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10,000 Reasons: Stories of Faith, Hope, and Thankfulness Inspired by the Worship Anthem
1 0,000 Reasons reveals the stories beyond the well-known church anthem, fusing global worship leader Matt Redman’s own encounters of God with those from believers throughout the ages.
In just four years, "10,000 Reasons" has become one of the church’s most popular modern worship anthems in times of triumph as well as trial. In this book, global worship leader Matt Redman connects the dots between singing the song and living the life. In addition to sharing details behind the song’s creation, this book takes readers beyond the song. Matt explores the influences and experiences that have taught him how to trust God in all situations—from his own personal trials to stories of hymn writers like John Wesley as well from current and ancient heroes of our faith.
In just four years, "10,000 Reasons" has become one of the church’s most popular modern worship anthems in times of triumph as well as trial. In this book, global worship leader Matt Redman connects the dots between singing the song and living the life. In addition to sharing details behind the song’s creation, this book takes readers beyond the song. Matt explores the influences and experiences that have taught him how to trust God in all situations—from his own personal trials to stories of hymn writers like John Wesley as well from current and ancient heroes of our faith.
176 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2016
23 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Matt Redman
138 books35 followersMatt Redman is married to Beth and they have five children. His journey as a worship leader and songwriter has taken him to countries such as South Africa, Japan, India, Australia and the Czech Republic. Along the way he has sung in venues such as Madison Square Garden, Wembley stadium, and the Royal Albert Hall - as well as recording in iconic studios such as Abbey Road in London and Capitol Records in LA. Matt’s best known songs include The Heart of Worship, Blessed Be Your Name, Our God - and the double-Grammy winning 10,000 Reasons. More recent co-writes include Do It Again and Build my Life.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 22, 2016
Matt Redman pours his heart and soul into this book, much like he does the songs he writes. The theme that came to my mind as I read this book is found in James 1:2-3, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness". The book starts with a short but poignant foreword by Max Lucado. Then Redman explains how he has met people and heard inspiring stories of faith that have come from his song. This book was written to share some of those stories and to explore the truths that lie behind the theme of the song. Matt candidly opens up about his personal life and the struggles he has faced and fought to overcome. There is also an interesting Q & A with Redman at the end if the book that sheds some insight into his music.
This book is very inspirational and moving. You will read tales of heartbreak, pain, and suffering that is overcome with joyous triumph through the grace of Jesus Christ. We are reminded that the church exists so we can carry one another's burdens. It exists to serve God, to praise Him, and to be His hands and feet out in the world. Redman describes the meaning behind the lyrics of the song and couples them with the personal stories to put it all in perspective. I believe the last paragraph sums it up very nicely, giving readers hope and joy for when we are called home: "When the end draws near, our final breaths here on earth will flow into the very first notes of our song in heaven. Right now we count our blessings and name them one by one. On that day we will be counting them 10,000 by 10,000." I highly recommend this book to all Christians, as we will all have times in our lives where we face despair and defeat. This book serves as a reminder to sing the praises of God in the face of adversity. I received this as a free ARC from David C. Cook on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is very inspirational and moving. You will read tales of heartbreak, pain, and suffering that is overcome with joyous triumph through the grace of Jesus Christ. We are reminded that the church exists so we can carry one another's burdens. It exists to serve God, to praise Him, and to be His hands and feet out in the world. Redman describes the meaning behind the lyrics of the song and couples them with the personal stories to put it all in perspective. I believe the last paragraph sums it up very nicely, giving readers hope and joy for when we are called home: "When the end draws near, our final breaths here on earth will flow into the very first notes of our song in heaven. Right now we count our blessings and name them one by one. On that day we will be counting them 10,000 by 10,000." I highly recommend this book to all Christians, as we will all have times in our lives where we face despair and defeat. This book serves as a reminder to sing the praises of God in the face of adversity. I received this as a free ARC from David C. Cook on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2021
“Bless the Lord O my soul, O my soul, Worship His holy name; Sing like never before, O my soul, I worship Your holy name.”
“Music has an amazing ability to transport hope, joy, and peace just when we need it most.”
“I didn’t get into all this to win awards. I wrote songs to reach the heart of God and refresh the hearts of His children. And I wrote because my own fragile heart needed healing too.”
