Grace McAlister
Reporter1@riverbendnews.org
Jennifer Joy Campbell was born and raised in the Suwannee County, where she and her father, Ken Campbell, share a home on their small family farm with Morris, their orange and white tabby cat. She is currently a public school teacher and host of the “Be Encouraged” webcast, viewed each week by thousands of people representing all parts of the globe. Having been blessed to travel to over 50 countries, Campbell says her greatest passion is “sharing the love of Jesus Christ around the world.”
On Jan. 2, 1982, Campbell was born premature and lifeless. Nevertheless, her parents did not lose hope. “They did not pray a complicated prayer with formal language,” Campbell said. “Their prayer was simple. They humbly prayed, 'Jesus help.'” After the doctors had given up all hope for Campbell's survival and began focusing their attention on her mom, she “began to cough like a little kitten. I was alive.” Although she experienced many difficulties in the weeks that followed, Campbell said “God performed a miracle.” The doctors told Campbell she would likely have cognitive difficulties, even if she survived. “God had a different plan,” Campbell said.
Despite her hardships, Campbell has graduated from Florida Gateway College in Lake City, the University of Florida in Gainesville and Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. She even completed her Master of Science in English Education with a 4.0 grade point average. Campbell has been teaching at public schools for 13 years, following in the footsteps of her father, who taught math for high school and college. After spending 35 years in the education field, Ken Campbell retired to dedicate his life to the ministry.
Campbell knows that God has a dream for her life. Whether she is on stage singing solo, singing with her dad as a duet, speaking at churches and other locations around the globe or serving in her roles as an English, mathematics and science teacher at Suwannee Virtual School and an adjunct English professor for Toccoa Falls College, she knows God will always guide her footsteps in everything she does. She is grateful for the talents God has given her and she strives to use them for His glory every single day. God has blessed her with the ability to play the piano and drums.
In her spare time, the passionate writer enjoys penning songs, writing her inspirational blog and serving as a Feature Writer for SGN Scoops Digital Magazine,” the first all-digital Southern Gospel music magazine. She has written for SGN Scoops for over 20 years, including features on The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Bill Gaither and many others. She was also honored to be able to write special tributes to Lari Goss and LaBreeska Hemphill. She recently published her first book, an inspirational autobiography titled, “When You're in the Sunset, there's Sunshine Awaiting You,” that she hopes will inspire others through its message of hope and can be purchased on Amazon. Already working on her second book, it is her prayer that God will give her the opportunity to publish many more books in God's timing. In addition, she has a food and travel blog at www.jennifersjourneys.net, where she featured William Jack Degel of Uncle Jack's Steakhouse and the Food Network show Restaurant Stakeout. Campbell would love to have her own food and travel show one day.
Writing is not Campbell's only passion; she is also a member of the Florida Worship Choir and Orchestra and enjoys spreading the gospel through song. Her first concert with them was for the "Almighty God" live DVD recording at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville. She also had the opportunity to participate in the 2014 NYC Worship Project. Through this mission to New York City, Campbell was honored to sing at the Naumberg Bandshell in Central Park, Christian Bible Church in Yonkers, Carnegie Hall in New York City and at Brooklyn Tabernacle in Brooklyn. Additionally, she served as a member of the dance team for a flash mob in Times Square, where the Florida Worship Choir and Orchestra sang to an estimated 100,000 people. "The entire mission trip was ordained by God. He ordered our steps,” Campbell said. “The amazing reality is that we went to minister to others. In return, we were blessed abundantly. Lives were changed through the NYC Worship Project, including our own. I pray that God gives me the opportunity to minister even more, as I know in my heart this is what I am called to do."
“Some of the greatest joys in life are helping others, spending time with family and seeing the world,” Campbell said. She is an avid traveler and enjoys every opportunity she has to sail on a cruise ship, fly on a plane or ride along the rails with her father. Still, the one thing she enjoys most is giving to others. Campbell and her family have taken hundreds of pounds of supplies to an orphanage in Roatan, Honduras. Now she is praying that God would open the door for her to go on another missions trip in accordance to his perfect will. Campbell says there is nothing like exploring the beauty of God’s creation all around the world, and at the same time, bringing joy to the faces of little children. All of her life, she has strived to bring joy to others, even amid the times when her own joy has momentarily faded.
On Aug. 2, 2008, the darkest storm of Campbell's life came upon her “as suddenly as a tornado can flatten an entire town.” Campbell and her parents were vacationing in the Great Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina. Life seemed perfect. Then, their life changed forever. One evening, while they were sitting in the living room watching an episode of “The Waltons,” Campbell's mom suffered a heart attack and passed away. There was no warning, there were no goodbyes and there was nothing she or her father could do to silence the violent storm. “Life just changed,” Campbell said.
“I still don’t have all of the answers.” Campbell said. “What I do know is that God has a master plan for our lives. He walks with me in the sunshine and in the sunset. He holds my hand, whether I am climbing mountains, traversing a rocky terrain or wading through a raging river. Psalm 23:4 (NIV) says, ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ I will not be afraid of what tomorrow may bring because I know that God will be with me in all my tomorrows. He will never fail us.” Through every sunset and every sunrise, Campbell will tell you that God has always been faithful. Even in the sunset, God will bring forth the sunshine once again. When you reach the lowest, darkest valley, God will bring you to your knees. When you cannot go on one more mile, God will carry you through every storm. If you find yourself stuck in the sunset, rest assured that there’s sunshine awaiting you.
Through every sunset and every sunrise, Campbell will tell you that God has always been faithful. “Even in the sunset, God will bring forth the sunshine once again. When you reach the lowest, darkest valley, God will bring you to your knees,” Campbell said. “When you cannot go on one more mile, God will carry you through each and every storm. If you find yourself stuck in the sunset, rest assured that there’s sunshine awaiting you.”