Thursday, February 7, 2013

Jeremy Camp-I Still Believe (A Review)


Even when I don’t see, I still believe

Jeremy Camp penned these words to a now familiar song just two weeks after the death of his first wife, Melissa. They had been married only 3 ½ months when ovarian cancer took her life. He was in a fog and felt like God wasn’t there and even if he was, he wasn’t listening.  After crying out to God, he received an answer to his sadness from God: “Pick up your guitar.”  Jeremy did and wrote “I Still Believe,” a song that summarized that moment in his life but was a reality in all that had come before that and all that has followed.

In his recent book, I Still Believe: a memoir (previously released in 2011 under the same title but different subtitle), Camp shares his story.  He begins with the early years and speaks openly of the mountaintops and valleys of his life journey. He speaks openly about his father’s drinking and his father’s   conversion to Christ, which takes the Camp family on a completely different course. Jeremy writes about what it was like growing up in poverty, yet having parents that were rich in the Lord. Surrendering to Jesus is a trait that Jeremy learned from his parents and one that he carries to this day. He recounts his battling of competing desires in his heart and the triumph of Christ as his chief desire.

The greatest test of his faith came in the death of his wife. Struggling for answers and wrestling with God about why this happened to such a faithful girl, Jeremy ultimately surrenders to the foundational timeless truth: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68).

Jeremy Camp began using his place as a young widower to magnify the glory of God in the pain so others could see and believe that God truly can and will make all things new for those who believe.

Even when I don’t see, I still believe.

Since the passing of his wife, God has blessed Jeremy Camp with a new love, three children, and ever-increasing career success. I am inspired to read of how his second wife is strengthened by the story of Jeremy’s first wife and wants him to keep sharing the story so others can grow in their faith for the glory of God’s name.

This story is an illustration of how God makes beauty out of ashes. Fans of the music of Jeremy Camp would benefit from reading about the life behind the songs. It will give new meaning to the words that will drive us all forward in the journey:

Even when I don’t see, I still believe.


This book was provided by the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review.