• Save A Place For Me- Memorial Wall

    February 18, 2010 - Comments (14)

    We’ve been so moved by the stories that we’ve been receiving about “Save A Place For Me” that we decided to create special home online for all of us to celebrate the lives of loved ones we have lost.  We created an online memorial wall and made it so you can upload a picture and a story to put on the wall. This is a place online for memories to live on.  We have also enlisted the help of some of our friends to help write blogs that offer a different story or perspective on the subject of loss – all in hopes of helping you all along – no matter where you are at in the journey. To visit the memorial wall, just click on the community link and scroll down.

    Matthew West POSTED BY:
    Matthew West

    • 14 comments

    1. 1. Chrissie Jasperson commented:

      Sat 20/2/10, 1:28 pm

      I just have to say thank you so much for this song. July 4, 2009 my step-dad who was a great dad went home to be with the Lord after a messed up procedure, Sept. 25, 2009 my dear sweet grandma went home after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, Nov. 24, 2009 my dad lost his battle with Pancreatic cancer and finally my other dear sweet grandma went home after a battle with dementia. It has been a really trying time and a test of faith. But I know that the only reason why I am getting through this time is because God is here with me to carry me through all this. There are times when I feel it is just too much to bare and God’s loving arms hold me a little tighter. I am so grateful for every moment good or bad that I had with each and everyone of them. I will cherish every memory until it is my time to leave this world and join them in heaven where I know they will be waiting with open arms. God truly is using this song as a healing tool for me. Yes, every time I hear it I cry like a big baby but that is ok because I know there is healing in the tears I cry, but also when I hear it I also am flooded with the wonderful memories I have. My biggest fear was that I would forget what they looked like, their smell, their smile, their laughter and their touch, but when I hear this song I know that won’t be possible. I truly thank God for using Matthew as a tool and getting this song out there. A year ago this song would have moved me but I would not have understood it until now. God’s timing is everything!

    2. 2. Kristi Eggers commented:

      Sat 20/2/10, 8:51 pm

      This song has been a huge blessing to me as well. My mom was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in July 2009, on September 24,2009 she underwent a thyroidectomy and the doctors found the cancer had spread to her vocal chords, carotid artries, esophagus and now her lungs. She has gone through radiation and one treatment of chemo. The chemo was stopped as the recent CT scan shows the chemo is not skrinking the tumors and they are remarkably larger.
      Hospice has been called in and each day as the song says I feel I am saying goodbye all over again. Mom has a trach and a feeding tube and she has lost so much weight. Now she only sleeps and wakes very little, we know the time is close and we as a family want her suffering to be over.

      This song did not happen this year by accident it was meant for our family to hear. We have already talked to mom about playing this at her funeral service adn she read the lyrics and agreed it should be played.

      Everytime I hear this song I too cry, but I love it. I bought the CD so I can play it over and over. This song was a gift from God and I feel blessed to have heard it and to be able to express my feelings through this song. God bless you Matthew West, and to those that may have helped write the song. To God be the glory!!

    3. 3. Judy Carr commented:

      Sun 21/2/10, 9:22 pm

      Wow!!! What an amazing and awesome song. I lost my dear friend and Maid of Honor in the fall to ALS. She was a very talented writer and kept a great journal of her struggles with this horrible disease. It took all her means of communication before finally talking her. In my last email to her prior to her death, I told her “save a place for me.” She is fully healed and can run, jump, laugh, and sing now. I love you and miss you Margie Sanford! Thank you Matthew for this reminder!

    4. 4. Nancy Stewart commented:

      Sun 21/2/10, 9:41 pm

      I know there is a lot of pain out there because of losses we all have been through. By the age of 33 I had gone through the loss of both parents. My husband and I lost our first born son. But, through it all GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL. We have been through numerous other losses. If you had asked me as a teenager could I have survived the many things we have gone through in our 29 years of marriage, I would have said, “No way”. But as I said GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL.

      I have learned, as in child birth, the only way you deliver that awesome gift from God is by pushing. As a mother I know the sign to “push” is pain. When we experience pain in our lives, that is our sign to push through the pain. And God is faithful to “deliver” us. I’m sure you have all heard that PUSH stands for “Pray Until Something Happens”.
      But, I know in my own life sometimes I didn’t even have the strength to pray. Other times I was at a loss of what to pray. But, I thank God for Jesus. When I don’t know what or how to pray Jesus is there ever interceding on my behalf to our loving Father.

