Matt Hammitt with an update on Baby Bowen

I was just on your blogpage earlier tonight and was so happy to see Bowen is looking well. My son Liam was born just 11 days after Bowen, and we pray every day that God will watch over him when we can't. We continue to praise and give God the glory for the precious gift of our son, and we will continue to praise Him for watching over Bowen, and for the blessings he will continue to be in your family.

Dear Lisa and Eric,

I listen to klove and all of the dj's everday. You all are a blessing to everyone that listens. The songs are amazing and they touch you in a special way.

I know that the Lord is going to continue to bless all of you dj's and klove for the work that you do.  

Your radio station has changed my life in so many ways. You all are planting the seeds for revival in so many people it is just amazing.

Thank you so much for what you do everyday and God Bless all of you and klove

sincerely
steve

put in my morning prayers to God Via Jesus for God's people, baby Bowen, you, your wife and family.That was a touching moment about Sunday morning and how God showed you some insights how precious we need to stop and take in some of God's precious road signs he places in our lives to be aware of and thankful for..he blessed me by your sharing and used your road sign..the 'cross is empty' and our lives are filled to over flowing..I'll keep this short 'cause I'm with you as believing he lives! w/l  

Good Morning and God Bless You; Matt, you and your wife and your family are in my prayers.  I have a son who was born with 23 separate heart problems.  He had his first open heart surgery at 36 hours of life.  He had a blood O2 sat of 43.  He was not expected to live past 6 weeks, then 3 months, then 1 yr, then absolutely not past 3 yrs, then...He is now 9 yrs old, has had 4 open heart surgeries (not to mention 22 other surgeries to correct other birth defects), his O2 SAT is now 97% WITHOUT supplemental O2and it is easier to tie down a tornado than it is to slow him down.  His scar on his chest is "where God reached in and touched my heart and fixed it".  Dear
God reach down and hold the Hammitt family the same you hold my family, bless them and grant their needs and desires to Your will.  Let Bowen be yet another wonderful testament to You and Your Glory, In Jesus' name we pray.

Matt and his family have been such a blessing to so many people, he cannot even begin to know.  Each time there is an update, it takes those of us back to the days we were in his place. The have been such an encouragement, inspiration and challenges us to be better Christians with a closer walk.  For that, I am so grateful.
Karen with Anberlin in Georgia.

I am so grateful to you and your family, Matt, for sharing Bowen's story. My friends and I have prayed for your family and have added Bowen as one of our heart babies in our pray list.  Stories such as yours help get the word out about congenital heart disease, and that is our goal!  Very few people know that CHD is the number 1 birth defect in the whole world, and more children die from CHD each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined.  I had never heard of CHD until my son was diagnosed with a heart defect at 6 weeks.  Eleven years, 1 cath and 1 surgery later my son is doing great!  Keep singing God's praise and keep spreading the word about this disease!  God has wonderful and marvelous plans for these special kids!  

Dear Matt and family,

My daughter Destinee was born with 8 holes in her heart and they never expected her outcome to be positive.  She was airlifted on Christmas Day when she was just 6 weeks old.  She was so critical they would not let me fly with her. I prayed this prayer: Dear God, Thank you for this precious little girl, I give her back to you, please give me the strenth to raise her or give me the strength to let her go.  Destinee will turn 18 this year.  Prayers are the beginning of miracles at work.  Our family will continue to pray for Bowen and your family.  

Matt,

Sanctus Real has been such a blessing to our family as we've become great fans and travel all over Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana to see your shows.  We've been fortunate enough to meet you on several occasions and our kids love the opportunities to meet you.  We've shared your music with friends and family and they have now joined us in following your tours and blogs and have a couple shows on the calendar this summer.  

I was sharing your story with a friend the other day about the friend you meet at the Ronald McDonald house and how you brought him to christ with the story of Forgiveness.  I would like to share the story and video with others if you could post it on your web site/blog and maybe share the story with K-Love listeners.  Thanks for sharing your love for christ with others and impacting my family with your music!

