Melissa, If One Life: Love, Joy, and Hope Through TrialsSample

“O, Lord, how I love him and am so ready to tell him! You’re amazing! Lord, I can hardly believe I’m going to see him tomorrow, and that I’m going to be able to tell him that I’ve fallen in love with him. Jesus, I see in his eyes that You’ve prepared him for the most wonderful news of our lives—that the Almighty Lord, who has blessed us with loving us first, has blessed us with the love of each other.” – Melissa Camp

Melissa was filled with the love of God and it spilled out all over those she met. The love she shared with Jesus was not just meant for her to hold onto; it was meant for her to share with the world. The day she met Jeremy Camp that love intensified. They had an instant connection and their love grew quickly. 

Jesus tells us that the love with which the Father loved Him would be in us, and He would be in us. His love and His presence were evident in Melissa and Jeremy. God gave them an extraordinary love, a supernatural, sacrificial love that would show off His glory, His miracles, and the true meaning of love. 

Their relationship was tested and challenged as God was perfecting the two of them for a miraculous journey that would require uncommon faith and trust in Him. After a time apart the Lord orchestrated a beautiful symphony of answered prayers to bring them together in His perfect timing. 

Melissa wrote, “All those things I’ll forget, and soon all I’ll remember is that Jeremy helped me in the hardest time of my life, and then as if that wasn’t enough, decided to walk through my life with me.” Jeremy chose to walk through the valley with Melissa. That is what love is! He loved her as Christ loved her. He was the physical presence of Christ’s love that she embraced and held onto and oh, how she loved him. 

Their love exemplified 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and the fruit of the Spirit was evident in both of them. They experienced miracles and saw the glory of God shining through Melissa. God gave them a spectacular wedding and a beautiful romantic honeymoon only to return home to the most devastating news anyone can hear. Melissa had only weeks to months to live. 

They both remained strong and walked by faith. They fought the good fight and they ran their race together, never giving up hope and praising God through it all. The Lord had given Melissa the desires of her heart. He gave her Himself and he gave her the love of her life to be his cherished wife. She loved being Mrs. Jeremy Camp. 

Reflection

Jesus said that all would know that you are His disciple by the love you have for one another. Love—unconditional, sacrificial, unrelenting, reckless love—reveals if one is truly Christ’s disciple.