thinking about it all the way over here to the studio to make sure I was ready because I knew this was the question. Yes. But I was thinking the first thought that came to my mind was advice that my dad gave to me when I was in high school. I had my sights set on one thing and one thing only and that was baseball. Now I'm sitting here talking to you today. And that you were going to say music. Right. And I'm nowhere near a baseball field.

Instead, I pick tonight, I'll be picking up a guitar. And today we're talking about music and ministry. And my dad could see the dreams that I had for being a baseball player. And so he gave me some advice and he used sort of baseball terminology to help it connect with me. And he said, son, it's awesome that you have dreams. But don't ever forget that your dreams are minor league dreams compared to God's major league dreams for you. That's good. And I think about that now and I go, you know, he was speaking wisdom that even he didn't realize because if I would have kept chasing my dream of baseball, guess where I would have

landed in the minor leagues. The minor leagues, yeah. But God had this major league dream for me and I started to realize, wow, what my dad was sharing with me was that sometimes the best things that happened to us are the best things that never happened to us. And that was the advice that my dad gave me. And I'm so thankful that he reminded me at every turn,

not to pursue my dreams. I think we live in a world right now that's like, go whatever you want, you can have it. Like this individualistic mentality, like chase your dreams. That sounds really good. That sounds almost biblical. But the reality is, as a Christ follower,

we know that there's an author to our story and we're not the one. So my dad was saying, put the pen back in the author's hands. He's got a bigger dream for you. And I'd have to say that's been the advice that's pointing my life in the direction it's gone. I love that, man. That can speak to so many people.

Even the like the best thing might be the thing that doesn't happen. Like, I think those are the things you don't think about or you don't think about the fact that like God's plan is so much bigger. You're not going to be able to see it. You know, you're not going to be able to see it, but you just have to trust. That's so cool. I was talking with this gold medal figure skating champion, Scott Hamilton. Have you met Scott? Yeah. But in his book, he has a sense that, think about all the things in your life that had to go wrong to get you where you are today.

Wow. And I think we focus not enough on the bad things that it, like, you know what sounds kind of weird, but like the mountain tops, which I actually think I'm crazy. With our social media world, it makes you like highlight the good times, because it's the only times you focus on, but it really is the hard times that sometimes make you who you are. The obstacles, the setbacks, the doors that closed.

Yeah. Right? Sometimes we get those answered prayers in the form of a no. Yep. And the four, hey, Matthew, you're not supposed to hold a baseball bat in your hands. Yeah. Right? Sometimes we get those answered prayers in the form of a note. Yep. And the four, hey, Matthew, you're not supposed to hold a baseball bat in your hands. Yep. You're supposed to pick up a guitar.

Yep. And I'm going to use you in bigger ways than you ever saw coming. Yeah, that's so good. That's pretty beautiful lesson to learn. That's so good. I saw this video when I was like watching about your life because I don't know a lot of your story. I know you, I know your music.

We laugh. I haven't told you this before. But I used to have your CD in my first car. And so I listened to it on the way to school and it was like, I want you to do something. I was thinking, not us, they and who. Yeah, I loved it. So I know your music and know you. I didn't know your story. So I was looking this up and I saw that you had to have vocal cords surgery at one point of your career. And I heard this message one time and it was talking about, it was actually from Pastor Michael Todd and he talked about how like, you're planted but not buried,

and like the same place that looks like death is destiny, whatever you plant, I see like underground, then it looks like it's over, but that's like where it began. And I just think so many times we look at a moment like that, we're like, you're a musician, you're a devotee, so you're like, it's over. But what did that journey look like for you

and how did that kind of make you who you are today? Well, you had Mike Todd on your podcast and I listened to that episode and I became a fan of him through that, actually. That's awesome. But I love that analogy and having vocal chord surgery, it really feels like the fatal blow to, that's the news no singer wants to hear.

