Be sure to tune in for the Fox & Friends Christmas Special tomorrow at 8pm EST to catch Matthew and Amy Grant performing Give This Christmas Away! There will be an additional airing on Christmas day as well. For more information and local air times visit: http://www.foxnews.com/foxfriends/

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This Christmas tour has got me inspired. I'm inspired by these audiences, their energy, and kindness. I'm inspired by my band, and the music we are making each night on stage. There is something special going on with this group of guys. I am inspired by the Christmas spirit I feel each night when I hear the crowd lift their voices and sing, "Silent Night..." Tonight, I am in Denver, sitting on the bus, thinking about the inspiration I feel. It feels like I could grab my guitar, go in the back lounge and write a thousand songs... I'll tell you this much, I'm ready to make a new record. That's what happens when inspiration strikes, I want to create, and then I want you to hear what I create... So, in the meantime I'll bide my time and wait till they say its time to hit the studio... and you will wait till it gets through all the channels and stages... But you'll get it soon enough! Thank God for inspiration -mw

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Matthew will be on Huckabee tomorrow night with Amy Grant!! Set your DVR, Tivo, VHS recording device! Here are the details.

Huckabee

Matthew West & Amy Grant

Saturday Dec. 5th & Sunday Dec. 6th 8pm ET / 7pm CT

http://www.foxnews.com/huckabee/

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We’re excited to announce that Matthew will be hitting the road this Christmas season! The Give This Christmas Away Tour is Matthew first Christmas tour and will feature Matthew singing Christmas classics, new Christmas favorites and all the songs of Matthew’s that you love. The show will also feature a special screening of the brand new Veggie Tales Christmas movie – St. Nicholas – A Story Of Joyful Giving – that will start when doors open at each show. We will also have Bob & Larry from Veggie Tales on hand to meet all the kids. This is going to be a great event for the whole family to enjoy this Christmas – we hope to see you all out on the road!

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I did a bit of a media shutdown the past few days. Took my girls on a little road trip, wound up at the beach in Florida. We had a blast. My little girl loves the water, of course in a 3 year old version of irony, we were steps from the beach and she wanted to go to the pool instead. awesome.

This summer is winding down, it's raining this morning in Nashville. I'm sitting at a coffee shop downtown, getting my thoughts together before a writing appointment. Turns out, I don't have many thoughts... :) I'm sure they'll come around.

Here's one thought for you this morning from my morning devotion. "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." I love that is says, "daily." God is not just the occasional help in times of trouble. He is involved in our lives daily, and always ready and willing to bear our burdens. Find comfort in that today

-mw

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It's always a strange feeling, flying on 9/11. I'm in the Denver airport right now, getting ready to board a plane to Salt Lake City. I think I've been on a plane every 9/11 since the tragic terrorist attacks a few years back. And every 9/11 as I check in for my flight, I can't help but think about what happened. It's not that I'm afraid for my own safety. It's more about remembering those who lost their lives, and how the unthinkable, the unimaginable happened on that day.

Continued...

Back on the plane to LA this morning. Just wanted to finish my thought from yesterday. Last night after the show, I was watching MSNBC in my hotel room. They were re-airing the live news coverage of the 9/11 attacks in remembrance of the tragedy. I was thinking how when I was a kid I thought about all the major world events my parents had experienced; how they would talk about remembering where they were when JFK died. I remember thinking, I wonder if I will talk like that about any major historical moments. Will my generation have any history in the making? Unfortunately, 9/11 is one of those days that I will always remember where I was when tragedy struck NY. I was in Indiana with my friend and drummer at the time, Brett. I woke up and went down to the lobby of the hotel to get breakfast. The televisions were airing the attacks, and the whole morning, the whole day was so surreal. I remember wishing I could be with my wife, but she was back in Nashville.

I spent the whole day praying, crying, and calling home. That night, my show at a local college took on a much more somber tone. Instead of carrying on with the show as planned, I unplugged, and talked and sang for a handful of students who were all devastated from the day's events. Can you remember where you were? Think about that day, and remember those who lost their lives. May it always remind us to be grateful for our freedom, and for those who are protecting it every day.

