Rebecca was born in Sydney, Australia, to David and Helen Smallbone. She is the oldest of seven children, and currently lives in Los Angeles with Jacob. Rebecca took the name St. James from her grandmother, as it was her maiden name. Her album ‘’God’’ was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1995. Also, ‘’Pray ‘’ was certified Gold by the RIAA on the last week of September 1999.
Rebecca's musical career began in 1990 at age 13 when she began opening shows for CCM (Christian Contemporary Music) artist Carman during his Australian tour which was promoted by her father's company, David Smallbone Promotions. That same year she recorded her first album, Refresh My Heart. In 1991 she moved to the United States upon signing with ForeFront Records, and took her stage name at the label's request.
In 1999 Rebecca received a Grammy Award for her album ''Pray'' in the Best Rock Gospel Album category. Rebecca is the eighth Australian artist or group to win a Grammy Award.
In 2003 she played the part of Maggie (Mary Magdalene) in the !HERO rock opera.
Rebecca is an open supporter of teenage sexual abstinence, and has become an unofficial spokesperson for True Love Waits. The single "Wait for Me", from her 2000 album Transform, encourages waiting to have sex until after marriage. Later that year it also became the title and focus of a 46-city tour. James wrote the song herself on a tour bus, and it became instantly popular. The song was also used on the TV program The O.C. Rebecca's first book, titled Wait for Me: Rediscovering the Joy of Purity in Romance, was published in 2002 and further addressed the issue.
In November of 2005, Rebecca released her highly anticipated album If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something. After not putting out a new pop/rock album since 2000, this album combines Rebecca's overall versatility in vocal and song writing to the finest degree.
Rebecca sang a song on the 2005 soundtrack, Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia called "Lion" for which she won a Dove Award.
A Special Edition of If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something was released in November 2006 and included two acoustic tracks and other special features.
In 2007. Rebecca released her live CD\DVD aLIVE In Florida featuring some of her No. 1 hits as well as fan favorites.
In 2008, two compilation albums, The Ultimate Collection (Double Disc) and Greatest Hits featuring some of her biggest hits were released. The same year she also released a new book called Pure: A 90-Day Devotional for the Mind, Body, & Spirit which broke into Top 10 at #9 on the CBA bestseller's list in Feb 2009. Pure is also nominated among the Top 3 books of 2009 for the youth/teen market.
The September 09' release of Loved, (Hachette/Faithwords) and the fall national film release of Sarah’s Choice capped 2009 as one of Rebecca’s most creatively diverse years.
Lean On
Rebecca St. James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into Your heart I place mine
Into Your will I submit all I am
As I let go peace I find
And while the background is falling
You'll find a place I can stand
Lean on Your understanding
Lean on divine intention
Lean on every word you utter
Into Your hands I submit my troubles
Into Your world I'll unfold
And with Your strength I'll replace my weakness
As I lie down Your restore my soul
And while the background is falling
You've found a place I can stand (In Your heavens, I will)
Lean on Your understanding
Lean on everything You say
Lean on divine intention
Lean on every word you utter
The lyrics to Rebecca St. James's song "Lean On" are a testament to the power of faith and surrender. The song begins with an acknowledgment of trust in a higher power, as the singer commits their spirit, heart, and will to this entity. It is through this surrender that the singer finds peace and stability, even amidst chaos ("while the background is falling").
The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of leaning on divine understanding, intention, and words. It is through this reliance on something greater than oneself that the singer is able to find strength, overcome weakness, and restore their soul.
Overall, the song is a call to trust in something that is larger than oneself, to surrender control, and to find peace in doing so. It is a reminder that sometimes the greatest strength comes from letting go and placing our faith in something greater.
Line by Line Meaning
Into Your hands I commit my spirit
I trust You enough to give You complete control of my life.
Into Your heart I place mine
I give You permission to have all of me, including my emotions and deepest desires.
Into Your will I submit all I am
I surrender myself to Your plan for my life, without any reservations or hesitation.
As I let go peace I find
When I release my worries and fears to You, I experience a sense of peace and calmness.
And while the background is falling
Even when everything around me is chaotic and uncertain,
You'll find a place I can stand
You provide me with a solid foundation and stability that I can depend on.
Lean on Your understanding
I will trust in Your wisdom and knowledge, instead of relying on my own limited understanding.
Lean on everything You say
I will take Your words as truth and live my life according to them, knowing that they are for my benefit.
Lean on divine intention
I will believe that You have good plans for me and that everything You do is intentional and purposeful.
Lean on every word you utter
I will listen carefully to every word You say, knowing that they hold power and significance in my life.
Into Your hands I submit my troubles
I give You my problems and challenges, trusting that You will handle them better than I ever could.
Into Your world I'll unfold
I will embrace Your perspective and understanding of the world, rather than my own limited view.
And with Your strength I'll replace my weakness
I will rely on Your supernatural empowerment to overcome my own weaknesses and limitations.
As I lie down Your restore my soul
When I rest in You, You heal and refresh my inner being.
In Your heavens, I will
I will live my life with an eternal perspective, knowing that my ultimate home is with You.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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