And even hearing you remind me of that story, brings me back to being in that doctor's office in Nashville, Tennessee and Dr. Gailin Garrett telling me, hey, this is what's going to happen. And we're going to have to have surgery. And even with this surgery, there's a good chance your voice will never sound the same again. That's scary. So not even the surgery was hopeful. Yeah. Right. And I think I had to come to grips with the reality that once again, maybe, well, Lord, maybe this was my dream and not your dream. Like, it felt like again, another dream was being pulled out of my, out of my hands and out of my grip. And I really had to face the reality that I may never be able to,

you know, I might come back, sound like Kermit the Frog. I don't know. I was just on the verge of my career really popping and a lot of questions, a lot of concerns. I would tell you what happened after that was the doctors orders were simple silence. Wow. And that's kind of hard for me, right? Like that's never been my thing, being silent.

But I'm gonna tell you, the Lord spoke to me in powerful ways, like I never remembered before. And so on 4610 became like a guiding verse for me. Be still and know that I'm God. Another translation says cease striving. Wow. Now, like I know you get after it. I know you're a high achiever.

I know you guys, your family. I'm that way as well. And so this was a forced season of ceased striving. Wow. And letting my dreams go and just saying, OK, Lord, what if I wanted a relationship with you above any other pursuit? Because the truth is, is I love the Lord,

but I get caught up in a lot of other pursuits that I want to go after. And then before realizing that my priorities start to slip, this was a transforming season where I learned the importance of silence, solitude, and prayer, and how that realigns my true purpose in life. And the being still and knowing that he has got, of course, I'll never forget that moment when the doctor kind of said, all right, you've rested your voice, we've had this surgery, take it for a spin.

And I went back into the studio and I sang a song that happened to have the highest note I was ever gonna have to record. And I was so scared that something was gonna break. And it scared me to death. And I went into the studio and I began to record. Oh, no. And I was so scared that like something was gonna break. And it scared me to death. Yeah. And I went into the studio and I began to sing this song called You Are Everything.

And there was just a significance to the message of that song coming out of that season to go, even if I lost it all, if I have Jesus, I have what I need. Wow, that's so good. Those are the prayers that it's scary to pray, but it's like the most, I had a moment recently where I was kind of just going

through a lot of fears and different things, and I had this moment where I literally had to say, like, God, like, even if, you know, this happens, like, I trust you and you're all I need. And even whatever, like, you are first, I love you, if I have you, that's it. That's you. And I was literally, I think sometimes I say that and we say that in prayer, we say that in song, but I was like weeping and saying it was the first time I feel like I truly was like, I believe this. I'm truly saying this to you. I truly mean this. And I've always meant it,

but I really like believed it in that moment. And it was so powerful. Sometimes I think it's like, it's that push comecom to shove moment. Yeah. And that's why we need the trials in our lives. We don't want to need them, but our spirit. But you need them. We know we need them. Yes.

And the Lord knows we need them. Those are the, those are the character growing season. I mean, you talk about if I would have never gone through that season, now guess what happens? Like every time moments before I walk on stage, like tonight I'll go on stage, but I'm gonna tell you, there is, moments before I walk on stage, like tonight I'll go on stage, but I'm gonna tell you, there is a moment before I step on stage where I remember my voice being taken away from me.

And I remember the God who brought me through that. And I remember, there's only one reason I get to stand on stage tonight. And that's because my God is faithful. That's because I'm doing his will. And if tonight is my last song, right? If I lose my voice again, and it's over, I know I'm gonna be okay because I've already been there. Yeah, right? Once you've been in the fire, right? And come out of that.

You have a confident choice. You know, this is where my God shows up. You imagine Shadrack, me shacking a bed and a go, what kind of confidence they had after the furnace? Oh, yeah. They're like, what? We just came out of this? Nothing could touch me because God is with me. Yes, like the story of Joshua,

so Joshua, after they ended up promised land, had to go through like all of these different battles. Counted it at one time, it was like 31 different kings he had to go through. Which I actually, that was kind of gokis, like 31, there's 31 days in a month, there's challenges every day, there's things you have to go through but like God just kept showing up like when he walked around the wall Jericho seven times in the wall fell or whenever the sun and moon said still like you got to know like all 31

His confidence was growing and growing and he was able to lead because he had the faith to do it He was able to say the things that no one else could say Yeah battle battle by battle. And the thing too is like, what I take comfort in with like guys like Joshua or I think about Moses, like think about David, all these great leaders who saw God do great things still needed reminders that God is who is and he does what he says he does.

