I am so glad you decided to visit this site. My hope is that this will be a place that will serve as both a memorial to loved ones who have passed away, and also a place for those who are dealing with grief and loss to find comfort and encouragement. Over the next several weeks, friends of mine who are pastors and authors will be submitting guest devotionals, all dealing with the topics of loss, grief, and the hope of Heaven. To start though, I thought I’d give you a little glimpse of the story behind the song, “Save a Place for Me.”
She couldn’t speak. Not anymore. The stroke she suffered took that away. She couldn’t walk either. Her 86 years of life had left her paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. She was my grandmother, Luella Jane West. Several years ago, the doctors told the family she wasn’t going to make it. I remember getting the phone call from my dad. I remember the trip to Iowa. I remember the hospital room. I remember saying goodbye.
My family cried, laughed, and cried some more in the waiting room of the hospital as we remembered and celebrated her life. And it truly was a life worth celebrating. Grandma was a mother of ten children who loved God with all her heart, and believed in the power of prayer. I will always remember cards and letters she would send me. They were filled with encouraging words and scriptures to live by. I will not soon forget her example of how to live a life that really says something.
What my family didn’t expect was exactly what happened. Years had passed since her stroke and my grandmother had defied the doctors, long outliving their expectations and blessing us with the gift of more time. More time with our friend. And though she couldn’t speak during her last years on earth, we shared many amazing times together. Today, there is another Luella Jane West here with us. She is my daughter. And you should have seen Grandma’s eyes light up when she met her namesake and great granddaughter for the first time! Someday when Lulu asks about her name, I will be proud to tell her about a life that had something to say.
On New Year’s Day of 2009, grandma left this world. Once again, I made that trip to Iowa to say goodbye. I sang “Save a Place For Me,” at her funeral. The lines that resonated with me the most when I thought about Grandma were, “I wanna live my life just like you did/Make the most of my time just like you did/I wanna make my home up in the sky just like you did.” I read a recent interview with Billy Graham in Newsweek that summed up the heart behind this song. When asked about the passing of his wife, Ruth, Rev. Graham humbly replied, “I know God has prepared a home for her in Heaven. I just hope she saves a room for me.”
-Matthew
We lost our son Cameron on September 5, 2008. He was 17 years old. He went that day to have surgery on his spine for scholiosis. He made it through a 5 hour surgery, but tragically a few hours after things started to not look so good. He died from a rare thing called TRALI, which can happen after a blood transfusion. It is only 1 in 5000 chance. We don’t understand why our Cameron. I still question it everyday. We miss him so much. He was a fighter. He was and still is a blessing to our family. We are thankful that we got to spend those 17 years knowing and loving him. When I hear the song “Save a place for me” it gives me hope that I will see him again one day. I hope he’s ready for the biggest hug ever when that day comes.
i am a just turned teenager. when i was really young, one of my uncles passed from this world to the next unexpectedly. the doctors found out later he had lung cancer. a year or so later, when i was seven, my father passed away. it was the saddest day of my life, orso i thought. then 6 years later my stepfather passed away. my mom and i have spent the time since his death just adjusting, since he was passive aggresive. a week or so later his sisters husband passed away. thatis what drives me. i have to so well, to prove to my stepdad im not a goodfor nothing lazy brat, and to do as well in life as my father. all of my trials have inspired me to write poetry. a poem i wrote is ciculating the internet:
angels angels are beings who ive us love, comfort, hope, support, and in somecases a shoulder to cry on. angels are all around us, acting and speaking with angelness. angels can even be those who have gone before. i know a few angels. three are in heaven sleeping peacefully on clouds or dropping snow down. one is reading this poem right now. Do you know any angels?
Thank you for sharing “Save A Place For Me” with all of us. It is an encouragement and reminder of hope for those who have lost loved ones.
I recently lost my sister and would like to add her tribute to the memorial wall. But I have a technical question. Do you know how many words fit in 1MB? Is there an edit feature if we go over that amount, or do we have to repost a new tribute?
I feel a little weird asking since this song and subject are so emotional but I really want to do it right. Guess I’m a perfectionist! 8-D
There must be angels because this site popped up in a friend’s FB post today. 550am this morning made exactly 2 years since Mom went home. I will be back to post a picture and her life story.
