As a native of the Pacific Northwest, nature has always been a friend to singer/songwriter Leanna Crawford. Growing up near the water and the mountains, Leanna often took long walks among the trees, talking to God and discovering more about Him and herself. Her connection with God’s creation inspired her latest collection of songs filled with personal, powerful melodies and heartfelt vocals focused on God’s unending faithfulness.
“This project brought me back to my roots. I was inspired by the majestic trees, the mountains and the ocean,” says Leanna. “Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I have the sweetest memories riding my horse through the woods and talking to God. I loved wandering through the fog in the morning, writing songs as I was walking. For me, being outside was another way to feel closer to God.”
While writing these new songs, Leanna also drew on the personal seasons of her life. A natural storyteller since childhood, Leanna’s shelves are filled with journals detailing her faith journey from the time she was old enough to record it. “I have terrible short-term memory, so I need to be able to look back. I date all my journals so I can remember how God has answered my prayers,” she shares. This attention to detail has given Leanna a unique outlook on life, always looking for the little things, every little moment, that makes up the miracle of being alive. “I aspire to be a great storyteller,” she says. “That’s the most powerful thing to me – when a songwriter can tell their story and I can see myself in it. I want people to be able to see themselves in my music.”
Standout track “Before I Knew Jesus” celebrates being a new creation in Christ. “This song is really about God’s faithfulness in my life. Every single day. I found Jesus at four years old. I don’t have a crazy testimony. Four-year-old Leanna knew she had Jesus in her heart, but twelve-year-old Leanna needed Jesus in a whole new way and then sixteen-year-old Leanna needed Him in another way. Whether you’ve known God your whole life or just met Him yesterday, I hope you can rejoice in knowing He is faithful in every season.”
“How Can You Not,” a reflection on the majesty of God’s creation, tells the sweet story of her father seeing fireflies for the first time. “My parents were visiting me in Nashville and my dad had never seen fireflies before. Most people don’t know this, but there are no fireflies in the Pacific Northwest. We were out walking in the rain because we’re from the rainy state of Washington and don’t care about getting wet. But when the rain slowed down, the field next to us lit up like the night sky. My dad saw all those fireflies and said, ‘How can you not see the Creator?’ It was such a beautiful moment. And I was reminded that God created things like fireflies to show us how much He loves us.”
“Simple,” a guitar-led ballad that showcases Leanna’s raw, emotional voice, is a deeply personal track. “I tend to overcomplicate Jesus and His love for me,” she shares. “But God’s love is simple. He’s for me and He loves me.” Leaning on her open-hearted faith and accessible realness, these songs tell the story of Jesus’s faithfulness in every season of her life. With each song, Leanna hopes that people can experience the love of God and know His heart – there is no such thing as too far gone with God.