Behind the Song: Leslie McKee’s “I Fix My Eyes” Is a Song for Anyone Learning to Stop Striving

There are songs that begin in confidence, and there are songs that begin in honesty.

For Leslie McKee, “I Fix My Eyes” began in one of those honest places — the kind of place many believers know well, even if they do not always say it out loud.

Before the songwriting session that would become “I Fix My Eyes,” Leslie had been wrestling with feelings of inadequacy. Not just in one area of life, but in many. Even in writing rooms, where creativity and calling can sometimes feel tangled together with pressure, comparison, and the quiet fear of not measuring up.

Rather than carrying that weight into the room silently, Leslie did something deeply spiritual and deeply human. She prayed.

She asked the Holy Spirit to help her stop striving. She asked Him to help her rest in who God created her to be. She asked Him to be what she needed in the writing room.

That prayer became the soil this song grew from.

“I Fix My Eyes” was written by Jara Johnson, Leslie McKee, Robby Valderrama, and Emily Weeks, but the heart behind it came from a very personal place. Leslie shared openly with her co-writers about what she had been carrying, and that honesty helped shape the message of the song.

The result is a moving Christian song about surrender, identity, healing, and learning to trust God’s promises when fear says we are not enough.

A Song About Laying Down the Fear of Not Measuring Up

The opening verse immediately brings listeners into the heart of the song:

“When I come and lay down all my worries
And the fear that I don’t measure up…”

That line is simple, but it reaches into something many people carry. The fear of not being enough. Not strong enough. Not gifted enough. Not spiritual enough. Not far enough along. Not where we thought we would be by now.

But the answer in the song is not to try harder. It is not to prove more. It is not to perform better.

The answer is to look higher.

The chorus declares:

“So I fix my eyes
Beyond where the eagle flies…”

That picture gives the song its lift. It is not only about looking away from fear. It is about looking toward the Lord, seeing life from His point of view, and remembering that His promises are still true.

For a believer, fixing our eyes is not denial. It is faith. It is choosing to trust God’s perspective over the pressure of the moment.

From Striving to Trust

One of the most powerful themes in “I Fix My Eyes” is the movement from striving to trust.

Leslie sings:

“I don’t have to strive
I trust that You guide my life…”

That line carries the emotional center of the song. So much of Christian life can become heavy when we start trying to carry what only God can hold. We strive for approval. We strive for security. We strive to prove that we are worthy of the calling, the room, the opportunity, or the future in front of us.

But “I Fix My Eyes” gently redirects the heart back to grace.

The song reminds us that God does not meet us only after we have everything together. He meets us in weakness. He meets us in surrender. He meets us when we finally admit we need Him.

Leslie’s story behind the song makes that clear. This was not written from a place of pretending to be fearless. It was written from the place of bringing fear into the presence of God and discovering that He is enough.

A Song of Healing, Freedom, and God’s Faithfulness

The second verse continues the journey:

“Lord I know that I don’t have to question
If Your love can heal what’s in the past…”

This is where the song moves beyond insecurity and into healing. It is not only about the pressure of the present. It is also about the wounds of the past and the freedom that comes through the Spirit of God.

There is a quiet strength in the way “I Fix My Eyes” speaks to healing. It does not over-explain it. It simply points to the love of God as the place where the past can be brought, healed, and redeemed.

The bridge then expands the message into worship:

“High above what the world sees
You are Lord over everything…”

That is the declaration underneath the whole song. God is not limited by what the world sees. He is not limited by our fears, our history, our weaknesses, or our own view of ourselves. He is Lord over everything.

And because of that, the believer can say, “I won’t be afraid.”

This song continues to speak to people because the struggle it addresses is ongoing.

People are still battling comparison. People are still trying to outrun inadequacy. People are still learning to stop striving and trust God.

That is what makes this song a strong fit for a music story feature. It is not only a song to hear. It is a reminder to receive.

Leslie McKee’s “I Fix My Eyes” encourages listeners to lay down fear, trust God’s guidance, and remember that His promises are sure and always true. It is a song for anyone who needs to breathe again, look higher, and remember that Jesus is faithful in every space where we feel weak.

Listen to “I Fix My Eyes”

Listen to “I Fix My Eyes” by Leslie McKee here:
https://wingsmusic.lnk.to/IFixMyEyes

Listening link:
https://distribution.wingsaccess.com/share-link?token=x7dv6A5QydVAyKV2

Song: “I Fix My Eyes”
Artist: Leslie McKee
Release Date: March 7, 2025
Songwriters: Jara Johnson, Leslie McKee, Robby Valderrama, and Emily Weeks
UPC: 9361713224383
ISRC: AUMEV2523212

About Leslie McKee

Leslie McKee is a Christian artist and songwriter whose music points listeners toward hope, healing, surrender, and trust in the faithfulness of God. Through honest lyrics and a heart for ministry, Leslie writes songs that meet people in real places of struggle while gently directing them back to the promises of Jesus.

Her song “I Fix My Eyes” reflects that mission in a deeply personal way. Written from a place of vulnerability, the song speaks to the battle many believers face with inadequacy, striving, fear, and the pressure to measure up. Rather than offering a surface-level answer, Leslie invites listeners to lift their perspective higher, trust God’s guidance, and rest in who He created them to be.

With a sound that fits Christian AC, Inspirational, Worship, and CCM audiences, Leslie’s music carries both emotional honesty and spiritual encouragement. “I Fix My Eyes” is a reminder that even when life feels uncertain, God’s promises remain sure, His Spirit leads us into freedom, and His light continues breaking through.

Written by kingdomchorus