Thank you for this site and the wonderful opportunity to share the families and friends we miss.
The summer of 2009 I had a dream that I was searching everywhere for my Grandmother. In the dream I was frantic and it scared me so badly then I heard her say, “I’m right here” and she was standing next to me. That dream scared me so badly and I felt she was preparing me as she knew her time to see Jesus was near. My Grandmother was the most beautiful woman on this earth to me. I was able to see her in October while she was in the hospital and it was so hard to see her in pain. I sang to her and held her hand and told her when she gets to heaven to please ask God to help me with my very angry heart so that I can join her in heaven someday. I lost my Grandmother November 3, 2009 and my heart is breaking. Though she would want me to be happy that she is in heaven I miss her so. As long as I can remember I have told my Grandmother I wanted her to live forever and her response was always, “I am going to live forever with Jesus.” The first time I heard the dj announce the title of your song I had started crying even before I heard the first words. The song is a strong reminder of how she is expecting me in heaven so I can know the joys and peace she now knows and I keep praying that God help me with the scars and anger within me so that I can join her.
My oldest son, Jon died on June 29th, 2009. Jon and I had complications at birth which resulted with him having Cerebral Palsy. He never considered himself handicapped though he couldn’t walk and even needed for someone to feed him. In his 37 yrs. he shared so much love with others and taught all of us just what it means to be patient. I have 3 other living adult children,whom I love dearly,but Jon was the one that shared my faith. I so miss the long discussions about what God was doing in our lives. The first time I heard Save a Place for Me, I cried through the whole song and it is very difficult for me to cry. I hear the song almost everyday on my way home from work and went and bought the CD because of this song. I’ve shared the title with my on-line support group and will be posting this site for them so they can hear the song. Thank you Matthew. Your music really touchs my heart. Blessings,Kathy
Last week, I heard your song “Save A Place For Me” for the first time. From the first line I was bawling my eyes out. Like many others have shared, I also recently lost a loved one. She was my sister. My sister whom I cherished from the day she was born. In three short months I watched cancer destroy her body, but not her hope in Christ. She wrote scripture on the inside of her arms and witnessed to everyone in the hospital she came in contact with. She died at the age of 39. I told the Lord I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. He took her anyway. It’s only been six months since she’s been gone. But some days its seems longer because of the heartache and reality that I can no longer have her present with me in this life. Hearing your song was an answer to prayer. Just the night before, I was having a hard time and my friend said” well, maybe you can be ministered to through music”. Your song spoke volumes to me. The lyrics were a perfect balance of understanding the pain I’m going through and yet, reminding me of the good for her and hope for the future. Thank you.
anyone who is interested in music along these lines though not matthew west(i love his music) mercyme’s i can only imagine brought my mom and i to tears. as did this. it takes an awful lot to make us cry
Matthew Save A Place For Me is making an impact upon me I cannot help singing it whhenever I Hear it. Save A Place fgpor Me is an insporation to me. I know God has a Place for me and I wil be there soon. My friend Stephen Chishlom told me that I have the mind of Christ. God will show me what He Has for me in His own time. I will keep on praying daily & reading His Word. I am cyurrentlt medatating upon Psalm 139.
I, too, recently lost my wonderful husband of 46 years.When I first heard “Save a Place for Me” it really spoke to me how my husband is in Heaven saving a place for me to join him one day. God bless you as you continue to witness to us thru your music. It brings tears to my eyes each time I hear it…
Matthew,Thank You So Much For Your song . Save A Place for Me really Fits Me!! My Wonderful ,Thoughtful,Loving Husband Glenn, Went Home To The Lord April 6 2009, He was diagnosed with Brain Cancer On March 11, had surgery March 18 and went Home to the Lord on April 6.Im Thankful that Gods Will was to not let him Suffer.The song Fits so Much Glenn hated me to cry!! and I Sooooo Look Forward to our Reuion in Gods Kingdom,OOOH how I will Rejoice !! Glenn is My Future with Our Father God , Not my Past..