What a great book written by songwriter and worship leader Matt Redman, who has penned one of the best worship songs of the past decade. 10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) is a song that resonated with worshippers right away and I am sure will be resonated with people for years to come. I’ve had the privilege of leading this song in worship for a large group as well as an intimate setting. So it was amazing and encouraging to hear Matt talk about the background of the song, how he got into worship, and the many, many stories of how this song has touched the hearts of so many around the world. From the song being played and sung in hospitals, funerals, churches, by worship leaders, from YouTube, and maybe the most incredible of all, at a firing range before an execution, Matt has written some poignant and uplifting true stories around this song. And he does so with an ample amount of humility as he gives all the glory to God almighty. I love how he shows how one song written pretty quickly by him and his friends has had such a profound effect on others. Be warned though! Many of these stories are tearjerkers! But definitely worth the read if you enjoy worship music. Bless the Lord O my soul!
“Music has an amazing ability to transport hope, joy, and peace just when we need it most.”
“I didn’t get into all this to win awards. I wrote songs to reach the heart of God and refresh the hearts of His children. And I wrote because my own fragile heart needed healing too.”
What a great book written by songwriter and worship leader Matt Redman, who has penned one of the best worship songs of the past decade. 10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) is a song that resonated with worshippers right away and I am sure will be resonated with people for years to come. I’ve had the privilege of leading this song in worship for a large group as well as an intimate setting. So it was amazing and encouraging to hear Matt talk about the background of the song, how he got into worship, and the many, many stories of how this song has touched the hearts of so many around the world. From the song being played and sung in hospitals, funerals, churches, by worship leaders, from YouTube, and maybe the most incredible of all, at a firing range before an execution, Matt has written some poignant and uplifting true stories around this song. And he does so with an ample amount of humility as he gives all the glory to God almighty. I love how he shows how one song written pretty quickly by him and his friends has had such a profound effect on others. Be warned though! Many of these stories are tearjerkers! But definitely worth the read if you enjoy worship music. Bless the Lord O my soul!
July 8, 2017
Táto kniha je prekrásna a skutočne veľmi výnimočná. Rozpráva príbehy ľudí, ktorí si prešli obrovskou bolesťou, no aj napriek všetkému chvália Boha a všetko zverujú do jeho rúk, pretože vedia, že práve On má moc uzdraviť ich srdcia. Táto publikácia v sebe ukrýva aj mnoho nádherných a hlbokých myšlienok Matta Redmana, autora piesne 10 000 reasons, ktorého slová majú moc dotknúť sa duše a priniesť jej radosť. Celé dielo je naozaj povzbudzujúce, presne ako aj samotná pieseň...
January 6, 2017
I love this song and I loved this book! Matt Redman's song Blessed Be Your Name was so important to my family as it was the song we listened to in the hospital when my dad was dying. My dad loved to hear it and would sing along, even when a tumor in his mouth made it difficult to speak. We were all singing it while we sat around him when he died--a sad yet wonderful moment. I wrote Matt Redman to tell him how meaningful the song was to me, and he very kindly wrote back. This book is personal reflections on worship by Matt as well as stories of people like me who have been so affected by his music and in particular his song 10,000 Reasons. There are some truly extraordinary stories in this book, and some truly thought provoking and encouraging ideas about the importance of worship as a Christian. This is an easy read, in that it is short and eminently readable, but that is not to diminish its importance in any way.
June 20, 2017
A reasonably quick and accessible read. It covers how the song came to be written and many (tear-jerker) stories of people who found it helpful when going through difficult times. Interspersed are thoughtful and perceptive reflections on what worship is; its purpose and focus. Finally there is Q&A section at the end on the writing of worship songs.
June 12, 2018
This little book is truly inspiring. A reminder to fix our eyes on Christ in the midst of all circumstances and find those 10,000 reasons to keep singing His praises. Would be a great gift to someone suffering.
September 13, 2023
Great story about an awesome song!
Gave insight into a powerful worship song and how it impacted the writers and the listeners. Shared the power, mercy and grace of God and how God can use a song to work in people's lives. An excellent witness!
Gave insight into a powerful worship song and how it impacted the writers and the listeners. Shared the power, mercy and grace of God and how God can use a song to work in people's lives. An excellent witness!
April 23, 2019
Good stuff. Inspiring, encouraging, sobering, etc.
January 4, 2021
A powerful book about worship and rejoicing in the midst of struggles and difficulty. The many stories of how God used one song are touching and encouraging.