Matt and family,
Thank you so much for sharing your story of Bowen through your blog.  My sister is pregnant and due in June and found out in January that her baby, Colsen has the same condition as Bowen, following your blog has given us a lot of hope for the journey that Colsen has ahead of him.  My mom is going to be at your concert in Davenport, Iowa tonight and she is really looking forward to it!  Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!

Can't wait to buy the album! God is awesome! So thankful for all He has done for little Bowen! We feel like we know him. Even my 4 year old knows who baby Bowen is. We were @ Toledo Christian recently, and the big excitement for my boys was seeing Matt's senior picture! We are excited about the concert @ the new stroh center in BG! It's on the calendar! Have a great day.

Love the new song "All Of Me".  Looking forward to the new album coming out and also sharing it with others who are going through hard times.  Bowen's story continues to give hope and touch lives.  God bless you all.

Thank You Matt!! For the BEauTiFuL song preimere
"All of Me". ...It was worth the wait! God bless you and your precious family!

Wow! I just heard "All of Me" on the way home from taking my kids to school. My pastor's grandchild will be delivered tomorrow by C-section. He has anencephaly which means his brain and skull did not develop. What normally happens is that shortly after birth the brain stem will develop an infection and the baby will die. The baby's mother is Holly Bush of Beaumont, Texas. She chose to give life and carry baby Thomas full term. She has definitely not held back. This song is such a blessing. Please pray for the Bush and Millner families during the birth and life of Thomas James Paul Bush.

Enjoying listening to Matt & Eric this morning. I wanted to also let Matt know that while "Lead Me" is written from a man's viewpoint, the song touches and comforts *women* who are struggling to balance work and family as well. I was a single mom (not by choice) for the first four years of my daughter's life, and while I am now remarried, I am still our family's main breadwinner. It is a very tricky balancing act that I know a lot of women struggle with. "Lead Me" echoes the prayers I have been lifting up to God for years for the strength and wisdom to do the right things for my family. I tear up each and every time I hear it! God Bless!

I am so touch by the story, my heart is full of love and life, and thankfulness. And strenght to keep moving forward.  I was baptized this past Easter weekend and have found a totally new light in my life.  Listening to Klove, and all the wonderful artist sooo keeps motivated to be a better person and more humble towards people and life.  Your son, Bowen, is beautiful and so full of life. You are truly blessed. And Bowen is blessed to have wonderful parents, and siblings!! Thank you for your inspirational music!!!

Thank you for your faithful service.  As you face your son's challenges, you continue to share the message of God's love and grace--your music is a true comfort when life's challenges become overwhelming.  While we all face different challenges, I often find God gives each of us the one that will bring us to our knees in ways others could never imagine.  Since my husband actually quoted "Lead Me" as justification for hurting my children and me, it remains difficult to hear, especially when I hear stories of how it has strengthened and restored so many other families.  For a while, I turned away from Christian music altogether.  But "The Redeemer" has helped me learn to accept my situation and the long wait for my prayers to be answered. I hold hope that someday, someone will love us as God intended, and am learning to trust in Him again one day at a time.  Thank you and God Bless You.

Wow-All of Me.  What a wonderful song.  As a mom who watches her son go through chemo treatments to fight his leukemia that song just touched my heart like no other.  I cried the whole way home from taking him to school.  Even though he just had chemo yesterday he still wants to go to school.  Thank you Matt for putting into a song your feelings.  By that, you are touching so many more people in their life and giving them the hope and courage they might need.  I will keep praying for your family.  God bless!!!  Can't wait to hear the rest of the album!

Hi...so many times we don't understand why things happen, especially when it comes to our children. But...thats ok. We learn to accept it and take every day we have and make the most of it and treasure it.  My son has a syndrome called pierre robin syndrome. he died on me 3 times and once was in church. Every day is touch and go. He stays sick 5 out of 7 days a week. He has 45 different specialists. We travel 4 hours one way just to go to the doctors. But, never for once do I ask why. Because GOD entrusted me with his angel.  I know that when things seem so low and we are at #22 surgery I look at him and see nothing but a prescious soul. I know what families go through with their children who are sick. It isn't an easy road...but at times it sure is fun. My boy is getting to the point now, where we need to find a place that he can be a boy and play even when he isn't feeling well, due to his sickness of staying sick for weeks at a time. I also want you to know that what you have done with your story and reaching out to many millions of people is amazing. You are definately making a difference, and for me...you give me more strength each day of my life.  I wish you and your family the strength and courage and love to continue on with what you are doing. Thank you so much you are wonderful inspiration.  Have a blessed day.

