Ty Herndon on New Deluxe Version of Album “JACOB”: 'I Knew There Was More I Wanted to Say' (Exclusive)

"You never want to put yourself in the stories you tell, but now I'm only in the stories I tell," the country artist says. "That's the authenticity of getting well"

This is a time of a somewhat personal upheaval for Ty Herndon.

"We're just getting ready to move into our new house during the second week of January," Herndon, 61, tells PEOPLE in a recent interview. "We are up to our elbows in boxes right now."

It’s a happy upheaval though, as the Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning country artist finds himself currently basking in newlywed bliss with husband Alex Schwartz.

“I wake up in the morning and go, 'Oh, good, you're still here,’” Herndon says with laugh. “Alex and I are very grateful to have each other.”

It’s this warm feeling that undoubtedly sparked a new creativity in the heart of the Mississippi native, who released the deluxe edition of his critically acclaimed album JACOB back in November.

"I knew there was more I wanted to say," says Herndon, who burst onto the scene in 1995 with the chart-topper "What Mattered Most." "You never want to put yourself in the stories you tell, but now I'm only in the stories I tell. That's the authenticity of getting well. It’s all about getting the heart and the brain connected again."

Related: Ty Herndon Says He Hopes 'God or the Gun' Inspires Fans to 'Choose the Light' — Watch the Video

This connection led Herndon to open his heart and come upon the gorgeous song "How You Get to Heaven." "[Singer/songwriter] Jamie Floyd wrote that and performed it at The Concert for Love and Acceptance last year, and I stood on the side of the stage mesmerized,” remembers Herndon of the song written by Floyd and Ken McMeans and the song that now lives on the deluxe edition of JACOB. “I thought to myself that if I could cut that song one day, that message would be so authentic.”

It's this place of authenticity that also resulted in Herndon writing the heartbreakingly good song "Love Me Anyway" four months ago alongside Floyd and Jimmy Thow.

"Love me because you love me, because I'm beautifully and perfectly made,” says Herndon of the meaning behind the song. “Maybe I have some issues, but it's not because I'm gay. And I learned a little lesson when writing this song. I learned something new. Sometimes a song has already been born. Maybe it's from the universe or from heaven, but all I know is that song was already written.”

The songwriting trio wrote the song over the course of one hour.

“I immediately went to my label, and I said, ‘I’ve got to cut this, and I'm happy to pay for it myself,'" Herndon remembers with a chuckle. “I played the song, and there was not a dry eye on the room."

Related: Country Star Ty Herndon on Addiction, a Suicide Attempt and How Coming Out Saved His Life

Herndon also performed “Love Me Anyway” at the Lipstick Lounge in Nashville, and the reaction was nothing short of memorable.

“I started singing that song and you could hear a pin drop,” he remembers. “I'm talking about the truth and the message that needs to be heard out there for these guys today — and for me — it’s that we love you. The power of music is so amazing. I don't think I ever noticed as much as I do now.”

Indeed, there is a magic swirling around Herndon at the moment.

"Keeping your body in forward in a spiritual and healthy way is always the right direction to take,” says Herndon. "Sometimes you must really decide who has a seat at your table. Your door is always open, but who has a seat at this table? Surround yourself with kindness, love, and spirituality. In this business, sometimes that's hard to find, but it's not hard to find in life."

Related: Ty Herndon Marries Alex Schwartz in Scenic Tennessee Farm Wedding: All the Details! (Exclusive)

And it’s those in his life that surrounded him and his husband back in August that Herndon finds himself reflecting upon during these somewhat hectic days.

“I get choked up every time I think of those 300 guests standing under that pavilion,” he remembers of the guest list that included Kristin Chenoweth and her husband Josh Bryant, along with Herndon's longtime friend Sally Struthers. “We walked around the corner of the barn, and everyone was in a horseshoe facing us. It mowed us over. We took our time walking down. It was a canopy of love. I've never felt something like that. It was unbelievable.”

Herndon laughs.

“I've noticed in my recovery that I have my mother's chatterbox, so there you go,” he says. “That’s just me right now.”

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