January 14, 2021
Raw, gripping and speaking truth into any situation. The power of praising the Saviour in the darkest of times. Heart warming and God worshipping!
July 18, 2021
There are some truly inspiring stories in this book, well worth reading!
March 8, 2023
Great book and very informative!
December 24, 2016
Do you love this song? I sure enjoy singing it with my congregation.
This book was very well written and engaging. I love the way Matt shared his life story, the story of this song and other’s stories. It was beautifully woven together.
One particular line in the book has stuck with me: “Worship is about what you choose to magnify.” Matt talked about how we can’t make God any bigger then He already is but we can focus in on Him when we worship and not the other things in our lives.
We worship whatever we magnify. This is book is full of stories of people who could have magnified their problems but instead chose to magnify the Lord.
No matter if you are going through a hard time in life or not I think you will find this book inspiring and will never sing this song quite the same way again.
A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
This book was very well written and engaging. I love the way Matt shared his life story, the story of this song and other’s stories. It was beautifully woven together.
One particular line in the book has stuck with me: “Worship is about what you choose to magnify.” Matt talked about how we can’t make God any bigger then He already is but we can focus in on Him when we worship and not the other things in our lives.
We worship whatever we magnify. This is book is full of stories of people who could have magnified their problems but instead chose to magnify the Lord.
No matter if you are going through a hard time in life or not I think you will find this book inspiring and will never sing this song quite the same way again.
A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2017
Powerful stories that give comfort and hope. I read it with tears in my eyes, and a song in my heart.
February 19, 2017
10000 Reasons is my favourite song and this book explains why... If you have heard of the song, then you should read this book...
July 27, 2016
In this book, Matt Redman tells us that he wasn't sure he wanted to include the song "10,000 Reasons" in his album because he only needed 11 and had twenty. His producer stepped in and told him that he didn't care what Matt dropped but this one was going on it. Since then, it has become one of the most popular songs of our time. In this book Matt opens up his heart and shares his life with the reader. We get a glimpse into his childhood and he doesn't hide the fact that he was abused. He talks about how he wanted to play the guitar and gives us an amusing account of his first instructor. He also shares how the song has affected those who love it. Many of the stories left me in tears because some of the people left this life with that song on their lips.
10,000 reasons is a song I love also, so I was naturally drawn to this book. I thank Netgalley, David C Cook, Matt Redman and Craig Borlase that I had the opportunity to read it.
10,000 reasons is a song I love also, so I was naturally drawn to this book. I thank Netgalley, David C Cook, Matt Redman and Craig Borlase that I had the opportunity to read it.
July 4, 2016
10,000 Reasons is an inspiring and uplifting song that translated into an even more inspiring book. The forward by Max Lucado is an excellent beginning to the stories Matt Redman shares on the following pages. From his description of the moments when the song 10,000 Reasons came to life to his sensitive telling of many intense stories of faith, this book offers the truth of God and a reason to worship Him in all circumstances.
It is so moving to read of the faith that exists in this world in even the most troubling and painful of times. Redman's book is inspirational and telling, giving glory to God and presenting encouragement the the masses. A truly uplifting read!
It is so moving to read of the faith that exists in this world in even the most troubling and painful of times. Redman's book is inspirational and telling, giving glory to God and presenting encouragement the the masses. A truly uplifting read!
January 4, 2017
such a simple little book, but it's bursting at the seams with love, joy and a passion for God and Christ. 10000 reasons is one of my all time favourite worship songs, my son told me 4 years ago that he loved it, and it was playing the very first time I walked into the big top at my 1st spring harvest 4 years ago, and seeing/hearing that many people worshipping, and doing so with my son's favourite song had such a wonderful effect on me I've never forgotten that moment. reading about the amazing ways it has affected others was a joy and an inspiration.
September 3, 2016
It's all about worship. Not Sunday morning worship, worship ALL the time!! Loved it.
September 22, 2025
second time reading this book and it still brings me tears… more than the heart of worship, i caught the unwavering faith of worshippers
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February 10, 2018I have loved this song since I first heard it. I truly think God blessed Redman with lyrics that will relate to listeners worldwide, and this book is the same. In it, Redman shares stories of lives impacted by the song, as well as gives insights as to how the song came about. The stories are truly inspiring and touched me. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates 10,000 Reasons as well as readers looking for inspirational stories to help them overcome struggles.