Thankyou Mat for your new music!!!  I check your updates as much as I can!!  I  already love you guys soo much and see litle Bowen as my own litle brother!!!     Thankyou for your music!!!  Your song Forgiven has ment alot to me since I fell from the Lord at 14 and finaly was delivered from my addiction  8 weeks ago 2 weeks after Joy, my nineteen year old sister died in a car wreck taking  7 year old Meaganne our youngest sibling to school!    Meaganne was right behind Joy were the car hit!  She survived with only a big cut on her knee and a few briuses!!  She is our miracal from God!!!    Joy was one of those very rare Christian young women who not only loved the Lord but lived her life that way!!  She never held offences!!!  She forgave real quickly!  She was not only virtuose in physical sence but had tons of virtues that people her age did not see!!   She was realy a Joy to everyone she met!!  She graduated  in 2009 and no plans for collage but wanted to be a person that worked on a criuse ship and traveled the world!!!  She helped with watching our three litle autistic siblings and babysiting other people's kids!!  She  had her normal teen  attitudes but she so loved everyone above herself!!!  Like one friend sent a letter to my mom after she died.  She said J=JESUS FIRST
O=OTHERS SECOND
Y=YOURSELF LAST!!!    I miss her alot!!!  But with the love a wonderful family, a great  family of Christ, great friends, great music from KLOVE and a great support system at work I am making it every day!! But most importantly the EVERLASTING LOVE OF MY HEAVENLY FATHER holds me together and keeps remining me of the hope that I will see her again and that he will never leave me nor forsake me!!!!Both scriptures are from the KingJames/Amplified.Hebres13:5,6 LET YOUR CHARACTER OR MORAL DISPOSITION BE FREE FROM LOVE OF MONEY[INCLUDING GREED, AVARICE,LUST,AND CRAVING FOR EARTHLY POSSESSIONS] AND BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR PRESENT [CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH WHAT YOU HAVE]; FOR GOD HIMSELF HAS SAID, I WILL NOT IN ANY WAY FAIL YOU NOR GIVE YOU UP NOR LEAVE YOU WITHOUT SUPPORT. [I WILL] NOT,[I WILL] NOT,[I WILL] NOT, IN ANY DEGREE  LEAVE YOU HELPLESS NOR FORSAKE NOR LET YOU DOWN (RELAX MY HOLD ON YOU)! [ASSUREDLY NOT!]   SO WE TAKE COMFORT AND ARE ENCOURAGED AND CONFIDENTLY AND BOLDLY SAY, THE LORD IS MY HELPER; I WILL NOT BE SIEZED WITH ALARM [I WILL NOT FEAR OR DREAD OR BE TERRIFIED]. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?  Isiah 43:1,2 BUT NOW ,SAYS THE LORD,HE WHO CREATED YOU,O JACOB(CALEB),AND HE WHO FORMED YOU, OH ISRAEL (CALEB): FEAR NOT, FOR  I HAVE REDEEMED YOU [RASOMED YOU BY PAYING A PRICE INSTEAD OF LEAVING YOU CAPTIVES]; I HAVE CALLED YOU BY YOUR NAME; YOU ARE MINE. WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU, AND THROUGH THE RIVERS,THE WILL NOT BE BURNED OR SCORCHED NOR WILL THE FLAME KINDLE UPON YOU.  God Bless!!!  

