Ca… Read Full Bio ↴“Turn the page because where we are is not where we’re going...”
Canadian-born singer/songwriter Matt Brouwer’s latest single, 'Waking Up', is more than just a nod to the past 14 years of being a recording artist, which Brouwer is celebrating on the release of his first career spanning ‘best of’ collection, "Writing To Remember". The sentiment of a bookend and a new beginning is no accident and reveals a season of transition that Brouwer is happily embracing. With more than a decade of hit songs, including “Water,” “I Shall Believe,” “Tonight,” and the Top 20 "Sometimes”; two GMA Canada Covenant Awards; two Canadian people’s choice Vibe Awards—not to mention a 2010 Juno Award (Canada’s Grammy equivalent) for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the year—Matt has a lot to celebrate in all that has been accomplished so far over the course of his career. With the passage of time inevitably comes change and it is in looking back that Matt is starting to see a new and exciting road ahead.
Matt Brouwer got his start in the music industry while studying music at school in Alberta, Canada. While in college he and fellow students founded the band Monday Night Worship (MNW). Because of the spiritual content of his lyrics he was 'discovered' by a Nashville record company in 2000, and in 2001 recorded his solo debut CD "Imagerical". The album was released on May 29, 2001 on Reunion Records. He then formed his own label called Black Shoe Records and released an album titled 'Unlearning' in 2005, 'Where’s Our Revolution' (Universal) in 2009, and 'Till The Sunrise' in 2012. Brouwer's music has been hailed for its relentless vulnerability as he shares his life's story of tragedy (the tragic death of his father) and hope (his Spiritual pilgrimage) with his listeners.
“I never imagined where this journey would take me”, says Brouwer. “I can remember being 17 or 18 and feeling so compelled to want to shout from the rooftops about the Spiritual awakening I was experiencing. It was like being embraced by the most incredible love and connection to the Lord and the key to unlocking this door to my heart was through music. I was so hungry for that and totally committed and determined to follow it wherever it might lead me. My time in college and the friends I made there, the energy that was driving us, or driving me, to write songs and attempt to share them with the world felt like a humble but passionate expression of a new but relevant faith that was growing like a wildfire at the time. Fifteen years or so later, I still feel that longing. With all the miles travelled and water under the bridge, I still sit down in front or a piano or with a guitar and dream about what could be possible. I believe in the power of God’s love, transforming hearts through music and worship because I’ve experienced it and I’ve seen it happen in sometimes subtle and not so subtle ways. It’s something I believe I’ll be pursuing my entire life.”
That’s not to say that Brouwer believes that all anyone needs to find peace in life is a three minute pop song to solve all of their problems. Growing up in a very devout Christian family, Matt’s mom made sure that he and his siblings were memorizing full chapters of scripture by the time they started kindergarten and spending as much or more time during the week at church gatherings than in front of the tv or devouring any type of pop culture media. “I used to feel embarrassed by how sheltered we were, but now I am so thankful because it gave me an incredible foundation of solid teaching and an education in Biblical theology. But knowledge alone is pretty useless until it makes an emotional connection somehow and finds it’s way into your heart. For me, the music is what connected the two.”
Like so many new beginnings, much of the genesis for this fresh optimism happened when Hannah entered Matt’s life. The two first met while Matt was on a mission trip in Guatemala, where Hannah’s parents serve as medical missionaries. The relationship blossomed and they were engaged in spring 2010 and married later that year. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in September of 2013 and life forever changed. The balance of career and family has been a stretch at times, but it’s something Matt says he is learning to embrace and explore. “It might sounds strange, but I’ve never been less interested in pursuing a music career. Being married and having a family has re-oriented my priorities completely and the career things that used to be so important to me have become less so. In that way it’s been very freeing and has forced me to let go of control and allowed my steps to be directed by opportunities that the Lord brings our way rather than striving and trying to ‘make it’. If ten or ten million people are listening, it really doesn’t matter. Being a great husband, father, and friend are much more important to me right now than striving for some big career that takes me away from these precious gifts of family and community.”
