Emerging pop singer 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, and she released her self-titled EP. The album includes hit songs "Truth I'm Standing On,""Photoshop," and "Mean Girls," all of which I've featured in my Behind The Song devotional series.
Leanna released her singles, "Before I Knew Jesus," "Simple," "Jesus Is," and "How Can You Not," and "Still Waters (Psalm 23)," leading up to full-length album, Still Waters which was one of my top 10 albums of 2024. She also recently got married to NBA player, Cody Zeller.
I've been married for 30 years, and we have three young daughters, and her entire catalog really ministers to me and my family. Leanna has the gift of encouragement, and every single song lifts me up. She has an infectious and upbeat musical style, layering her strong and distinguished vocals over the top of one hooky melody after another. Leanna has really emerged as one of the top new female vocalists in Christian music, and she is a great role model for girls. 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, and 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 "Honest," setting a record for most behind the song interviews from one album with six songs featured.
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
When I wrote this song, I had the first verse written as a journal entry. I came into the room with my brilliant co-writers, and shared the lines, "I try to pray, but the words just don't come out the way they used to," and I had this desire to write a song about wanting to hear from God.
I had these opening lines, and we ended up deciding to call the song "Honest," because the song expresses that I know God is still good and He's still working even when I don't feel Him and I just needed to be honest with my feelings. In high school, my youth pastor shared about Psalm 55:4, and how David says his heart is broken and the enemy is upon him, and it's like he's dealing with depression. Then, he says in Psalm 55:18: "He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me." This song is about my struggles with faith and how I can still be honest with God even when I'm feeling broken and afraid.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Psalm 37:4-6 (NKJV): "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday."
Psalm 55:18 (NIV): "He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me."
Psalm 9:10 (NKJV): "And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."
Psalm 46:10 (NKJV): "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
Romans 12:2 (VOICE): "Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete."
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV): "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."
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."
Philippians 1:21 (NIV): "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
Acts 4:12 (NKJV): "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
What is the takeaway message?
God can handle our honest moments when we don't feel anything. We need to trust that He is good when we can't see Him working. My own testimony is that I didn't know what was happening and why it was so painful, but I needed to trust Him and His plans for me. It's a song that's healing to write and sing over myself.
This song turned out to be an honest prayer of how I was feeling. It's been sweet to share about this song, and to know that David, a man after God's own heart prayed in this same way and it's okay for us to pray exactly what we are feeling to God. This song helps me when I don't always feel God's presence or have the strength to worship when life is hard.
Lyrics
I try to pray but the words aren't coming out the way they used to
Did I lose my faith God do I still trust You (mmm)
I try to worship but when I lift my hands it all just feels so empty
Is it the heavy of the world or is it just me (mmm)
Though I've sung a thousand times
You're perfect and You'll never leave leave my side
Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I'm holding onto is a promise
God You promised
That You'll never leave me
When I'm scared of the dark You're right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it's always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
Is to be honest
Oh I've heard stories of you showing up when it was least expected
Every time you prove your timing always perfect - and the wait was worth it
Again and again and again - see your power coming through
You bring life to what is dead - no there's nothing You can't do
I believe you did it then - so won't You do it now
Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I'm holding onto is a promise
God You promised
That You'll never leave me
When I'm scared of the dark You're right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it's always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
Is to be honest
Is Your breath when I can't breathe
Your eyes when I can't see
An anchor as the waves crash all around
Be my heart when I can't feel
And show me something real
Just one taste of heaven here and now
Can I be honest
Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I'm holding onto is a promise
God you promised
That you'll never leave me
When I'm scared of the dark You're right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it's always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
But right now, God all I need
Closing Thoughts
"Honest" is a convicting and sobering reminder that God brings trials to remind us how much we need Him. These songs give many glimpses of the authentic reality of life and our experiences, good and bad. Things don't always go as we want or even how we pray for God to work in our lives.
Daily we are presented with the choices of how to use our time, lifestyle choices, pursuit of riches, living for today not knowing what tomorrow has in store for us and questioning our loneliness and looking for meaning. God speaks to us in different ways, and I find myself closest to Him in my times of prayer and reflection, especially with songs of praise and adoration like "Honest."
As followers of Jesus, we know that we can trust God's Word. I realize that Jesus commands us to trust God's Word completely, no matter our circumstances.
This song is full of truth that believers can cling to. What if we lived as though we believed the sincere words of this song? As followers of Jesus, we know we can trust God's Word. This song gives me more conviction to not feel worthless or afraid. In many areas of our lives, we also spend much time worrying. We need to let that go and allow the Lord to be our Redeemer, and remember to pray, "When I'm scared of the dark/You're right there with me/Your kindness never fails, it's always reaching after me/But right now, God all I need/Is to be honest."
So many people struggle to apply God's Word to their lives. If we learn to build our lives on scripture, we would all have a rock as our foundation, in how we navigate our lives. The Good News of the Gospel, which this song perfectly portrays, is that God accepts us--no matter what we've done or what we're going through.
We are united in our struggles, spiritual warfare, and our desire for truth and relationship. The Lord wants us to spend time with Him every day. This song is a great reminder to spend time reading His Word--the Holy Bible--and to have a relationship with Him in prayer.
God sees us as He sees His Son. He makes something out of nothing in each of us. That's reason to sing this song at the top of your lungs in gratefulness to Him: "Can I be honest/Can I be honest/I just wanna know that You still got this/When all I'm holding onto is a promise/God You promised/That You'll never leave me." Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime Christian music fan and a passionate collector. He credits Christian music's message for guiding him to Christ. He resides in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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