Diana Emah
Early march this year, we told you of the release of the movie I Still Believe by the Edwin brothers based on the true life of american Christian singer Jeremy Camp, now we can authoritatively tell you that it is an interesting movie. If you are in a situation where things are not going the way you imagined and you feel like God is keeping silent then this movie is for you. Unlike the movies “War Room” and “Home Sweet Home”, I STILL BELIEVE doesn’t end the way most viewers will want, where the main actors get the happy ending they expected.
Often times we know what to do when we get answers to our prayers which of course is to rejoice and give glory to God, but what do you do when what you have prayed so much for doesn’t produce the answer you desired, this is what the movie I STILL BELIEVE is all about; keeping the faith even when things don’t go your way.
The movie is based on the life of American contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp and his first wife, Melissa Lynn Henning-Camp, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer shortly before they married. When Christian singer Jeremy Camp’s soon-to-be wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, everyone around her prayed for her to be healed—and that prayer was answered. Melissa was miraculously cured. They got married and were excited to share their story with the masses and bring glory to God.
But God hadn’t finished revealing His plan for them. On their honeymoon, Melissa’s cancer returned. Sadly, there wasn’t a miraculous cure this time around.
But Melissa continued to believe that God was going to use her. She told Jeremy that if only one person’s life was changed by her story, “it would be worth it.” I Still Believe tells Melissa and Jeremy’s story. And it tells not only of their incredible love and the tragic loss they faced, but how the young couple maintained their faith in God through all of it.
Directed by the Edwin brothers, Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin, the movie was released in theatres on March 13, 2020 and distributed by Lionsgate.
PLOT
In Lafayette, Indiana, September 1999, Jeremy Camp departs for Calvary Chapel College in Murrieta, California. The night of his arrival, he goes to a concert of Canadian Christian band, the Kry, where he meets the lead singer, Jean-Luc LaJoie, who become fast friends with Jeremy, who comes to him for musical advice. After the concert, Jeremy meets Melissa Henning, a fellow student at his school, and friend of Jean-Luc, who loves Melissa, but Melissa does not reciprocate the feeling. Jeremy and Melissa get to know each other, and quickly begin dating, causing a rift among Jeremy, Melissa, and Jean-Luc. As a result, Melissa ends her relationship with Jeremy. Jeremy goes back to his family in Indiana for Christmas break. A few days after Christmas, Jeremy receives a phone call from Jean-Luc, saying that Melissa is sick, and asks Jeremy to come back to California. Upon his arrival, Jeremy visits Melissa in the hospital, who tells him that she has been diagnosed with Stage 3C cancer in her liver. She also tells Jeremy that she loves him. Jeremy says the same, and proposes to her. She accepts. During this time, Jeremy begins to make a name for himself as a Christian singer-songwriter. Melissa learns that the cancer has spread to her ovaries, and that she needs a surgery that will leave her infertile. After the surgery was supposed to happen, Melissa wakes up to Jeremy, who tells her the surgery was canceled because she is now cancer-free. Six months later, Jeremy and Melissa wed. Everything seems perfect until after their honeymoon, Melissa wakes up in pain. Jeremy takes her to the hospital, where they find out her cancer has returned, and that nothing more can be done for her. As Melissa grows weaker, Jeremy begins to question his faith in God. In the hospital, Jeremy sings a song he wrote “Walk by Faith” during their honeymoon. Melissa dies shortly after. Jeremy becomes angry at God, and chooses to abandon his musical career, smashing his guitar until it breaks. Inside it, he finds a note Melissa left for him to find after her death, telling him that suffering does not damage faith, but strengthens it, and encouraging him to continue writing songs. Two years later, Jeremy performs a song he wrote after Melissa’s death “I Still Believe” about his suffering, but eventually restored faith. After the concert, he meets a girl named Adrienne, who tells Jeremy that she lost someone close to her, and she was angry at God, and his songs changed her life. The film ends with Jeremy promising to share Melissa’s story, believing that God will use it to change lives. The credits reveal that Jeremy and Adrienne got married in 2003, and have three children.
CAST
K.J. Apa as Jeremy Camp; Britt Robertson as Melissa Henning; Gary Sinise as Tom Camp; Shania Twain as Terry Camp; Nathan Parsons as Jean-Luc; Melissa Roxburgh as Heather Henning; Abigail Cowen as Adrienne Liesching.
Brief Biography of Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Thomas Camp born in January 12, 1978 is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter from Lafayette, Indiana. Camp has released eleven albums, four of them RIAA-certified as Gold, and two live albums. His original music is a mixture of ballads and up-tempo songs with rock influence. Camp has won five GMA Dove Awards, has been nominated for three American Music Awards, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 2010 for his album, Speaking Louder Than Before. I Still Believe, a film based on Camp’s first marriage, was released on March 13, 2020.
Like Jeremy, you may be asking a lot of questions about faith and obedience when faced with something you can’t understand, but ultimately conclude that what’s happened is God’s will—even if you will never fully understand.
