Camp was raised in a Christian home and drew musical inspiration from worship music and secular tunes alike. Touchstone albums in his artistic development include U2's The Joshua Tree, Delirious?' King of Fools , Jars Of Clay's debut album, Jars of Clay, and Steven Curtis Chapman's The Great Adventure.
When one of the worship leaders at the school heard Camp playing with some friends at his dormitory, he urged him to become involved with their music ministry program, and soon he was performing at Christian music events all over California, recording a self-released disc called Burden Me in 2000.
At one such appearance, Camp met a young woman named Melissa, and the two struck up a friendship that blossomed into a romance. When Melissa broke off the relationship after a few months, Camp was crushed, but when he next saw her, her life had taken a serious turn -- she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was in the hospital. When Melissa went into remission, Camp married her, but after their honeymoon, they discovered the cancer had returned, and in early 2001 she passed on; she was only 21.
Camp poured both his sorrow and the faith that helped see him through into his music, and in 2002 he was signed to BEC Recordings, who released his first nationally distributed album, Stay; it was both a critical and commercial success, and five songs from the disc reached the top of the Christian singles chart. While touring in support of Stay, Camp met singer Adrienne Leisching, former singer with the Benjamin Gate; the two hit it off, and in 2003 they were married, and have since been blessed with two daughters.
In 2004, Camp released his second album for BEC, Carried Me: The Worship Project, which matched the gold record success of Stay, and Camp won two Dove Award trophies for Best Male Vocalist and Best New Artist. In 2005, Camp released two albums -- a studio set, Restored, which rose to number 45 on the Billboard Top Albums chart and spawned three number one Christian singles, and a live disc, Live Unplugged from Franklin TN. Camp also recorded the song "Open Up Your Eyes" for the soundtrack of the hit film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which earned him another Dove Award. The fall of 2006 brought another studio set from Camp, Beyond Measure, which reached number 29 on the Billboard charts and produced two more hit singles.
Speaking Louder than Before, his sixth album, was released on November 25, 2008.
The Way Songfacts reports that his seventh album, We Cry Out: The Worship Project , was released on August 24, 2010, and peaked at #1 on the Billboard Christian Albums Chart.
I Am Nothing
Jeremy Camp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the things I seem to take
Are the things I wish would fade
I always put this in my heart
Well, to do things the right way
Then I realize, I'm still clay
Will be a beauty You create
I am nothing without Your love
I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough
I'm completed by Your touch
But I feel like I've been given so much
So I thank You, I thank You
I wouldn't even face
All the troubles of the day
If it wasn't for Your grace
Sometimes I even wait
To see if I'm awake
It seems so good, I can't relate
And You're every word I crave
And I'm grateful for every breath I take
I am nothing without Your love
I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough
I'm completed by Your touch
But I feel like I've been given so much
So I thank You, I thank You
When I'm feeling all my shame
You won't let it stay
I sail away into Your love
I'm taking every day
To give my life the way
It?s the only way I know
I am nothing without Your love
I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough
I'm completed by Your touch
But I feel like I've been given so much
And I am nothing, You are everything
So I thank You, I thank You
Lord, I thank You, I thank You
The lyrics of Jeremy Camp's song I Am Nothing express a deep sense of humility and gratitude towards God. The song opens with the singer reflecting on his own shortcomings and the things he wishes would fade away. He admits that he tries to do things the right way, but still feels like he is clay being shaped by a greater force - God. He acknowledges that God's creation is beautiful and that he is nothing without God's love. The chorus repeats this sentiment and expresses that the singer is completed and grateful for everything he has been given.
The following verse continues in the same vein, as the singer credits his ability to face the troubles of the day to God's grace. He acknowledges that he can't even comprehend the goodness that he has been given and craves every word of God. He is grateful for every breath he takes and gives thanks to God. The second chorus repeats the first, but introduces a bridge that emphasizes the singer's willingness to give his life to God, recognizing God's role as everything and himself as nothing.
Overall, the song is a declaration of love and gratitude towards God, with the singer admitting his own flaws and mortality in the face of a divine entity. It is a humble and introspective song that emphasizes the importance of faith and devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
It seems I'm always in this place
I often find myself in a familiar state of mind
Where the things I seem to take
The things I gravitate towards
Are the things I wish would fade
Are the very things I want to rid myself of
I always put this in my heart
I always hold onto the notion
Well, to do things the right way
To do things in a manner that I deem appropriate
Then I realize, I'm still clay
But I come to terms with the fact that I am still molding and shaping
And this piece that's being shaped
My very being as a person
Will be a beauty You create
Will become something beautiful that is created by God
I am nothing without Your love
I am nothing without the love of God
I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough
Although unworthy, the death of Christ suffices and has redeemed me
I'm completed by Your touch
I feel whole and complete because of the presence of God in my life
But I feel like I've been given so much
But I feel undeserving of all the blessings and love that God has bestowed upon me
So I thank You, I thank You
So I express my gratitude to God
If it wasn't for Your grace
If it wasn't for the unmerited favor of God
I wouldn't even face
I wouldn't even know how to confront
All the troubles of the day
All the difficulties that I encounter in my day-to-day life
Sometimes I even wait
Sometimes I am still surprised
To see if I'm awake
To see if it's actually real and not just a dream
It seems so good, I can't relate
It feels so good that I can't comprehend it or even put it into words
And You're every word I crave
I eagerly desire every word that God speaks
And I'm grateful for every breath I take
I am thankful for the gift of life and every moment that I am alive
When I'm feeling all my shame
When I am overwhelmed with feelings of shame and guilt
You won't let it stay
God will not allow those negative feelings to consume me
I sail away into Your love
I am comforted and surrounded by the love of God
I'm taking every day
I approach each day with intention
To give my life the way
To live my life in such a manner
It's the only way I know
That aligns with my values and beliefs
And I am nothing, You are everything
I am nothing without God, and God is everything to me
So I thank You, I thank You
So I express my gratitude once again
Lord, I thank You, I thank You
I give thanks and praise specifically to the Lord
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind