A new year has a way of stripping things down.
We look back at the prayers we carried through last year — some answered, some still waiting — and we step forward wondering if God is still listening.
For Matthew West, prayer isn’t a Christian performance. It’s the most important conversation of his day.
In a heartfelt conversation with K-LOVE’s Crystal Thornton, the award-winning artist and author opened up about the conviction behind his new book, "Don’t Stop Praying," and why 2026 is beginning not with striving, but with surrender.
A Season of New Beginnings
West describes this moment as a season of new beginnings.
Fresh off hosting the National Christmas Tree Lighting at the White House and stepping into Winter Jam alongside Chris Tomlin, he says the pace hasn’t slowed — but his heart has recalibrated.
“I was able to really take some quiet time during the holidays with my family,” West shared. “I’m feeling refreshed, revived and renewed.”
What excites him most isn’t the schedule, it’s what he senses God doing across the country.
West believes the spiritual hunger many felt in 2025 hasn’t faded. Instead, he said, it’s growing.
“I feel like I’m getting a front-row seat to a spiritual awakening that started in 2025 and is continuing to build momentum.”
“Have I gotten better at talking about Jesus than actually talking to Him?”
That honest question became the catalyst for "Don’t Stop Praying."
West admitted that after years of ministry — songs, tours, interviews, books — God stopped him in his tracks with a personal inventory.
“Have I gotten better at talking about Jesus than actually talking to Him?”
It wasn’t a comfortable realization, but it was necessary.
“What is my personal prayer life really looking like? Is it growing… or is it just settling?”
Even his own K-LOVE hit "The Motions" still convicts him.
“I don’t want to go through the motions… I don’t want to spend my whole life asking, what if I’d given everything?”
A Surprising Theme for the Year: Rest
For a driven artist who thrives on momentum, the word God placed on West’s heart for 2026 felt almost ironic.
Rest.
“I feel like what I’ve been praying at the beginning of this year revolves around the word rest.”
West shared how a strong work ethic, while valuable, can quietly distort faith.
“That mentality can spill into thinking, ‘If I do enough good stuff for God, then I’ll be worthy of His love.’”
But grace doesn’t work that way.
“I’m not loved because I’m worthy. I’m loved because You’re good.”
He laughed at his own honesty.
“I could try to live the perfect day today… and guess how many times I’ve accomplished that? Zero.”
When God Feels Silent, Showing Up Still Matters
For anyone praying through unanswered questions, West offered reassurance rooted in Scripture.
“God doesn’t want us to come to Him with a perfect, eloquent prayer… sometimes we don’t even have the words.”
He reminded listeners that the Holy Spirit intercedes, even when all we can bring is a groan.
“Even if the most honest prayer you can pray is, ‘Lord, I don’t even feel like praying right now, but I’m here,’ God honors the showing up.”
Proof God Still Works Miracles
One story continues to anchor West’s faith.
Just days before the interview, a woman named Sue approached him after a concert in South Carolina.
Three years earlier, she had asked for prayer before breast cancer surgery.
“I’m standing before you today, three years later, cancer-free," she said.
For West, moments like that erase any doubt.
“There is no disconnect between the God of the Bible and the God of today… He still does miracles.”
Faith That Keeps Him Accountable at Home
When ministry gets busy, West says accountability begins in his own house.
His 19-year-old daughter Lulu, fresh off six months on the mission field, never goes anywhere without her Bible.
“If my 19-year-old daughter is reading her Bible, what am I doing putting other things in front of that?”
A simple framework keeps him grounded:
Pick a place. Have a plan. Pick a time.
“We will make time for the things that matter to us.”
A Promise to Carry Into the New Year
West closed with Scripture that has become foundational to the "Don’t Stop Praying" message.
“If you draw near to God, He will draw near to you.”
And from 2 Chronicles:
“If My people… humble themselves and pray… I will hear from heaven… I will heal their land.”
His encouragement is simple, and deeply hopeful:
“He is just a breath and a prayer away.”
Living the Message
When asked how listeners can pray for him, West’s answer said everything.
“Pray that I continue to live the words I preach… I don’t want to just talk about it, I want to be doing it.”
As we step into a new year, "Don’t Stop Praying" is a timely reminder that prayer isn’t about perfect words.
It’s about persistent trust. It’s about showing up honestly. And it’s about believing that even when answers feel delayed, God is still at work.
Matthew West’s book "Don’t Stop Praying" will be released Feb. 3.
