A Powerful Story of Faith
I Still Believe is an emotional roller coaster. I expected it to be a good movie based on the content alone. The story of Jeremy Camp and his relationship with his wife, Melissa is amazing. I did not anticipate how much it pulled on the heartstrings. I was crying from beginning to end…in a very good way. It is a wonderfully sweet and impactful film about faith, hope, and trusting God in adversity. My whole family watched and loved it. There was not a dry eye in the house.
I definitely recommend seeing I Still Believe.
Walking By Faith
Will you walk by faith when the hardest times come?
This question is at the heart of I Still Believe, the new movie from Jon and Andrew Erwin. You may know the Erwin brothers from their excellent movies, I Can Only Imagine, Woodlawn, and Mom’s Night Out. They make very good Christian films. Four of their movies make my favorite Christian movie list.
I Still Believe joins them on the list and shoots straight towards the very top. It is a great movie. If you like Christian movies, stop reading and just rent it. You will not regret it.
It is available on Blueray, DVD and on Amazon.
Here is the Trailer.
I Still Believe chronicles the early life and career of Christian music star, Jeremy Camp. It covers his time from leaving a small town to attend Calvary Chapel Bible College until his musical career takes off into stardom. The movie is not really about Jeremy Camp’s musical career, though. It is a love story about him and his wife, Melissa. It is also a testimony of her faith in the face of huge challenges. It is a lot like I Can Only Imagine, the previous Erwin brothers movie in this way. The music is part of the story but not the heart of it. The real core of the film is about people and God. It asks and answers the timely question, “Do you trust Jesus when everything in their lives goes wrong?”
Jeremy and Melissa meet after he sees her in the crowd of a Christian concert worshipping God. He is struck by how it seems like she is reaching up and trying to touch God. The story then follows the development of their relationship alongside the start of his musical career…and what a relationship it is!
We follow along as Jeremy and Melissa are first awkward friends before a romance begins. Jeremy Camp is amusingly portrayed as bold at one moment and sticking his foot in his mouth the next. Britt Robertson plays Melissa as sweet and strong with a heart for Jesus. The actors do a wonderful job of depicting their relationship in a way that is just sweet. They are both very likable. You just root for Jeremy and Melissa to make it. As a Calvary Chapel pastor, I identified with them as well. They seemed like many of the excited young kids I have seen setting off on their first relationships in life.
I knew the story of Jeremy Camp’s life before watching as I have heard his testimony a number of times. Yet, I still found the characters and love story development enjoyable. It was fun to watch it unfold. I would have liked the movie based on Jeremy and Melissa’s early relationship alone. But a huge hurdle develops as they work on their relationship when Melissa is diagnosed with serious possibly fatal cancer.
What does love compel a Christian to do in this circumstance?
Jeremy proposes to her anyway and she agrees. What follows forms the heart of the reason for the song behind the movie title, I Still Believe.
Will we believe when life does not go as we expect?
Will we trust God when His answers are not what we want?
What does faith look like in dark times?
What Do Faith and Love Look Like?
I really like Jeremy Camp as a singer and as a person. I heard his story in person at a conference a few years ago. He seems like a genuinely nice and hopeful person who loves Jesus despite the tragedy in his past. He seems to overflow with joy despite suffering a great loss. Despite this, I was still uncertain how this movie almost entirely centered on heart-wrenching tragedy would translate. It is a seriously heavy topic.
There were many tears shed while watching the film in our household. The sweetness of Jeremy and Melissa’s relationship makes their setbacks all the more painful. Yet, the ultimate message of I Still Believe came through despite the tears. It is one of hope and purpose. It is about how one person with faith in Jesus can change the world. God is in charge and His plan is good even when goes against ours. Melissa and Jeremy go through a terrible trial but God is faithful to them both, even when they do not understand the “how” and the “why” of the situation.
A Timely Message
I Still Believe hit the theaters at a terrible time for the world and the film. The worldwide quarantines were enacted as the movie arrived on the big screens. This is a shame in some aspects as I think it would have been another hit. But, taking a lesson from the message of Jeremy and Melissa’s marriage, perhaps the timing was actually perfect. As we deal with things not going as we plan at home, at work, and in the public spaces we can’t even enter, the point of the story resonates that much stronger.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
We know these are the words of the Apostle Paul penned after a life of serving Jesus through challenging circumstances. He wrote them in prison as he suffered terribly for his faith. Paul learned that God’s power was his joy, peace, and comfort no matter his circumstance. Melissa Camp’s story is a wonderful, powerful, and timely reminder of this eternal truth. It is a touching portrayal of love, faith, joy, and contentment as life is not working out as we plan.
Now is the perfect time to see I Still Believe and be reminded exactly why we all should as well. His glory is made perfect in our weakness.
