Jeremy Camp: I got married in December to the most amazing woman, Adrienne. Wow, what an amazing time. We went straight to recording half of my next album in Seattle, then on tour with the Newsboys and Rebecca St. James. Each show was a very worshipful night. The Dove Awards were really neat, very humbling: It’s that whole receiving something that you know God’s really done and not you.
It was more like God’s assurance that He’s blessing what I’m doing, so it’s humbling to be doing what God’s called me to do. Then I finished recording my album in June, and I’m really excited. It comes out Nov. 16. It’s called Restored, which is cool because that’s what’s gone on in my life. We’re having a baby now, too, which is a huge blessing.
Restored sounds like your life. Tell us about that theme.
Jeremy Camp: A lot of my album Stay was written out of the hard time I went through losing my [first] wife three and a half years ago. So there’s a different emotion in that. You always want to grow spiritually in your life. You always want to feel like you are drawing closer to the Lord and that He’s teaching you.
I feel like Restored was basically the next chapter in my life. God has really given me an amazing platform. He has blessed me beyond my expectations like in Ephesians 3:20 where it says that He’s able to do exceedingly above all we can ask or imagine.
Do all of the good things now make the past pain more worthwhile? Are you seeing more of the fruit of the suffering?
Jeremy Camp: Yeah, for sure. I look back at the doors God’s opened and what He’s blessed me with now. I would never say, “I wish I could go through it again.” You can’t really say that, but then I can’t say that I would want to give up what I have now. I don’t really understand it all, but I look back and say, “Now I see why.”
A lot of readers are going through hard times, whether it’s the death of a friend or loved one or their parents’ divorce. What encouragement or advice do you have for them?
Jeremy Camp: It’s a one-day-at-a-time process: You wake up and say, “Lord, I need strength for this day,” and you get into the Word. You have to stay around people who will encourage and love you.
God’s a big God, and He’s very faithful. You can trust that, in one way or another, God is going to bless you in a way that will blow you away. It might be years down the road. But He’ll use these circumstances to draw you closer to Him, and from that provide opportunities to share with people going through something similar. You think it’s not worth it now, but you’ll look back and see. You’ll be able to talk to people who will be blessed. Then you start thinking, OK, not that I wish that happened, but I see how You can use it. That’s the biggest blessing ‘cause when you start to take your eyes off yourself and start ministering to other people, it becomes easier for sure.
Do you have some favorite songs from the album 'Restored' ?
Jeremy Camp: Oh, man, that’s difficult. One is “Restored.” The chorus is "You have restored me from my feeble and broken soul. You have restored me." It’s really simple, but it’s kind of a worship song. I felt a little like David, writing from the times of being weak and distraught and going through pain, then God restoring me.
And “My Desire.” The chorus is "This is my desire; this is my return. This is my desire, to be used by You." That’s one thing God has really laid on my heart. I just want to be used in any aspect. It doesn’t have to be on a big scale in front of thousands of people — which right now amazingly is what’s going on — but just being willing and saying, “God, here are my hands; here are my feet; I’m willing to walk toward whatever, to do whatever You want me to do.”
God’s just saying, “Be a willing vessel, and I’ll take care of the rest and give you the opportunities to minister.”
Many teen guys want to be used by God but they’re searching for how and where. How can they find their ministry?
Jeremy Camp: Just love people; hang out with them; be an example in your actions, and conversations will come up. People in high school don’t want to hear preaching. But if you’re being yourself, serving the Lord, being obedient and spending time with Him and filling yourself up with the Word of God, opportunities will arise.
Others will know you’re real ‘cause you’re hanging out with them, you’re loving them, not doing the things they’re doing, but not condemning them. Pretty soon, that’s your ministry. That’s being used.
How can guys hang out with non-Christians and be a positive influence instead of getting dragged down?
Jeremy Camp: Find someone who’s also a believer, and keep each other accountable. That’s a huge thing. Also, if your friends want to go to a party and you don’t, stand up and say so — but never make it seem like it’s ‘cause you’re better than them. It’s just, “Hey, I don’t want to go in that area.” If they’re like, “Oh, he’s just a holy-roller” — well, it’s definitely better for your own life to stay strong. If you need to leave, then leave. I know if I’m weak in an area, I can’t go there. First and foremost, your own walk is important because if you’re not walking your talk, you’re not going to be able to minister.
But if you feel like you’re called to a certain area, you’re staying strong and feel God’s going to use you and that you can be bold, then, yeah, go for it. You know what you can handle. If something does happen and you fail, then ‘fess up and realize you’re weak in a certain area.
How did you get bold about your faith and the gospel?
Jeremy Camp: I struggled in high school with being bold in what I believed. Near the end of high school, I realized, What am I doing? I’m almost done and I could have been reaching these people. I regretted a lot of stuff and I realized, I don’t want to regret everything in high school. It’s like God gave me His eyes for a day or something. I realized how much He loved me and that He died for those people.
I remember thinking, Why am I trying to fit in the world? This world has nothing to offer; it’s empty and void and leaves me full of heartache. I almost saw it through Christ’s eyes. Man, these people need Jesus, I had a heart for them, so I started becoming bold. Once I started speaking up, it was a lot easier. It’s funny how when you’re bold in a loving way, people respect that.
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[Walk By Faith] - Jeremy Camp, 'Stay'
Would I believe you when you would say
Your hand will guide my every way
Will I receive the words You say
Every moment of every day
Well I will walk by faith
Even when I cannot see it
Well because this broken road
Prepares Your will for me
Help me to win my endless fears
You've been so faithful for all my years
With the one breath You make me
Your grace covers all I do
yeah, yeah , yeah, yeah, ya
Well I'm broken- but I still see Your face
Well You've spoken- pouring Your words of grace
Well hallelujah, hallelu
(I will walk by faith)
Well hallelujah, hallelu
(I will walk by faith)
I will walk, I will walk, I will walk by faith
I will, I will, I will walk by faith
