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.
Innocence
Jeremy Camp Lyrics
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The way it's always been
I can feel my heart is reaching
I can see the calling to show your heart
Within because I know your blood is healing
All I am today and all I am is what your hands
Have made me
As I fall down I give all these weak hands
Have forsaken as I fall down before you
I know I've been broken
Lord I feel drawing my heart into your love
I can hear your voice is pleading I can see
You're molding the shape of purity I am what
You've laid before me
Here my soul is yielding
As I fall down before the one whose hand
Has reached me out of this fear and doubt
That's stolen all man's hope of knowing you
As I fall down I give all these weak hands
Have forsaken as I fall down before you
I know I've been broken
The song "Innocence" by Jeremy Camp is a reflective and passionate declaration of faith and surrender to God. The song begins with the statement, "Innocence is calling", which suggests a longing to return to a state of purity and grace. The singer then acknowledges their awareness of their heart reaching out to God out of a desire to show His love and to be healed by His blood. The lyrics express gratitude and recognition that all that the singer is today is a result of God's handiwork. The chorus then repeats the phrase "Here my soul is healing" which emphasizes the need for God's healing power to be at work within.
The second verse of the song recognizes the human tendency to fall short and be broken, but the singer expresses confidence and hope that God's love and grace can mend those broken parts. The lyrics suggest surrender to God and a willingness to yield to His plan and purpose. The chorus repeats again, this time with the added phrase "I know I've been broken" which further emphasizes the singer's vulnerability and need for healing.
The bridge of the song speaks of God's voice and its effect on the singer's heart. The lyrics suggest that God is molding the singer into a shape of purity, which leaves no doubt as to God's intention to restore his child to a state of innocent grace. The song then concludes with another repetition of the chorus, affirming the singer's faith and trust in God's healing power.
Line by Line Meaning
Innocence is calling
The purity of life is calling me.
The way it's always been
It has always been like this.
I can feel my heart is reaching
I sense my heart is longing for something.
I can see the calling to show your heart
I see the invitation to reveal your pure nature.
Within because I know your blood is healing
I am aware that your blood has the power to restore my soul.
All I am today and all I am is what your hands
Everything I am today and everything I have become is because of your guiding hands.
Have made me
You have crafted me into who I am.
Here my soul is healing.
I am in a state of spiritual healing.
As I fall down I give all these weak hands
I surrender everything I have to you.
Have forsaken as I fall down before you
I am giving up all that I have abandoned as I humble myself before you.
I know I've been broken
I am aware that I have been shattered and need your healing.
Lord I feel drawing my heart into your love
I sense your love pulling me closer to you.
I can hear your voice is pleading I can see
I am aware of your begging voice and see the invitation to approach you.
You're molding the shape of purity I am what
You are shaping me to be pure, and I become what you envisioned.
You've laid before me
You have set what you desire me to be before me.
Here my soul is yielding
I surrender myself to you.
Before the one whose hand
I am in the presence of the one who reached out to me.
Has reached me out of this fear and doubt
I am saved from fear and uncertainty by your reach.
That's stolen all man's hope of knowing you
Man has been robbed of hope in knowing you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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