      Matthew, your song has touched my heart. One day I will see my awesome Mom and Dad again. And my precious little baby boy, Randell will be there too. I know that they are “Saving a place for me. And I will be there soon”.

      Until then, “the weight of this world is on my shoulders”. But, I will be okay because I choose to “push through the pain” so that my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can “deliver me”.

      Thanks, Matthew, for being faithful to the calling in your life to minister to others through the gift of music.

    5. 5. Nikole Dell commented:

      Mon 22/2/10, 7:30 pm

      Your song is truly inspirational and so are your beliefs. I lost my Godfather/Uncle 3 years ago to a massive heart attack. It was very sudden and very heart wrenching. I was in Florida for my cousin’s wedding. A time to celebrate. I watched my entire family find the strength to celebrate the unity of a couple and the loss of a loved one all in a weekend of time. He was a man I truly admired and dreamed to one day work beside. He played the role of a second father to me and taught me so many incredible things. I never understood why he was taken so soon from our lives and the lives of his children/grandchildren. I never got to say good-bye or tell him that I loved him. I believe that the Lord wanted me down there at that time because he knew I needed to be. There are certain things that smark my memories, like his cologne or something he would say or a way that he smiled. My second child was born on his birthday (1 month earlier than her due date). I know in my heart that she is a special part of him that I get to have in my arms every day.

      I look forward to the day that i meet him again. I feel as though he has been watching over me and will continue to lead me in the path of safety and growth. I thank you for such an amazing song and website. It is comforting to talk about those who made an impact in our hearts even after they are gone.

      Thanks for everything you do and the music that inspires us all.

    6. 6. Tabor Scrabeck commented:

      Tue 23/2/10, 1:43 pm

      The first time I heard this song, I couldn’t stop crying. It touched a part of my soul that has felt wretching pain. We lost our 26 year old son February 16, 2008 in a boating accident off the Oregon Coast. He was never found. The heartache that followed was unbearable at times. Derek was an amazing young man. He had just finished his service in the U.S. Army and was looking forward to his life. He touched many lives with his generosity and love. His laugh was infectious and his smile would brighten the room. We don’t understand why this happened when so many things could have changed the outcome of that awful day, however, we serve a sovereign God who does. Even though we’ve questioned…we know that the Lord has been holding us each and every day. Derek is with Jesus and I know we will see him again someday. He is saving a place for us…Thank you for your ministry and allowing God to speak through your music.

    7. 7. sam commented:

      Tue 23/2/10, 8:51 pm

      i actually left a post under the wall news link. i love this song. it, along wih some jj heller, has inspired many of my poems. i hope that my father, uncles, aunts, friends, (hopefully not for a long time)mother, stepfather, and other various relatives save a place for me when they move into our Fathers house. i found a quote on the internet when i was in a down mood (im not suicidal, for any who may b wondering) it says: i know God wont give me any more than i can handle, i just wish he didnt trust me so much.

    8. 8. Susan Hebert commented:

      Thu 25/2/10, 1:15 am

      I can so relate to this song.. I lost my 20 year old son, RJ, suddenly while I was at work. It has been 2 1/2 years now and I miss him every day. When I first heard “Save a Place for Me”, it said everything I feel every minute of every day. But I know because of God’s love and His promise, I will see RJ again. And on that joyous day, I will be whole again…

    9. 9. Nancy Marshall commented:

      Thu 25/2/10, 7:03 am

      Thank you so much for this song. Our 19 year old daughter Katharine, was killed in a car accident in April 2006. She had just completed her 2nd year university, hoping one day to be a psychologist.
      Our hearts were broken.
      We ‘are thankful for the time we had her here’ as you wrote in your song, but oh my, I miss her so very much.
      We are learning to rest in the mystery of God.

    10. 10. Jo Ann commented:

      Fri 26/2/10, 1:56 am

      I had typed a vey LONG reply ofmy daughter Melissa who w lost on Juy 20th,2009.Se had Cervical Cancer

    11. 11. Adam Thuestad (TuesDay) commented:

      Wed 1/12/10, 10:54 am

      Back in 2005 I lost my grandma. She was one of the best people in my life, and because of her I’m the Christen I am today. She was very sick all her life, but she never lost faith in God. She would always read her bible n pray for everyone she knew. God blessed her so much. Before she died she got very sick. After her death is when I really started getting involved in my church.
      Her death is a sweet n sour thing. It hurts that she’s gone. And i wish all the time that she was here again. But if she never passed I don’t think I wouldn’t b the Christen i am today.
      Love u grandma. I’ll see u again someday.

