Leanna Crawford is an artist to watch. Captured by her sound, Grammy-nominated and Dove Award winner Matthew West began working with her in an artist development capacity. Also, music label Story House Collective signed her as the first female artist to its roster. She has released her self-titledEP, which includes standout songs, “Truth I’m Standing On” and “Funeral.”
Leanna's entire album really ministers to me, my wife, and three daughters. She has the gift of encouragement, and every single song lifts us up. Leanna has an infectious and upbeat musical style, layering her strong and distinguished vocals over the top of one hooky melody after another. She is becoming one of the top new female vocalists in Christian music.
She has delivered the ideal album to minister to anyone struggling with fear and self-doubt. Every song is a great showcase of Leanna’s excellent singing voice. You can practically hear her smile as she delivers one infectious song after another. The layered and well-produced musical arrangements on this album perfectly accentuate Leanna’s powerful and passionate songs.
With comparisons to contemporaries ranging from Colbie Caillat to Britt Nicole, Crawford exhibits the passion and confidence of a seasoned artist. Her songwriting is real, positive and vulnerable, and her upbeat songs are a great way to celebrate our freedom in Christ. Leanna is a great role model for girls. Her songs have connected with my daughters and her biblically-inspired lyrics represent how true happiness and her identity comes from her relationship with God. I had the chance to speak with Leanna about her song “Truth I’m Standing On.”
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
It's so cool how God is using songs that were written before this pandemic to minister to us now. They weren’t necessarily written about this situation we are facing, but they're perfect for what we're going through. What's the story behind this song? Well, I walked into my co-writing session feeling anxious, like a lot of us do, and I was trying to figure out how to deal with my own anxiety and fear. I was having trouble sleeping. My co-writer told me a story about a woman named Joyce, from Florida. Joyce had walked with her husband during his battle with cancer and is now walking the road of grief since her husband went home to be with Jesus.
What was noticed is that Joyce would share her story on social media. And, as she would chronologically share her story during that time. Every time she would share a bible verse, she would use the hashtag #TruthToStandOn. That really struck me. It's so incredible that this woman, who was walking with her husband through probably the darkest season in her life, was using that time to encourage others. She knew exactly where her hope and strength came from—God. That’s the story that inspired us to write this song.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Joshua 1:9(VOICE): "This is My command: be strong and courageous. Never be afraid or discouraged because I am your God, the Eternal One, and I will remain with you wherever you go."
Proverbs 3:5-6(NKJV): "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."
Isaiah 41:10(NKJV): "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Psalm 55:22(NIV): "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken."
Jeremiah 29:11-13(NIV): "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."
Romans 8:28(VOICE): “We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.”
Romans 8:31(NKJV): "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Philippians 4:6-7(NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 1:6(NIV): “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:13(NKJV): “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
1 John 4:18(NKJV): "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
What is the takeaway message?
I love how God used Joyce's story to inspire me in my moments of fear and anxiousness. I’m doing better now. It hasn’t completely gone away. In this season, I’ve been leaning on God for my strength. As a new artist, most of our income comes from doing concerts. It’s been a convicting reality of how much I’ve relied on that instead of relying on God.
He’s the only faithful one. He’s our comforter and sustainer. He’s who I need to come to. It’s been very good for me and humbling to remember to not rely on other things for my security.
God is my true rock that I’m standing on. He's my true hope. In my life verse, Joshua 1:9, God commands us to be strong and courageous, but we are not on our own. He promises that He is right by our side. That connects to the lyrics in the song, “I know You’ll never let me fall.” That’s something I’ve kept coming back to, when I’m feeling anxious and in any season in life--especially now as we all face coronavirus together. That’s one of God’s powerful promises that I stand on.
Lyrics
Scared, oh I thought I knew scared Now I’m so filled with fear I can barely move
Doubts, I’ve had My share of doubts But never more than right now I’m wondering where are You
I’m on the edge of fall apart But somehow Your promises Find my troubled heart
This is the truth I’m standing on Even when all my strength is gone You are faithful forever And I know You’ll never Let me fall
Right now I’m choosing to believe Someday soon I’ll look back and see All the pain had a purpose Your plan was perfect all along This is the truth I’m standing on
Good, I believe You’re still good Even when life’s not good I will not lose this hope
That the God who parts the sea Promises He's gonna Make a way for me
This is the truth I’m standing on Even when all my strength is gone You are faithful forever And I know You’ll never Let me fall
Right now I’m choosing to believe Someday soon I’ll look back and see All the pain had a purpose Your plan was perfect all along This is the truth I’m standing on
My Rock, my Shield My firm Foundation I know I will not be shaken You remind me Where my help comes from
This is the truth I’m standing on Even when all my strength is gone You are faithful forever And I know You’ll never Let me fall
Right now I’m choosing to believe Someday soon I’ll look back and see All the pain had a purpose Your plan was perfect all along This is the truth I’m standing on
Closing Thoughts
I can perfectly relate to every word Leanna enthusiastically sings in this song. The depth of the struggles that many of us have to overcome, feeling that nobody cares or knows what we're going through, is something we can all relate to. For me, one consistent prayer is for hope. "The Truth I'm Standing On" has that emotional edge and points me to Christ for peace and hope. Know that Jesus loves you and has something better planned for you if you trust in Him as our Savior.
The song's message challenges you to think about your own doubts. It serves as a reminder that Jesus calls on you to rely on Him and the power of His resurrection. It also gives you some added reassurance: He has overcome death and fear. We need that message now as we face this COVID-19 pandemic. We are in this together.
God's real, near, and just a breath away. This song represents the victory that we have over our battles before we even know the earthly outcome, simply by trusting that God is going before us and He wins. You can face your daily battles with more courage and strength, resting in His promise in Romans 8:28 that "God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
The enemy uses fear, anxiety and worry to prevent us from sharing our faith, from fixing our eyes on Jesus and from the greater things that God has in store for us as His followers. "Truth I'm Standing On" is about having a strong faith. Without faith, it's impossible to please God.
Sometimes we think we try to know everything. But, God tells us in the Bible that with faith, we can do anything in Christ. We can't know everything, and we're not in control. Trusting God gives us assurance that we don't have to be afraid. God will be there to pick us up when we fall. A challenge for you. Listen to this song, pick an area of your life that you've been trying to control, then step out, and put your hope and trust in God.
Ask God to open your eyes today. Ask Him to reveal His footsteps so you can follow them. Jesus commands us to trust God's Word completely, no matter our circumstances, personal distractions, or concerns. God doesn't promise to spare us from pain, but we need to trust Him.
You have to trust Him and wait on Him, wait for Him to orchestrate the plans for your life. We have nothing to bring to God. Maybe we expect something in return instead of recognizing that nothing compares to the greatness of knowing Jesus. Faith is when we are empty of ourselves and filled with Him and His Holy Spirit.
I'm completely convicted by the strong lyrics and find immense comfort in this song filled with biblical truth. His love is never-ending, and He is our refuge and our strength. As believers, heaven is calling our name. He is the author of our lives and knows what's best for us--much better than we do. That's reason to sing this empowering anthem at the top of our lungs in gratefulness to Him. If you're looking for a firm foundation in your life, make these lyrics your personal prayer: “This is the truth I’m standing on even when all my strength is gone/You are faithful forever/And I know You’ll never let me fall.” Amen to that.
NRT Lead Contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime fan of Christian music, an avid music collector and credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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