Matthew West and his cowriter Sam Mizell accepted awards Monday night (April 20) for penning ASCAP’s Christian song of the year, “You Are Everything.”

In accepting his award for song of the year, West admitted “You Are Everything” will always hold special significance. “This has been a journey. A couple years ago, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to be singing at all,” said West, who underwent surgery in 2007.

“This is the first song I sang after coming back from surgery on my vocal chords,” he added. “I never felt more helpless, but the Lord promised me that he wasn’t done with me yet. Every time I sing this song and now standing here with this award, this is the proof that sometimes the worst things that happen to us are the best things. God can heal us and turn our brokenness into something amazing and beautiful.”

Excerpted from the Billboard.biz Bulletin article by Deborah Evans Price