That's right. And so sometimes I get discouraged because I'm like, Lord, I've been through all these fire. Why do I still have these moments where I'm like, doubting that you're gonna show up? And it's like, why? Because I'm not a guy. Because I'm human. And when we need those reminders,

he provides those reminders. And I'm so thankful for that. I love that example. That's so good. I love what you said too about not striving, like cease to strive. So I'm 46 has been a key thing for me as well to read every that so many times and so many seasons in my life because it's like a just you know be still and

I love how it's like even when all the bad things in the world are happening. It's not like oh and everything's going great be still. It's like if everything goes wrong like be still and no. Yeah. But somebody asked me one they were like, why is driving a bad thing? Striving, it should be a good thing. And you hit this so well, and I just wanted to reiterate it, it's not that like go and everything's as bad. It's that when we try to build our own, you know, life, our own career, our own dreams,

our own thing, that's when it gets valid. I'm striving in my own strength to do my own thing to create my own platform. Instead of like, I'm actually letting the Lord build the house. I'm letting the Lord do the thing for his plan. And, you know, the Kingdoms plan. That's a big difference. Of like, striving for yourself or, you know, working for the Lord who's working through you for the Kingdom Plan.

You know? So I was writing, I had a songwriting appointment with this guy who's a famous country songwriter. I love country music and I started my career behind the scenes writing songs for other artists. Oh, it's cool. And so I had like some country songs recorded and stuff like that, but I got together with this guy and I knew like he wrote the house that built me

from right now, like I knew his songs, right? Hall of Fame guy and I thought, I walked in there striving, striving to write the next country number one song for Terry Underwood or whatever. And he must have seen the ambition in my eyes. Well, we start writing, but he kept interrupting our session by asking me questions about my life. He said, tell me about your music that you make

with your records. I said, well, and I would get off on these tang, I said, well, I write songs inspired by people's stories. Like this guy Jordan who wrote to me about his battle with drug addiction, he was an all-American, and he got hooked on OxyCotten, but they got changed his life. And now he's got a master's degree,

and he's a teacher and a husband and a coach. And I wrote a song for him called, Hello, My Name, His Child of the One True Clean, because that's what he said in his letter. And I guess I got all animated, just like I did just now. And he stopped me. And he said, you know Matthew,

we might write a big old number one country hit today and that's all well and good. But that's not what matters. Wow. And I said, and I just got humbled in a second right there. He goes, I said, what do you mean? He's like, what you just talked about, writing songs, telling people that there's a God who's never done with them,

that they have an identity in Christ, that they could never earn on their own. That's the stuff that matters. And then he used a word, I'll never forget it. It was a fancy songwriter word, but he said, that is what has eternality. Now, eternality is just a fancy word for saying, eternal value. Something that matters beyond the temporary, beyond the now, beyond this life.

That is so cool. And that, to me, when you start talking about the difference between different kinds of striving, that's what you're speaking to me. It's like, the exhausting striving is out of our own strength, with our own goals, with something that doesn't matter beyond today. Yep. Wow. The worthy striving is the stuff that has eternality.

That's so cool. I walked out of there going, Lord, forgive me. Lord, for you, and guess what? We never wrote that number one country hit. No. And I don't care. It was a beautiful day. Yeah, and you've continued to write songs that have truly changed people's life for eternity.

So that is the coolest thing. There's a verse. I think it sums 127 We go back to it so much but talks about unless the Lord builds the house the labor is labor in vain It talks about like eating the bread of anxious toil But he gives his beloved sleep and I always think about that because I think that's when you know am I striving on street or? I'm letting the Lord build the house and it's like do I go to bed and like anxious Like they say I say up late anxious that wake up early anxious But he gets his beloved sleep. So that's so cool that you saw that in your life I love that you write people stories. I think it's amazing

Because your songs are relatable you you hear your own story when you hear someone else's story because it's the human experience You go through so many things What was it that made you start wanting to write other people's stories and like the power you've seen behind that? Well, it's crazy. It was my throat surgery. Oh, wow. And so that's the crazy thing about it.