-mw

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Carol Stream, Illinois ' Popular Christian music artist and songwriter Matthew West has partnered with Tyndale House Publishers in the publication of his new book, 101 Simple, Meaningful Ways to Give This Christmas Away.

Available by November 1, the book was inspired by 'Give This Christmas Away,' the theme song (recorded with Amy Grant) West was commissioned to write for the new Veggie Tales Christmas DVD, 'Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving' releasing this fall.

'Matthew hopes December will look different this year if Christians change the focus,' said Nancy Clausen, director of marketing and product development for Tyndale. 'He wants to encourage people to show the true meaning of the season by giving in honor of God's ultimate gift to us ' Jesus Christ.'

The book will feature the lyrics to the song 'Give This Christmas Away' and Matthew West's story of how he was inspired to write it. Each subsequent page of 101 Ways to Give This Christmas Away will contain one idea on the theme, plus an explanation on how to put it into practice, with a related Bible verse selected from the New Living Translation (NLT.) The 101 ways will range from the seemingly insignificant ways ' like holding the door for someone ' to working with a ministry, such as Operation Christmas Child, and discovering what giving to that organization means in the life of a child.

'My mom is already planning to sign her church up to live out a number of the ways to give,' says West. 'I think this will also be a great book for families to work through together, to re-focus on the true meaning of Christmas. My family and I will be picking a bunch of the ways to give and take part too.'

The song will be released to radio on November 27th. Along with Veggie Tales, Amy Grant and Matthew West are also partnering with Samaritan's Purse in a video that will be used to promote the Operation Christmas Child's shoe box campaign. West is this years spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan's Purse, a relief organization that goes to the aid of the world's sick, poor, and suffering.

In addition to the book there is an entire 'Give This Christmas Away' campaign, starting with a shoe box distribution trip to Bogota, Columbia with Operation Christmas Child later this month as well as a 'Give This Christmas Away' tour this December which will be a family focused event featuring Veggie Tales, Operation Christmas Child and Matthew West. Matthew will also have his own Christmas Special airing on Gospel Music Channel this season centered on the 'Give This Christmas Away' theme. Tyndale and Big Idea are also partnering on a floor display fixture to display the new Veggie Tales DVD and the Give This Christmas Away book.

Tyndale will publish 101 Ways to Give This Christmas Away with a hardcover binding, approximately 112 pages, at a suggested retail price of $9.99.

This weekend in Atlanta was really something special. I love playing shows close enough to Nashville that my girls can join me. So Emily drove down the Saturday morning with the girls, and we got to spend the day together at the ball park. Lulu had an absolute blast. The Braves were kind enough to put all of us in a sky box, which is something I dreamed of when I was a kid. “I wonder who those people are sitting up in those sky boxes,” I used to think when we would go to the ball games… Now I was one of those people. It’s the little things, folks.

Anyway, the Braves looked like they were going to win 2-1, but the Reds tied it up late in the game, and it sent the game into extra innings… I began to worry that the crowd wouldn’t last through a 4 1/2 hour game and a concert. But finally, after 12 innings the game came to a close, unfortunately a Braves loss. But, much to my surprise the crowd stuck around for the concert and we had an amazing time singing inside the stadium. I even got to run out of the dugout when they introduced me. This was as close to one of my dreams coming true as I’ll ever get. The only thing missing was my uniform and my baseball glove. But it’s all good.

Earlier in the morning, I was asked to sing at the Braves chapel service before the game. I sang, “The Motions” and we had an incredible time with the team’s chaplain with prayer and devotions. Me being a huge baseball fan, only made that cooler because we got to hang out and pray with some of the players. I was so impressed by guys like Matt Diaz and Javier Vasquez. They shared their testimonies before the game. It was awesome to see these players using their platform to share about their faith.

So, thanks to Atlanta and the Braves for a great day. Hope everyone had a great Labor Day Weekend -mw

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