I lost my son John and his friend Ben (both 16 years old) in a car accident in January of 2009. After dropping off another friend they were on an icy road and lost control and hit a tree. It is the most unnatural thing in the world for a parent to have to bury a child. John was my only son and my heart and soul aches every second of the day for him. Music is something that helps ease my pain a little. The first time I heard “Save a Place for Me” I felt such a sense of peace. I know I will be with my son again someday and it is songs like this and others that helps me remember that. John was a good son and brother to his sister, a good student, a good athlete and a good friend to so many. But most importantly he was a believer who took his faith very seriously. This is how I know he is looking down on us smiling and saving that place and some grace for us to join him someday. Matthew West, I thank God for giving you your wonderful gift of music to help so many get through the darkest days of their lives. God Bless You.
Oh my god this song not only brought tears to us but also made me realize that i will see my son some day. I look at life now in a different way. Thank you to Kathy Mook from connect legacy for sharing this with us.My son Johnny lost this battle with liver and kidney failure due to drinking he was a wonderful son and was loved a by everyone. Thank you Matthew West for this song and website you have made me look at life in a different way and you gave me hope to some day reunite with my son again someday!!
Just wanted to thank you for your heart healing song. I had heard it a few times, but never really listened to the words. But I was listening the other evening, and was truly blessed and comforted. Your words brougt peace to me. My father who had been battling cancer for 11 years had just been put into Hospice care in a hospice hospital an hour away from home. I had taken my mom there to stay with him and was beginning the long drive home in the dark, all alone. Then your song came on the radio, and while the snow was falling, so were the tears. It fit the situation so perfectly. I felt better about what was about to happen. That was on Monday evening, and on Friday morning I got the call. Dad had passed. When going to pick up my mom, after exiting the interstate and taking the road leading to the hospice house, your song played again. It gave me the boost I needed to face what lie ahead. I asked two of my children if they would play this at my dad’s memorial. They quickly worked it out on their guitars and my son sang, it was absolutely beautiful. What a perfect song to celebrate the life of our dear loved ones. He told my husband that he would be watching for him when he got to heaven and I know he will be saving us a place. Thank you again.
Thank you so much for “Save a Place for Me”, it is a song of hope and comfort to all who have lost love ones.
I lost my 14 year old daughter Tori in a car accident on April 8, 2007, Easter Sunday. All I could do is just sit there in the room where they took us to wait on the doctor to come in and tell us our daughter did not make it, saying scriptures in my mind. I truly understand what it means to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I thought is was awsome that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ chose to be there to take my baby girl home with Him on the day that He rose again. How special is that?
I remember a few weeks after the accident, when the reality of it all starts to set in. I was awaken with Tori calling me, “Mommy, Mommy”, there are so many people here. When I go to rub my nose I’m afraid that I am going to elbow someone, and there are these hugh doors, and people come and go through those doors all the time.
I have experienced God’s peace through this life changing event, and a life that will never be the same. If I did not have God, I would have nothing. Praise God!
Thank you so much for this site…You are a blessing to many….Peggy
I remember the first time I heard this beautiful song, “Save a Place for Me”. I was in my car and it came on the radio. I had to pull over because I could not see through my tears. It was as if Matthew read my mind and wrote this song. It has affected me deeply.
My beautiful son Christopher was hit and killed by a drunk driver who was fleeing the police. Chris was crossing the street on his bike when the chase came upon him. He was 17 years old. His murder has forever changed me. The reality that I will never see my son again in my lifetime still sends me to my knees, crying out to God. It has been 124 weeks today since Christopher began his eternal life in Heaven. Christopher was a very special person. He loved fiercely and lived fearlessly. He was an exceptional athlete and had such love for life, his friends and his family. To be able to properly express what losing him has done to so many is not possible. Words can’t communicate it. I take comfort in knowing he lives on, and that his brief life on Earth brought so much joy to those of us who love him. He left behind myself, his father John and only brother Ryan, as well as hundreds of friends and family members. We still grieve him, but we remember how blessed we were to know him and love him. I know he will be there when I begin my journey, with arms open wide to welcome me. He is a part of eternity now and forever.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this touching tribute. It means more than you will ever know.