"All of Me".  Thank you what a beautiful song.  I just want to share that this song touched me in a different situation.  My daughter and her husband have been married for six years and can not have children.  They have a beautiful adopted boy - age 4.  They are currently foster parents for a beautiful baby girl and have been blessed to have her in their life since she was 8 weeks old and in a very fragile state.  She has grown and blossomed into a beautiful healthy 6 month old. They love her and she loves them - they are family - for now.  We don't know the outcome yet, but she may be up for adoption and they would adopt her in a hearbeat.  I am very proud of them for being foster parents.  I also pray for them to know that God has a plan for that little baby girl, and that they trust in that plan - no matter what the outcome will be.  Their hearts will break if they can't keep her, but they also understand that this is what they signed up for.  Their main job for now is to love and protect that child - to give "All of Me" to her.  Thank you for that beautiful song.  God Bless you!

Matt, I just heard the the new song you wrote to your son...It really touched my heart ~ I was widowed nearly 4 years ago and God has brought me a man who has become my best friend.  He turned out to be a man that I could love for the rest of my life (if I can only find the courage). The words of your song are my story too...it's MY song too. I SO want to give my love completely...without reservation. "Thank You for giving to the Lord...I am a life that was changed" (Ray Boltz)

All of me! Beautiful - drove home from dropping my 15 year old daughter off at school with a lump in my throat. We are going through a difficult (understatement) time right now - while your song speaks to those who love someone with health issues it also speaks to those of us who love a healthy in body child, but who struggles with sin issues. Your song - a heartfelt reminder to love with all of me - the child I love - who acts as if she does not want to be loved. God loves us with all of Himself. Thank you for the reminder to love all those in our lives with all of ourselves - for any of us we do not know what our last words will be, or when we will take our list breath - with every breath let us love with all we are.
Can't wait till All of me is available!

I heard your new song "All of Me" this morning.  My husband's birthday is Sunday and I would love to at least have the words so I can share them with him - to promise to love him with all of my heart.  We tend to guard our hearts for fear of being hurt.  I want to tear down that wall and love him with "all of me".  I know the song is supposed to be available on itunes, but I couldn't remember when.  It doesn't seem to be there yet; can you tell me when it will be available?  Thank you for this blessing of song.

Dana,

The words for "All of Me" are posted on www.bowensheart.com under archived blogs from August 2010.  There is also a version of the song Matt recorded for Bowen to play in the hospital that was posted in the fall of 2010.

my kids and I listen to k-love every morning on our way to school. I had heard your story about your son and I could (half)relate. They played your song on my way home, for I was hopeing i was not going to miss it. The tears started to fall and at that moment I remembered the days following my sons birth. The words of this song, WOW! It was truly what I was feeling at the hospital the days of march 26th 2000.  You expressed in detail all that I was feeling inside myself. My son, stephen was born with Down syndrome and if that was not the bad news, he had no chambers in his heart. It was only by the grace of God that he is still with us today 11 yrs later. He had one surgery at six months to fix the hole and has been going strong ever since. God gave us the best doctor in the world. Man, what a gift. Thank you for writing such an amazing, beautiful song. I definately will be purchasing it in sept. (just sad I have to wait so long) and sharing it with him someday.I am proud to say he is doing amazeing!!! He attends school, is reading, writing, playing regular soccer, loves to play football and basketball with his big brother and little sister. He is just a regular kid. He is my true blessing from God. Im the luckiest mom in the whole world. He has taught me so much about life, love, and laughter. Thank you for this beautiful gift of song. thank you for being a voice, that God is good and great things come out of his love for us. May God continue to bless you and your family. keeping you in prayer. Lauri    

I heard your song this morning and found myself in tears.
Eight years ago on April 30th I went into labor only to find that my family and I would not be able to bring the baby home. Before our loss I already had a daughter. After the loss of our baby my husband and I were blessed with 2 more children.
Hearing your song this morning made me realize even more what I want in my life and how I want to share life with my children and husband. I want to dedicate your song to my children on Saturday when we go and celebrate our loss together.
Thank you for the words in your song that so touched my heart and will forever change how I want to be with my children!
I will keep Bowen and your family in my thoughts and prayers!
God bless you all!

I vote for the baby's name to be Isaac.... I love that name. I had an Isaac but he's in Heaven now.