I Still Believe, by Jeremy Camp

Last week I watched one of the most exceptional movies in my life. That movie was I Still Believe, which is an emotional story of Jeremy Camp (a singer/songwriter who is well known for his Christian worship music). I am not a person to cry during movies, but watching this got me very close.

I have a lot to say about this movie and Jeremy’s story, so let’s get started!

I Still Believe: The Movie

Saying that I loved this movie is an understatement. When I finished watching it, I didn’t really know what to say. I was shocked into silence by emotion and admiration to Jeremy and Melissa. I thought I had been speechless by a book or movie before, but this was on a whole new level. The words and thoughts weren’t swimming around so fast in my head that I couldn’t put them together; they just didn’t seem to exist.

Does that sound funny? Dramatic? It probably does, but I’m not trying to be. It’s just so show how powerful of a movie this is.

Jeremy Camp lost the love of his life, Melissa Henning, to cancer before they had been married for even a year. His story is a powerful testimony to God’s faithfulness even in the face of intense tragedy. The movie takes this beautiful story and brings it to life emotionally. The relationship between Jeremy and Melissa is sweet and funny, but also strong and full of faith.

This movie does not have a ‘happily-ever-after’, or ‘everything is perfect’ ending. In fact, it’s just the opposite. There is heartbreaking tragedy, unanswered questions, and true pain. But through it all, God is steady. He is faithful and true. He is always loving, always guiding, always helping, always there. That is the beauty in this movie.

Note: If you’re going to watch this movie (which I totally suggest you do!) just know that it is probably best to stick to an older audience. 😉 There are a lot of hard and upsetting scenes in it.

The People in Jeremy Camp’s Life

Something that really stuck out to me while reading the book was the many people of strong faith in his life. God placed many people in his life to support, guide, and strengthen him.

Growing up, Jeremy’s parents were great examples of trusting your life to the Lord. They relied on Him to provide them in every way, and by faith were able to serve Him with their lives in many ways. Throughout Jeremy’s life they were always ready to help him pray through a decision and then support whatever God called him to do. His mother often came to Jeremy with scripture that she felt spoke about his current situation, and his dad sometimes took him on weekend trips to ask the Lord what He had planned as the next step in his life.

One of the most obvious spiritual influences in Jeremy’s life was Melissa. She was a young woman of tremendous faith. Even while she was facing actual death and suffering, she loved to worship the Lord through music. Jeremy also writes about how after they had received bad news about her cancer, she told him that she wanted him to be okay with marrying someone else after her death. Of course, that is not something you are glad to hear, but the fact that she said it shows how selflessly she cared about others.

The other person that stood by and encouraged Jeremy with faith and encouragement was his second wife, Adrienne. I know that it is strange to think about after hearing the love story of Jeremy and Melissa. But the more I’ve read about Adrienne the more I find a real respect for her. She married Jeremy despite the fact that he had already married and lost a woman he loved deeply. She didn’t shy away from his hurt, and her love helped him to heal.

Jeremy’s story is scattered with many other friends and family members who were there for him all throughout his life. He had friends who checked in on his spiritual walk, helped his music career, and encouraged him. These are the kinds of friends you want to have in your life, and this is the kind of friend you want to be.

The I Still Believe Songs

The music in this movie carries the story in such a special way. I have had them on repeat for the past week, and every time I hear them they are even more unique and wonderful. Each one is so full of truth.

Here are my thoughts on the five main songs from the movie:

The first song is Find Me in the River. This is the song that Jeremy plays on the beach at night, and Melissa joins him halfway through. This song is a beautiful example of waiting humbly for the Lord and it’s especially neat to listen to this song after watching the scenes later on in the movie.

The most obvious song in this album is (of course) I Still Believe. Jeremy wrote this song shortly after Melissa’s death, and the raw brokenness is evident from the words. But the very fact that he was too weak and confused to form his own thoughts is why this song is so beautiful. The thing that puts us back on our feet is not our own strength. It’s God’s.

Right Here is a gentle song that rests in the comfort of knowing that God is there with you in your troubles. I love how this song takes the focus off of the problems in life, and focuses in on peace. Sometimes nothing makes sense in the world, but the truth is clear. Everywhere we go, everywhere we are, God is there beside us. That is the truth that matters in our lives.

I absolutely love My Desire. There are many things you can dream and hope to become. There are a lot of good things. But the core of all that we want is to be used by the Lord of Creation in His great plan. This song expresses this heart’s desire in a beautiful way.

One of my favorite songs is This Man. It reveals the wonder of and mystery of the gospel. There is pain and suffering in the story of Jesus too, but also hope and truth. I love the way this song calls you to dwell on the crucifixion. It’s a miracle that this man Jesus would take the nails for our sake.

Thoughts on Worship

To finish up this post I want to quote something Jeremy Camp wrote at the end of his autobiography about worship.

I’ve been asked for my definition of worship. My answer is “anything we do that glorifies the Lord.” One interviewer who asked me that question said my answer surprised him because he expected a musician would give him a music-related answer.

I’ve heard worship defined as “worship songs that are sung to the Lord” or “songs we sing in church on Sunday mornings.” But worship is so much broader than music. Worship can be something as simple as a conversation. If I’m with someone and we’re talking about the Lord and what He has done in our lives, if we are lifting up His name, I consider that worshiping God.

I really like what he’s saying here. While music is a good and beautiful way to bring glory and praise to God, it is not the only way. We worship God by the every day moments that we surrender to Him.

Final Thoughts

Jeremy Camp has one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard. I am so very glad that he has obeyed God’s calling to share that story with the world the way he has. I hope that after reading this post you will go look into the movie. It is absolutely wonderful on so many levels.

You may also be interested in reading Jeremy Camp’s autobiography. It gives you a lot of background for the story shown in the movie, and I really enjoyed learning about Jeremy as he grew up.

What did you think of today’s post? Have you ever seen the movie or heard Jeremy’s story? How did it affect you?