In God’s Love and Grace,
Cheryl
Our 18 year old daughter, Jessica, was killed in a traffic accident on her way to school on September 28, 2006. She was strongly committed to Christ, and was beautiful from the inside out. Her loss has devastated our lives, tested our faith, and left a cold empty pain. Still, God has been with us every second, comforting, teaching, and whispering in our ears and to our hearts. My wife told me about “Save A Place For Me” a few days ago. After a day I still hadn’t heard it, and looked up the lyrics on line… and cried. I’ve heard the song twice since then… and cried each time. Today I heard about this page on your website, and wanted to let you know how grateful I am for your having shared this song with us, and for this web page. “Save A Place For Me” has taken its place with a very small number of songs by Mercy Me, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Casting Crowns that are intensely personal to me and speak what’s in my heart more articulately than I could do myself. May God continue to comfort you in the loss of your grandmother, and bless you richly.
Thank you so much for this. It took me almost 13 years after my mom was killed for me to actually mourn for her. I know that she is in a better place, but I still miss her so much, I miss her voice, her smile, her. I love reading the stories on this site and just crying, I’m not alone…and there is healing in tears.
Matthew, WOW what a song, Having lost several people throughout my life this song hits me every time I hear it. I lost my mother (March 2008),my sister (Sept. 2008) and my mother-in-law (Dec. 2009) and I think of each of them whenever I hear this but it also makes me think and pray for the unsaved people whose lives can be touched in hearing and realizing that they can see their loved one again. I know there is a place for me and I am so thankful there is mercy enough for me. Thank you for following God where He leads you….lives are being touched and changed I am sure of it.
Wow! When I heard your song…Save a Place For Me…I caught myself laughing and crying at the same time. You see, when my dad died almost 5 years ago, June 15th, 2005 my mom didn’t get to say “good-bye”. She was there when I died of heat stroke and even tried to recesitate him – but failed. The Lord had taken Him home. As I got ready to leave their home after the funeral I wrote on the computer screen saver as if it was a message from my dad to my mom…”I’ll save you a place at the banquet table – I love you”. So you see why I was taken back when your song came out. Still emotional for me…
But I can rejoice in knowing that my dad is with Jesus!
So it’s been almost been three months that a friend from church my best friend and I were in an awful car crash. I can’t tell you what happened other then we wrapped around a telephone pole. My friend and I made it out alive. My best friend did not. Shawna was only 17. We were best friends for four years. It’s hard when the person you spend everyday with is gone in on afternoon. Febuary 16th is not a day I look forword to. Shawna always said that she wanted to give her life for christ. On her last Sunday she prayed that we all become one. That Tuesday rolled around. The last seconds of her life I was glad I was with her. Even though I don’t remember anything I do remember that when I came to her head was laying on my chest for the last time. She always called me her big pillow. When I heard “save a place for me” I could hear Shawna telling me that it’s okay. She’s fine and happy. I love her very dearly. Everytime I hear the song I just about cry. The song is amazing. I hope that God uses me to help other people that have lost there best friend like I did.
Shawna Lynn Taylor you best be saving me that seat. Love you babygirl. Help me live my life like you did.
-love ya britt britt.
We met in Panama City, Florida in 2009. You helped and encouraged me with some kind words after my son Mark Jr passed away. I want you to have a book I wrote that was just released. http://www.TrueTreasuresinLife.com (Book, 3 chapters and Ebook download)
A Child Died, A Father Cried and God Answered.
I’ll send you the Ebook or in print if you like.
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Mark Canfora Sr.
Mark Canfora Jr 1986-2005 RIP
Matthew
MU girlfriend Melissa Anne Seadon’ Grandmother passed Away in Mrasch this year.
Prior to Melissa’s Grandmother’s passing I told Mel about Save A Place For Ne.
Thank you for such an inspirational song Matthew.
I am living my life Just like Jesus did/.
Matthew
My girlfriend Melissa Anne Seadon’ Grandmother passed Away in Marchthis year.
Prior to Melissa’s Grandmother’s passing I told Mel about Save A Place For Ne.
Thank you for such an inspirational song Matthew.
I am living my life Just like Jesus did/.