CCMmagazine.com EXCLUSIVE Video Premiere: Abby Robertson ‘Sanctuary’

New Christian music artist Abby Robertson recently releases her new song “Sanctuary.” It’s her most personal track to-date, “Sanctuary,” was written during a trying time when her dad was suffering from a major health problem. Robertson was able to turn inward and find peace the only way she knows how—through the power of God. The chilling, uplifting tune, which showcases Robertson’s powerful, angelic vocals, was co-written with Tyrus Morgan, Dave Lubben, Kevin MaC and Andrea Robertson, and is being released via her new deal with the label Big Future.

CCM is proud to present this EXCLUSIVE premiere of Abby Robertson’s music video for “Sanctuary.”

Story Behind the Song
“I remember exactly where I was when we got the call that my dad was being rushed to the hospital. I was in a storage unit with my mom and her best friend, and as a little kid, I didn’t understand what was going on.

I think it was at least 4 years of him being in and out of the hospital and sick. It was really hard. I remember watching my mom breakdown and cry. There wasn’t anything that we could do to make it better – we just had to wait for God’s timing.

We went to a hotel and my mom was sitting next to the bedside table in our room. She was flipping in the bible and randomly flipped to Psalm 150…

Psalm 150:
Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.

My mom immediately was like, “We have to lift our hands-we have to praise God.” I just thought this lady was… well, insane. She told us all what the verse said, and the craziest thing was the hotel we were in was called the Sanctuary. God was right there with us the whole time.

You can’t deny that God doesn’t see you when you’re facing uncertainty. As broken as it was of a situation… He met us right there, in the ‘Sanctuary’.

We started writing with Dave Lubben, and the song sat around for 3 years. I just felt a tug in my heart that this song needed to be finished. I met Tyrus Morgan and Kevin MaC and I just said to them, ”I have this song… I think we can rewrite it. I believe this story has to be heard.” We all sat down and rewrote it.

I don’t think I ever appreciated my dad growing up, truly. I loved him, but I think just recently, this past year, God has given me fresh eyes as I’ve taken inventory of that season of uncertainty that ‘Sanctuary’ is about. My dad has just been everything to me. That relationship that almost got taken when I was a little kid has been strengthened now, seeing God’s faithfulness and story unfold.

I thank God so much for the times I didn’t understand, because I look now, being 21, and I get it. I understand why I had to walk through that–as much as it hurt. That pain turned into this beautiful thing that I hope touches so many other people.” — Abby Robertson

 

**Photo by Becca Wildsmith

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