It's like sometimes the worst things that happened to me. So the best. That's so cool. So coming out of that vocal cord surgery, while I was sitting still, while I was being silent, I felt like God was using my own trial to turn my attention towards the hurting of other people and I literally had this idea when my voice comes back. I remember writing this down, not if my voice comes back.

When my voice comes back, Lord, use my voice to give a voice to others. Wow. And I didn't know what that meant. I didn't know how. So I had this creative idea. This, it was like a creative experiment. What if instead of writing songs inspired by my life, what if I put out an all points bulletin

just to tell people, hey, if you ever been told that your story matters, well, if not, you're hearing it from me. I wanna hear your story. That's so, I'm gonna say me it. You tell me what to write songs about. So thousands of stories came in. They still come in. And now at every one of my concerts, people will walk up and give my tour manager an envelope, address to me, and it's their handwritten letter. And what it taught me is there are so many people right here right now who have been made to feel that

their story is insignificant, their story doesn't matter, or maybe their story is too messed up, that it could never make a worthy contribution to the world. And so I found something really beautiful, and that's changed my life, was seeing how people were willing to share the story of their life, and to share from broken chapters of their stuff. In the hopes that like God could really do what he said, that he could redeem even the messed up parts of their story. And guess what stories I'm drawing to the most?

It's like when people share honestly, a phone or a rably about like, here's what I went through, here's what God's showing me or here's what I'm learning or here was my breakthrough. So it's been a powerful experience and all from my own personal trial. Yeah. I lost my voice that he gave me eyes to see how I could be used to be a voice for other people. That's crazy. I just like want to point that out to you that's listening. So many of these moments we're talking about came from some of the hardest times in our life and so many things that God spoke to us that set us so many things that God spoke to. Even Siri agrees. Siri agrees, she said, I don't know if I understand.

Siri, let me help you. Let me explain. So many times, you know, you actually like Siri does that. You actually don't understand what he's doing. But if you put your eyes on him and seek to understand and silence yourself, I love how we've been talking about like, be quiet before they're just listen, just take it in for a minute.

Don't try to figure it all out, just let it happen. And you'll be amazed at where it got leads you. That's good. I love your new song because what if? Because we share a common experience of skydiving. And skydiving gave me a whole new perspective on life. Did you love it? I loved it. You did? Like I love it. of skydiving. And skydiving gave me a whole new perspective on life. Did you love it?

I loved it. You did? Like I love it. Okay, well that's where our story is different. Okay, so our story is different a little bit in that. But like I loved it. So this day I woke up. Basically I woke up.

It was my birthday. I think I was starting like maybe 19. I think I was starting 19. But anyways, I had like been dealing with so much fear. I was just an anxious person. And I was like, I am no longer going to be afraid. But anyways, I had been dealing with so much fear. I was just an anxious person. And I was like, I am no longer going to be afraid. So this is kind of like, I'm not saying everybody could do this, but I got to tattoo.

That's as fearless. And I was like, I am just not going to live with fear anymore. I'm going to remind myself every day that I am with God. Like God is with me. And I don't have to be afraid. So anyways, I was like, what can I do? That would be so scary. That would just prove that I'm getting past this. And it would be a great. So anyways, I was like, what can I do? That would be so scary. That would just prove that I'm getting past this.

And it was skydiving. I was like, skydiving would be a great start. And so I did it and it was so crazy. And one of the things that I've kind of held onto, which is so funny, it's something you talked about in your videos as well, is the jokes that they make on the way up. And I was like, are you kidding?

