When Grammy-nominated recording artist Matthew West started writing his top-selling new album, The Story of Your Life(Sparrow, 2010) he asked fans to submit personal experiences. More than 10,000 tales of hope, perseverance, and redemption poured in. With friend and author Angela Thomas, West presents some of these powerful stories paired with meaningful devotions they inspired.

• Wendy gave birth to her daughter in jail. When all seemed hopeless, she found God and her life transformed into something beautiful.
• Cory, a married youth pastor, had an affair and...