Community and camaraderie has become increasingly more important to the singer and one listen to 'Writing to Remember' reveals this collaborative spirit that is a hallmark of Matt’s musical pallet. Those lending their vocal talents include JJ Heller, Jill Paquette, and even Vince Gill and Amy Grant on a deeply personal and emotional track, 'The Other Side'. 'Writing to Remember' is equally saturated with a spirit of hope, togetherness, and God’s love. The album beautifully bookends this first chapter with a nod to the next waiting to unfold. “These 15 songs truly represent the progression of learning for me and express the joys and struggles of life that has been lived these past 14 years”, says Matt. “It’s been cool to re-discover how relevant these simple truths still are in my life and I believe for all of us.”
WATER
Matt Brouwer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My soul thirsts for you
You are my God, I seek you
My flesh faints for you
And in a dry and weary land
You are my water
You are my water
You are my God, I need you
You have been my help
You are my God, I need you
Let joyful lips sing
And in a dry and weary land
You are my water
You are my water, oh yeah
Your steadfast love is better than life
Your steadfast love is better than life
Your steadfast love is better than life
Your steadfast love is better than life
The lyrics to Matt Brouwer's song Water express a deep need and longing for God, who is often compared to water. The first two lines of the verse repeat the phrase, "You are my God, I seek you / My soul thirsts for you," emphasizing the singer's desperate desire for a relationship with God. The third and fourth lines repeat the phrase, "You are my God, I need you," confirming the singer's dependency on God for help and guidance.
The chorus, "And in a dry and weary land / You are my water," further emphasizes this comparison between God and water. The metaphor of water in a desert or barren land suggests that without a relationship with God, the singer feels lost and alone. The repetition of the phrase "You are my water" emphasizes the singer's reliance on God to sustain them and provide spiritual nourishment.
The bridge, "Your steadfast love is better than life," speaks to the depth of the singer's love and gratitude for God. Life may have its challenges and setbacks, but the singer believes that a relationship with God is worth more than anything else in the world. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the strength and importance of God's love in the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
You are my God, I seek you
I am devoted to you, and I search for your guidance and presence.
My soul thirsts for you
I yearn for a deep connection with you that satisfies the core of my being.
My flesh faints for you
My physical body is weak and tired without you, and I am in need of your life-giving energy.
And in a dry and weary land
Even in circumstances that make life difficult and challenging, I know that you are always there for me.
You are my water
You quench my thirst and replenish my soul to keep me going, no matter what comes my way.
You are my God, I need you
I depend on your loving provision and support to get through the trials and tribulations of life.
You have been my help
In the past, you have been there for me when I needed you most, and I trust that you will continue to be my faithful helper.
Let joyful lips sing
I express my gratitude and joy for your goodness by lifting my voice in praise and song.
Your steadfast love is better than life
Above all else, I value your constant, unwavering love that surpasses even the joys of life itself.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: JILL J. PAQUETTE, MATT BROUWER, SEAN HALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dave Illar
Wow! What a blessing to have experienced this video!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
ProclaimHisWord
Bro Adam, your vids are always a blessing. Peace to you.
Adam
@ProclaimHisWord thank you for your comment brother Mark your vids are always a blessing for me as well to God be all the glory in Jesus name Amen God bless you brother keep up the good work for God's kingdom and glory
Nunya Business
Thank you CD sampler from the early 2000s for getting this stuck in my head all these years
Adam
@netta2158 Amen and Amen I'm glad this video was a blessing to you to God be all the glory in Jesus name Amen God bless you sister never stop following the Lord Jesus Christ keep up the good work for God's kingdom and glory stay close to Jesus always John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Amen :c)
Adam
@oldbear52 i'm glad this video was a blessing to you to God be all the glory in Jesus name Amen never stop following the Lord Jesus Christ keep up the good work for God's kingdom and glory God bless you
o7jimmy
Awesome.
netta2158
@donny71954 So true brother Donny. It's always a blessing to see the gifts our ABBA has given each one of HIS flock utilized in the manner HE has created us for, which is for HIS honor, glory, and reverence. Brother Adam's vids are a blessing as are yours and all of brethren who are passing HIS good news forward. MESSIAH bless you always. Peace. <(^8
Amanda Retana
Love that. Good video
Adam
@donny71954 i'm so glad this video was a blessing for you to God be all the glory in Jesus name Amen thank you brother donny for the comment and the coffee and spam lol God bless you brother donny never stop following the Lord Jesus Christ keep up the good work for God's kingdom and glory