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After losing his newlywed wife to cancer, Jeremy Camp fueled the pain and hurt into his songwriting as a testimony of unwavering faith in God's comfort and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. His hope is that his music and message will similarly bring comfort to those who need it.

At this point in your music ministry, who do you feel God is calling you to speak directly to?

Jeremy: My biggest passion right now is ministering to those who are hurting. There are so many hurting people out there, and they need to know that God is faithful. I want the words I speak or sing to remind them that God will give them the strength to handle what they can't handle alone.

Ever since my wife passed away, heaven and hell have become more real to me than ever before. Because of this realization, I don't want to see people making the wrong choices in their lives when they could be trusting in God.

How do you maintain unity within your band while you're on tour?

Jeremy: The band has a Bible study every night of the tour. Getting in the Word and praying helps us stay in unity. We have to keep the focus about why we're doing this, and staying united keeps us where we need to be.

Right now we're going through the book of Acts. I've been learning more about how the church first started and how it was originally supposed to function. I keep reading about the commitment the disciples had to the people, the passion they had to minister, and how they worked daily in one accord. That's been my heart with the guys in the band.

What can new listeners expect from your first album, Stay? What are some of the themes?

Jeremy: In Psalms, King David constantly wrote about his struggles. He described hard times in his walk with God, but he always ended with praises for God's faithfulness, mercy, and love. He always had that hope, no matter what he was going through. This is similar to why and what I write.

Some people wonder why I write about my struggles. It's simply because that's the ministry I feel God's given me.

If listeners of your album walk away with only one thought, what would you want it to be?

Jeremy: I don't want people to miss the song "I Still Believe" because it was the first song I wrote after my wife passed away. I want to share from my experience that God won't give us anything we can't handle. There's still confusion and questions that come along with those times, but our trust needs to be completely in God.

What's an honest struggle in your ministry that you have to deal with again and again?

Jeremy: I battle between these two mindsets: "God's in control. Whatever happens, it will be okay ," and "I wonder how people are reacting — are they disappointed or excited?" The whole purpose of putting out the music is to minister to people, but I honestly still wonder about the album's sales and listeners' reactions to the music. It's easy to ask those kinds of questions, even though I know the answers are not part of my overall intention.

The Bible study times and the guys in the band help ease my mind about these questions. We all help each other because it's important to stay focused on the ministry and doing God's will. Seeking God and spending time with him helps me settle on the fact that God really is in control — it's not just something good to say.

Click here to read our review of Jeremy's debut album, Stay. You can listen to song clips and purchase your own copy at Musicforce.com.

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