Pam Thum was the only child of traveling evangelists Bruce and Ruth Thum, producers of the very popular and unique drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames. The experience, which never kept them in the same place for more than a month, had both positive and negative effects on Pam.
Thum's parents were very dedicated Christians and carried Jesus into every aspect of their lives. They taught her a great deal about prayer and helped give her the assurance that Jesus was always with her. Still, Thum grew up in a very adult world and often felt quite lonely. She learned to depend on Jesus at a very early age and often made up little songs to sing to Him to help her not feel so lonely and scared. Jesus was one of the only constants in her life and she knew she never wanted to leave Him.
Pam's music career began when she was three years old and started singing on stage. As the years went on, Pam began to realize the effect music had on people and the hope that the words she sang often gave them. "I wanted them to feel the peace I did when I sang to God. I wanted them to feel as though Jesus were hugging them through my music."
And so it began. Pam Thum started writing songs when she was 16 and decided to pursue songwriting and performing as her own full time ministry. In 1987, Pam was offered a songwriting contract after her song "We Are An Army" was recorded by Trace Balin. She was offered a recording contract in 1992 and released her self titled debut album in 1993. The record was a huge success, with six of the songs making the top ten. She also received a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year.
Pam Thum's albums:
Pam Thum, 1993
Faithful, 1994
Feel the Healing, 1995
Believe, 1997
Thum's geatest influences have been her parents and her Aunt Myrtle. Aunt Myrtle was a bundle of energy and was always hugging someone, taking people to church, baking cookies, teaching Sunday School, or singing joyfully to the Lord. Thum's greatest desire in her music is to be like her Aunt Myrtle and to love others where they're at and point them to Jesus.
Perhaps one of the most surprising things that came out of Pam's immediate success was her popularity in South Africa. Shortly after the release of her first album, the readers of JOY Magazine, a Christian publication in South Africa, named her Best International Female Artist of 1993. On her first trip there, she was greeted by an enormous group of fans and a hotel room filled with flowers. Thum believes that God has given her a special platform in South Africa and she desires to use it for His glory.
Today, Pam is married to Stephen Marshall and together they have built Pam Thum Ministries, which is partnered with several other "world-changing" ministries. Her mission remains the same - to fearlessly share the Good News of Christ with the world and encourage others to do the same. "We have the greatest news for this world," says Pam, "and we've spent too many years acting as if we're in some kind of secret club. People are living and dying without Jesus -- hurt, hatred, sickness, and fear have ruled for too long. I just feel an urgency that we've got to shake off the apathy in our lives and get bold and direct about our faith."
Will You Come to Jesus
Pam Thum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You try to hide the pain
You walk the road with emptiness inside you
You keep hoping it gets better
But the hurt won't go away
You keep looking for the truth you never find
There's someone who loves you
And there's a light that shines
If only you believe
Will you come to Jesus
Will you open up your heart
Will you let His love surround you
You can come just as you are
You'll find peace forever
And shelter in His arms
Will you come to Jesus
With your heart
A feeling overcomes you
You've never felt before
Suddenly you heart can see forever
The waters change direction
The healing pours over your soul
Up ahead's a bridge
Where you can leave your tears behind
Don't you know
There's someone who loves you
Far beyond what you can dream
And there's a light that shines
If only you believe
Will you come to Jesus
Will you open up your heart
Will you let His love surround you
Come just as you are
You'll find peace forever
And shelter in His arms
Will you come to Jesus
Sometimes it's hard
To understand it to keep on standing
When everything's pulling your world apart
But don't be afraid
The road ahead will give you strength
It's His love that leads to truth
It's His love that shines on you
Come to Jesus
Will you open up your heart
And will you let His love surround you
Come just as you are
You'll find peace forever
And shelter in His arms
Will you come to Jesus
Will you come to Jesus
Will you come to Jesus
With your heart
With your heart
The lyrics of Pam Thum's song "Will You Come to Jesus" speak of a person who is lost, hurting, and searching for a way out of their pain. The opening lines describe someone who is confused and lonely, trying to hide their pain as they walk a road of emptiness. They hope for a way out but cannot seem to find one. Despite this, the chorus offers hope that there is someone who loves them far beyond their dreams and that there is a light shining if they only believe. The song goes on to describe a moment of transformation, where suddenly, their heart can see forever, and the waters change direction as healing pours over their soul. The lyrics offer an invitation to come to Jesus and find peace, shelter, and love.
Line by Line Meaning
So confused and lonely
You are feeling lost and isolated.
You try to hide the pain
You are attempting to conceal the hurt you feel.
You walk the road with emptiness inside you
Your life feels meaningless and unfulfilling.
You keep hoping it gets better
Despite everything, you still wish for improvement.
But the hurt won't go away
You are unable to escape your emotional pain.
You keep looking for the truth you never find
You have yet to discover a sense of purpose or understanding in your life.
There's someone who loves you
There are people who care for you and want you to find happiness.
Far beyond all your dreams
Their love extends beyond anything you could imagine.
And there's a light that shines
There is a beacon of hope in your life.
If only you believe
You need to have faith and trust in this love and hope.
Will you come to Jesus
Will you open yourself up to the idea of religion in order to seek guidance?
Will you open up your heart
Will you become vulnerable and let love in?
Will you let His love surround you
Will you be accepting of the love and guidance from a higher power?
You can come just as you are
You can approach religion as yourself, without needing to change or prove anything.
You'll find peace forever
If you embrace religion, you will experience a sense of tranquility that will last.
And shelter in His arms
Religion will provide a safe haven for you to retreat to.
A feeling overcomes you
You begin to feel something deep inside that you have never felt before.
You've never felt before
It is an entirely new experience for you.
Suddenly you heart can see forever
You feel as though you have gained immense clarity and wisdom.
The waters change direction
Your life and circumstances begin to shift significantly.
The healing pours over your soul
You are on the path to healing from your emotional pain.
Up ahead's a bridge
You are approaching a turning point in your life.
Where you can leave your tears behind
You will be able to move on from your past troubles and emotions.
Sometimes it's hard
Life can be difficult at times.
To understand it to keep on standing
It can be difficult to understand and move forward from difficult experiences.
When everything's pulling your world apart
Life can feel chaotic and out of control.
But don't be afraid
Don't let your fear hold you back.
The road ahead will give you strength
You will grow and gain resilience from your experiences.
It's His love that leads to truth
Love and faith can guide you towards enlightenment and purpose.
It's His love that shines on you
Higher power and faith are a guiding light in your life.
With your heart
Approach everything with an open heart and an open mind.
Contributed by Gabriel O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.