    12. 12. Cindy Chaney commented:

      Sat 19/2/11, 6:36 pm

      August 13, 2010….a day that will never be forgotten. It started out a happy day. My son was on deployment in Afghanistan. I had picked up my daughter-in-law from the airport as she had flown in to help us celebrate my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary on the 14th. We got home, and I received a call from my, then, 17 yr old son asking if his ex-girlfriend, Janelle, had called. He was attending a youth conference at our church. I said no and asked what was up. Kelson replied he didn’t know but she wanted him to come to her house as soon as possible so he was leaving the church. My husband contacted Janelle by text. She said he and I should come to. As my sister-in-law was expecting me to babysit my nieces, I decided I would head on over there and Martin and Ally would leave for Janelle’s. I had been there no more than 5-10 minutes when Michelle received a call from Martin. She was very calm in talking with him, acting as if nothing was wrong. They hung up and she told me I needed to go to Janelle’s. (I’m reliving this as I’m typing…only the grace of God keeps me typing). I was concerned about leaving so soon, Michelle said don’t worry she’d take the girls to their daddy who has a chiropractic clinic. I had a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. All the way to Janelle’s I prayed, God…don’t let it be Gabriel. God…don’t let him be gone. God…don’t let it be SIDS. Pulling up to Janelle’s moms house, there were cop cars, and a van. The house was cornered off with tape. Janelle’s mom was sitting outside talking on her cell phone. As I got out of the car my heart was pounding, something was terribly wrong. When I got to Barbie, she hugged me. During that time, Martin had walked over to us. He took me in his arms, held me tight, and told me Gabriel had died. Our precious 4 month old grandson was gone. Janelle had found him in his pack-n-play, face down. He had died from SIDS. What was a happy day had become the most excruciating pain filled day I have ever felt. Kelson has an amazing story to tell of being in the lowest place of his life and how God radically got a hold of him before Gabriel’s birth. Had it not been for that, who knows where he’d be today. Not long after Gabriel’s funeral we were heading to a restaurant to have lunch with some friends. Kelson had his IPOD on when I heard “Save a Place”. Immediately, I thought of Gabriel and my eyes welled with tears as I listened more intently to it. When it was over, I asked him to replay it. I wish I could understand why Gabriel is gone. I wish God would tell me. I know I may never understand or be told. Until then, my precious Gabriel is “Saving a Place” for me. Thank you, Matthew West, for this song. As of this posting, I can now say “The Healing Has Begun”. Gabriel’s story hasn’t ended. You see, his name means the “messenger”. The message is getting out and if we can help others begin to heal by showing our scars, the message continues. What a blessing it would be to help others begin to heal.

    13. 13. Robert Hot Springs Ark commented:

      Thu 20/10/11, 7:09 am

      On Sept 27,2011 my wife, best friend,and soul mate left to be with the Lord at the young age of 27.A Christian with a love for God,and respected by many.
      I heard Save a Place For Me,a few days after my wife was laid to rest on the radio,pulled it up on the computer,and listened to it again.This song describes exactly the way feel.
      Daily I ride the emotional roller coaster,but I know where she is,and that my wife is saving a place for me,and soon we will be together;
      God Bless you Matthew West for this song,
      IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY WIFE OCT.9,1983-SEPT 27.2011
      Love you sweetheart,Save A Place For Me!

    14. 14. Robert Mrozinski Hot Springs Ark commented:

      Thu 20/10/11, 7:31 am

      On Sept 27,2011 my wife, best friend,and soul mate left to be with the Lord at the young age of 27.A Christian with a love for God,and others and respected by many.She had cancer,and continued to serve the Lord,even though she felt bad,she kept on going to the end,never complaining.
      My wife and I are performers in a Musical/ Drama about the life of Christ,she would go out on stage,and give her heart to the Lord,as if she was at 100% health wise,and inspired others to NOT STOP BUT GO FORWARD!
      I heard Save a Place For Me,a few days after my wife was laid to rest on the radio,pulled it up on the computer,and listened to it again! This song describes exactly the way feel.
      Daily I ride this emotional roller coaster, still moving forward,I know this is what she would want me to do! I know where she is,and that my wife is saving a place for me,and soon we will be together;
      God Bless you Matthew West for this song,
      IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY WIFE OCT.9,1983-SEPT 27.2011
      Love you sweetheart,Save A Place For Me! See you soon!

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