Like this is like absolutely. Like skydiving humor. Oh, it's skydiving humor, but it's terrifying. It's terrifying. It's terrifying. It's their experts, we're novices. Yeah. But the guy would say something like,

we're going up and he's shouting, if your parachute doesn't open, don't bother screaming, because it's too late anyway. Oh yeah. Why would you say that to me? My mom said, do I need a helmet? And they're like, no, it's too late anyways. Oh yeah. Why would you say that to me? My mom said, do I need a helmet? And they're like, no, it won't help anyways.

They were like, we're like, so what happens if and they were like, you died? Like they were just like, but they were laughing and you're like, how? Way too nonchalant about it. Not funny, yeah. But anyways, then I did it and I loved it and I thought it was such a cool experience.

But whatever. But tell me about your experience and the song and why I loved it and I thought it was such a cool experience. But whatever. But tell me about your experience and the song and why you wrote it. First of all, I hated this experience. I shouldn't say hate, but I strongly dislike the experience. Who's so funny? Because my guy was some kind of a trickster guy. I don't know what, it was the last jump of the day.

And I didn't realize it, but I was the only beginner on the plane, everybody else on the plane, they were expert skydivers. The pilot didn't realize there was a me on the plane, so he was taking them to an extra high altitude so they could work on their free-fall. Oh no. So before I know it, I'm in like the ringling brothers

of skydiving. Okay, this is different. It was the most frightening experience. That's true. The moment where your feet are dangling off the edge of the plane. Oh yeah, yeah. No, I didn't care for that. Then we, then we chop, they start like flipping me.

Oh yeah. Like they would spin me and I was like, of course your skin's like peeled back. So you can't even create facial expressions to let them know I don't enjoy it. And yeah, I think dude tried to scream, but the wind is so strong that you can't actually talk. Yes. It's an awkward moment.

It's awkward. I have to say, so I had a little video not as good as Yoss, but it is so embarrassing. Like when your feet are dangling over and like you're about to go. I think like everything in me was saying like, saying on the plan, but like I was still gonna go. So I have like the biggest like triple chin and like the video and then I go and it's like Skydiving triple chin.

Skydiving triple chin. It's a thing. You know it's funny. You talk about like being an anxious person. I never really thought of myself as one. this person. I never really thought of myself as one, but the truth is like I had my first couple of panic attacks in the last couple years. And they came on like it like I was going to get something nowhere near as scary as jumping out of a plane. I was getting an MRI. My neck was hurting and my doctor said we'll go get an MRI. And I showed up at the doctor's office and the nurse said, are you claustrophobic? I was like, no. It's like, oh, good. This will be a breeze. So they put me in this on this bed and then lower me into this MRI tube, which is like, now you have to be very still for whatever 15 minutes or so. Yeah. Like, oh, this is a breeze. I'll close my eyes. It may be taken nap.

Yeah. I never get to be still like this. But, inexplainably, I began to completely lose my mind. Wow. To the point where I could feel sweat. And also, I was just like, I can't move. I can't, this is, I'm gonna die. Or like, and I was shouting, let me out of here.

Like, it was, I was so embarrassed. They bring me out. I'm covered in sweat. And I'm shouting, let me out of here. Like I was so embarrassed. They bring me out, I'm covered in sweat, and I'm completely humiliated. Yeah. Because I'm like, what? I just became a child, like what happened, you know? If anybody's had panic attacks, I'm sure they've,

could relate to the feeling of like, the shame that comes after that. Yeah, I used to have that too. And I guess I just began to realize, like I am so all about trying to be in control of everything in my life. And sometimes moments like that need to happen just to be reminded that like look,

we're not in control. We are not in control. And to resurrender my thoughts, my emotions, my feelings. So all that to say is like, I think the idea to go skydiving might have been somewhat similar to yours of just like, like going you know what This is not gonna have control over me because I know who's really in control

Yeah, and I'm gonna go do this right? Of course once I got to 16,000 feet. I immediately regretted I just put out a song called what if the idea was I want to get to the end of my life with no regrets And no what ifs. And that's become my personal mission. So I wanted to do something that illustrated that. Would I do it again? Maybe not.