December 28, 2018
Starting with the story of Matt at the Grammy’s, you’d be forgiven for starting to think this book was going to be a popularity thing. But it rapidly becomes clear that Matt is not like that at all. The book is so unexpectedly humble, and more an homage to the power of worship in the most testing of times.
The book is a collection of people who have been impacted by what is arguably Matt’s most famous song: 10,000 Reasons. But more than that, it’s a story of how Matt came to create this song and so many others that are central to our worship today.
Early on in the book, Matt talks about how his early years formed his devotion to worship in a strong way. Dealing with the suicide of his father, and then being abused as a teenager, it would have been very easy for him to go off the rails, but in Matt’s own words: “Sometimes in that season nothing else seemed to make sense. But somehow this place of worship always did”.
The whole book is full of stories of worship being front and center during the trials of people’s lives. Matt refers to what we need as the ‘Rhythm of worship’:
Each of the stories that Matt tells in the book is so intimate that I frequently found myself reading through the tears. I can only imagine how Matt felt writing this book, knowing that each of these intensely personal stories were centered around a song of his making. But Matt is very clear that he sees his songs as only a way of pointing people to God.
One of the stories Matt tells of his inspirations is the story of Horatio Spafford, who lost his four daughters when the ship they were travelling on collided with another ship and sank. As he travelled across the same sea to his wife who was one of the survivors, he penned this hymn:
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
This song kept me going through some pretty tough times last year, and reading the circumstances around how it was written was heart-rending.
All the stories written in this book ‘remind us that God is not absent, even when we find ourselves in the darkest of nights’. The strength shown by the people Matt writes about is truly awe-inspiring. To leave this world singing songs of praises, so you can enter Heaven in the same way is a pretty fantastic thing to think about. Matt sums it up quite perfectly:
I can honestly say that I’ll never sing this song in the same way again, the book has truly affected me, and I can say that this song has a power that I’ve never fully realised before.
And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Posted on: http://emmaloui.se/2018/12/28/matt-re...
The book is a collection of people who have been impacted by what is arguably Matt’s most famous song: 10,000 Reasons. But more than that, it’s a story of how Matt came to create this song and so many others that are central to our worship today.
My conviction is that the greater the storms we face, the louder our songs must be. I hope this book will encourage you to raise your voice ever louder in the worship of Jesus Christ
Early on in the book, Matt talks about how his early years formed his devotion to worship in a strong way. Dealing with the suicide of his father, and then being abused as a teenager, it would have been very easy for him to go off the rails, but in Matt’s own words: “Sometimes in that season nothing else seemed to make sense. But somehow this place of worship always did”.
The whole book is full of stories of worship being front and center during the trials of people’s lives. Matt refers to what we need as the ‘Rhythm of worship’:
Rhythm of worship: breathing in God’s wonders and then breathing out in awe and praise.
Each of the stories that Matt tells in the book is so intimate that I frequently found myself reading through the tears. I can only imagine how Matt felt writing this book, knowing that each of these intensely personal stories were centered around a song of his making. But Matt is very clear that he sees his songs as only a way of pointing people to God.
One of the stories Matt tells of his inspirations is the story of Horatio Spafford, who lost his four daughters when the ship they were travelling on collided with another ship and sank. As he travelled across the same sea to his wife who was one of the survivors, he penned this hymn:
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
This song kept me going through some pretty tough times last year, and reading the circumstances around how it was written was heart-rending.
Perhaps we don’t really know what we’re made of until we encounter a little winter in our lives.
All the stories written in this book ‘remind us that God is not absent, even when we find ourselves in the darkest of nights’. The strength shown by the people Matt writes about is truly awe-inspiring. To leave this world singing songs of praises, so you can enter Heaven in the same way is a pretty fantastic thing to think about. Matt sums it up quite perfectly:
I often ponder that if we ourselves hear these stories and find them so moving, poignant, and powerful, can you imagine what they must mean to the heart of God? Can you even begin to conceive how He might respond as He sees His beloved children choosing to fix their eyes on Him and live out a life of trust and adoration during their most traumatic and testing moments?
I can honestly say that I’ll never sing this song in the same way again, the book has truly affected me, and I can say that this song has a power that I’ve never fully realised before.
And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Posted on: http://emmaloui.se/2018/12/28/matt-re...
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