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A Faith Alive: Amy Stroup Shares her Faith through her Music

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Lipscomb University alumna Amy Stroup brings her faith to life through her music. She is currently busy touring and recording her third independent release entitled Chasing Greenlights. She has released two other albums: Solidity and Here I Am. Her single “Almighty God (Here I Am)” was included in Provident Music Distribution’s 2004 PULSE CD project and Rocketown Records invited Stroup to be a part of its Gloria Christmas Album in 2004 along with other artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Ginny Owens and Christy Nockels. Stroup has also opened for many nationally touring acts as well as played for conferences, student ministries and special events. Her website (www.amystroup.com) lists a full touring schedule.

A cloud by day, and a fire by night
I’ve got to keep you in my sight
Wrestlin’, struggling
Calm me down
Till your purpose is where I’m found
(“Here I Am”-Amy Stroup)

A list of her recording and touring accomplishments, however, doesn’t accurately portray who Stroup is. She is much more than a singer on tour. Stroup is a songwriter who wants to make people think about God’s love and hope. “I write or co-write everything I do,” Stroup states. “The heart of who I am as an artist is a songwriter.” She seeks to make her songs relevant to people who are seeking after God for the first time in their lives or who are seeking to continue to grow in their faith. She uses her words to weave together truths about life, love and spirituality.

I feel so weak
Reducing my faith to a simple song, So, Lord, you
Lord, you be strong
(“Mustard Seed”-Amy Stroup)

Stroup is also a dreamer with her aspirations rooted in her faith. She knew at an early age she wanted to be a singer and a songwriter. Like many other little girls, she dressed up with friends and started a band. They named themselves Greenleaves and sang for other friends and family. But Stroup wasn’t dreaming of the glory and riches she might gather for herself. She named her band Greenleaves because of the words of Proverbs 11:28: “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” Stroup wanted to be open to God’s promises. “I wanted to be a righteous person,” Stroup claims. “I wanted to thrive like that.” She hung on to the dreams of the fifth-grade girl who knew what she wanted to be and persevered to make her dreams come true.

All I am offering
Is brokenness to you my King
You take and make me new
You gently whisper I love you
(“Grace Abounds”-Amy Stroup)

Stroup is also a student who isn’t afraid to face the questions she has in her life and isn’t afraid to go after an answer. She graduated from Lipscomb in 2005 as a marketing major with a minor in guitar. She chose to be a marketing major even though she had already started her singing/songwriting career. “I had been singing and writing songs,” Stroup admits, “but I didn’t know anything about the business aspect of my career or how to make things work.” She knew she wanted to come to Nashville for the location and opportunities in the music industry in the city. She chose Lipscomb to help her blend her faith and business aspirations. “Knowing that the professors taught from a Christian view played a big role in my decision to come to Lipscomb.” She wanted to seek answers to her business questions, but also wanted the answers to come through conversations about faith as well as marketing.

So here I am a wrestlin’
With these questions
Yeah I’m tryin’ to figure out
What my life is all about
(“Mustard Seed”-Amy Stroup)

Stroup is also a servant. In 2005, she served as a worship leader through Brio Missions (through Focus on the Family). She led hundreds of teens in worship as they served in Panama. Stroup learned conversational Spanish so she could spread God’s word cross-culturally. She has performed in Baja, Mexico, and Panama City, Panama. She also works with young adults through a group called Inversion. “I believe I have a gift from God to do what I do,” Stroup acknowledges, “and I want to use my giftedness to serve the body of Christ musically.” Stroup also uses her web site to bring attention to the needs of others. She references the needs of the “invisible children” in Uganda who are being robbed of their childhood because of political corruption. She sees the needs of others and serves on the local and international mission field.

Almighty God
King of me
Come with fire
And restore me
(“Almighty God”-Amy Stroup)

Stroup is also surprising. She can quote I Corinthians, St. Augustine, Thoreau and C.S. Lewis while having breakfast at Fido, a trendy café and coffee shop located in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village. She refers to herself as a “sister of joy” and shows that joy through her songs and her smile. She quotes statistics from the music industry and stops to check e-mails sent by fans. She likes French pedicures and summer rains. She is uniquely Amy Stroup living out her faith joyously and courageously.

Just one glimpse, one glimpse of your glory
Can quiet my soul within, just one glimpse
One glimpse of your glory, can quiet my soul
Come quiet my soul, come, come, oh, come
(“Glimpse”-Amy Stroup)

       --Chris Pepple