I like her the test too much. I said I loved it. Would I do it again? Maybe I'm like Hawaii, but other than that, probably not. Like if it was like some gorgeous view that I was like, okay, this is cool, but no, probably not. And like maybe if my friends wanted to do it,

but maybe not me just volunteering myself to do. But it was amazing. And I found that to be true to you, because I think a lot of my fear, and most people's fear comes from the thought of I don't have control over the situation. And then you're like, I want to fix it, but you can't. And then that is a scary thought.

But that is when you have to surrender that control to the Lord. And that's why I love about God. It's like when God came to these people and the Old Testament said, do not be afraid. It wasn't some harsh command of like, you shouldn't fear. It was like, do you not be afraid for I and with you. You have to understand the reason you don't have to fear

is because I and with you, I got it. So you have to surrender that. I mean, think about how many times are you and Christian going to say that to honey? Yes. How many times have I said that to my daughter? Yes. I got you.

I think about when my oldest Lulu was, we're trying to teach her to learn how to swim and like stand on the edge of the pool, you know, and like, it's like my arms are out. I'm like, it's okay. I'm here. I'm not. My arms aren't going to fail you. I'm going to catch you, you know what and like, it's like, my arms are out. I'm like, it's okay. I'm here. My arms aren't gonna fail you. I'm gonna catch you, you know what I mean?

And her seeing that and trusting in that, and I, that moment has always brought me this reminder of like God saying, like, I'm with you. That is so good. What a beautiful picture. Honey isn't old enough yet to do, you know, a lot. So, but now that I think about, there's so many times where she's crying

and her crib and I'm like, Mom, we got you, I got you. The comfort. The comfort and stops crying. Like, that's so beautiful. Thanks for sharing that. Okay, so holidays are coming up. We have Christmas, of course, coming,

which I'm excited about. And you have an album when to talk about. Before that, we must talk about the holiday that cannot be forgotten. Thanksgiving. And your epic, go holiday that cannot be forgotten. Thanksgiving. And your epic, gobble, gobble video. Epic. How did this happen?

Well, the pandemic made me a little weird. I think that's what it was. All of us, right? I started, I've always made up funny songs for my kids and stuff. And, but I've had people be like, you know, it's sometimes on stage, I'll make up a song on the spot, like improv and stuff.

That's awesome. But I had this like idea for a song called a deeply spiritual song called Gobble Gobble. Deeply. But the challenge was, it's like there are so many songs about Christmas. Yeah. But like who, who in their right mind would write a song about Thanksgiving? And I, I issued the a challenge and I accepted my own challenge. You got it. And I wrote the most ridiculous song about my own challenge and I wrote the most ridiculous

song about Thanksgiving, about grandpa passing out because he's passing gas and we had to light pumpkin kid. So, so people started really liking this song and Thanksgiving and now I get tons of requests at my concerts from these little kids. They don't want to hear my Jesus song. They just want to get gobble-gobble. Gobble-gobble. Who knew you had to hit? from these little kids, they're like, they don't wanna hear what it, they don't wanna hear my Jesus song, they just wanna hear God will die. God will God will. Who knew you had to hit?

It's so funny, so like, I don't know, you mentioned that you watch me and Christians reels, are dance moves. It's a real like, viral. I'm very impressed with Christian skills. Got some moves. He's got some moves. You know, honing on some things,

but he's got some moves. We've got a good coach. Yeah, I mean, I'm trying. I do what I can. But no, there's a real, that's like, going around is like, I understand the assignment. Yes. You could do that.

It's like, there are no Thanksgiving songs. And then do like your album. Oh, that's a good idea. Hey, I'm just hoping you help me. You need to coach me on Reels. I got you. I will be your real coach. That would actually be really funny.

