Leanna Crawford Says God's 'No' Can Be a Greater Blessing than 'Yes'
Singer Leanna Crawford says she has always identified with Martha in the biblical story of Mary and Martha – the woman who stays busy, keeps serving and wants to get everything in order before sitting at Jesus’ feet.
Of course – as Crawford acknowledges with a laugh – it is Mary in the story who chose the better way by sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him.
“I feel like I need to do all these things and then I'll be enough, and then I can be loved, and then I can sit with Jesus – [when] He actually just wants me. He just wants my presence,” Crawford told Crosswalk Headlines. “He doesn't care about my to-do list.”
The story of Mary and Martha is part of the inspiration behind "Living Room Floor," a deeply personal song on her sophomore album – a project filled with songs drawn from real-life experiences and written straight from her heart.
“I need that song, and I need to sing those words,” she added.
Crawford first broke onto the Christian music scene in 2020 with hits including "Truth I’m Standing On" and "Mean Girls," before climbing to No. 1 in 2024 with "Still Waters (Psalm 23)," a song that became an anthem for countless listeners and served as the centerpiece of her debut album, also titled "Still Waters."
This week, she will release her sophomore album, “Thank God,” which features the title track, currently climbing Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart, along with songs such as “Her,” which confronts today’s culture of comparison, and “Revenge,” an eye-catching titled track that challenges listeners to forgive those who have hurt them.
Crawford is well-known for writing songs rooted in her own life, and "Thank God" is no exception.
“I'm so thankful that God's in charge, and I'm not,” she said. “I'm thankful for all the times that He said ‘no,’ because I know He doesn't waste anything – even if it doesn't always make sense to me. I know His plan is so much better than mine.”
Prayer is a major theme throughout the album, including on "Ask Him Again," a song that encourages believers to keep praying even when the answer seems delayed. It was inspired by a season of unanswered prayer.
“I had been praying for this thing for a long time, and I felt like it was a good thing, and I felt like God just wasn't answering this prayer – and I shared that with my co-writers. And then I remember one of the co-writers, Kirby Kaple, she just said, ‘Hey, I've been there, and I felt the exact same way.’”
Kaple said she placed a reminder on her phone to continue bringing her request to God – to “ask Him again.”
“When we got that demo, I just listened to that song over and over and over and over again – that song specifically. … I would honestly just cry to it a lot of times. It was very, very personal.”
Crawford believes hope is the album’s “through line.”
“My prayer is always that someone can hear these songs and be like, ‘How did she write my story?’ That's how I feel about music a lot of times. … My prayer is just that they feel seen and known and loved by the God of the universe, who sent His Son, Jesus – that’s my prayer.”
Listen to Crawford’s full interview with Crosswalk Talk here.
Photo Credit: ©Provident
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published July 21, 2026.
