As Christian contemporary recording artist Matthew West anticipated the need to write songs for a new album, he decided to take a slightly unusual approach. He asked the Christian community to contribute their stories. His intention was to tell the stories of others instead of only his own. What he didn’t anticipate was a response over 10,000 stories strong! After writing the songs for the album The Story of Your Life, West teamed up with author Angela Thomas to create a book by the same title.
In book form, The Story of Your Life is a collection of 
52 devotionals. Each devotional begins with excerpts from one or more of the stories West received followed by relevant Scripture passages. Then either Matthew West or Angela Thomas responds to the story, interacting with the chosen Scripture in the process.
These are not deep theological devotionals. Instead, they are practical thoughts, relevant to the struggles, successes, and passions represented in the stories. The topics covered are as diverse as the authors. While there is no distinct organizational structure, the book does not feel haphazard or disjointed in any way. These are simply life stories, and they are well blended into this single collection.
My heart was definitely stirred as I read the stories shared in The Story of Your Life. Some moved me to tears. Others were eye-opening. Still others seemed to echo some of my own struggles in life. Although the devotionals don’t pretend to offer solutions or even sure-fire advice, they do point out how God’s Word truly does address every aspect of our lives. And, the book definitely made me curious about the album as well!
This book was sent to me in exchange for my honest review.
Not Quite Ordinary 