OK, but after you think we, we of course have Christmas. And you have, is it your third Christmas album? Yes. So basically, I wanna write a song for every holiday. Well, you should. That would be a great challenge. So we had Ryan O'Neal on the podcast, and he did the whole, any of your Graham series,

and then we did all the seasons, and he did all the, so- He's covering every component. And he's now doing like the planets So I did the musical version of that do all the holidays. It's a good idea Well, I love Christmas music. Yeah, and I listened to it Dangerously early in the year like you know a lot of people have very strong rules Very opinion, but I start but I'm noticing a lot of that changing because I think it's just we've been through such hard times

that like I'm so anxious and looking forward to Christmas. Because, and I think the reason is because of all of the season promises us. It's a reminder of what God offers us every day of the year. You know, but I've been thinking, it's like we look around, I was like hope, hard to find, peace, joy, love, kindness. You know know all these things seem to be in short supply and so I love Christmas music. I love the classics and I love to kind of get my like inner Michael Boobley

Matthew Boobley, so I got some classics and then I love trying to write maybe future classics So I love writing Christmas song the album. I just put out, it's called We Need Christmas. I love it. I actually wrote this song, do you know the country of group Maddie and Tay? So I wrote this song We Need Christmas with Maddie and Tay. Oh, that's awesome. For their Christmas album last year,

and we wrote it on Zoom because of the pandemic. Wow. But I love this song so much. I was like, I called them, I was like, do you mind if I record it too? Yeah. And it just feels like a special song that reminds us, like, hey, we need each other. This Christmas, our ministry is doing this cool campaign

throughout the holidays where we're finding individuals or families who need Christmas, right? There's a family who lost everything in a fire and our ministry is gonna surprise them with a Christmas blessing. And I'm encouraging other people to think about like, who around you needs Christmas this year? And how could you be Christmas for them, you know?

That's awesome. How can we help? Like, can people be involved with your ministry? Well, my ministry is called popwe.org. I tell you what we should do is we should find an individual or family in need. Yes, let's do it. Our two podcasts could like,

Let's do it. Go in together and find. Right here. Yeah. So the Matthews podcast and the WoW that's good podcast. Let's do it. Which by the way, before I leave, I have to thank you and your mom because you guys were the first guest on my podcast.

It was so fun. And it was so cool to hear you guys. I've know both of your stories, but to hear you talk It was so fun. It was so cool to hear you guys. I have no both of your stories, but to hear you talk together was so much. It's cool. So maybe we do something together for a we need Christmas. I would love that. Let's do it.

That sounds awesome. So you have that and you're on tour, have a tour coming up. So I'm ready about that. We want to make sure everybody gets in all the things. Yeah, so what are doing a Christmas tour of like eight concerts and then we're going to do a special virtual concert for a lot of people who are unable to Travel or for different things we started doing these virtual concerts during the pandemic and we'd have people watching from the Philippines

Yeah, it's actually like so great It's like so good that we I feel like everybody did get so good at virtual world because there is this whole world out there Who wants to be in on this. So I love it. For that aspect, it's been a good thing. Oh, it's awesome. Well, I enjoyed talking to you so much. This has been so great. Throughout so much, I was thinking about how on our Instagram, we always post the best piece of advice. I'm like, you had so many. We're going to have like so many things to think through. Well, I just want to say you're such an inspiration to not just to me, but to the West family. And I told you this when you were on my show, but like what you do with your podcast and

with liver, original, the way that you live your life and the witness that you are as a dad of two daughters, like you just need to know like, wow, it matters. And it is, it's something that's not lost on a parent like me. So from a friend to friend, I'm glad to know you. From a dad of daughters, I'm glad you're on this earth to continue to show my daughters how, what it looks like to live original, to live for Jesus. And to always put God first.

So I'm just so grateful for you. That means so much. That's the best compliment I could possibly get. I love doing what I get to do. Honestly, it's the greatest gift. And I'm thankful that I get to do. Honestly, it's the greatest gift. And I'm thankful that I got to do this with you today. In person. This is the best. This is the best. Seriously, thank you so much. This was great. Thanks everybody for listening. I know you got so much out of that. I encourage you go back and listen. Go take notes, write it down,

and whatever season your life at your end. Maybe it's the hardest one you've ever been in. Just know that that is the place that God can meet you today. And so silence yourself for a minute, stop striving, and let God speak into that. Appreciate you guys, and I'll talk to you next Wednesday. you