A couple of nights I received a message from a guy named Jeremy Dodge who identified himself as a Youth Pastor who had been inspired to write a song about six months ago. He was proud to announce his having recently recorded the music video combo. (I think you will agree with me that the video just adds great character to an already fantastic song.) Just like with every other request, I loaded the video/song combo and began listening… and then listened again… and then listened to it a third time. I then sat back and said to myself, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for to help reach our youth and let them know it’s alright to take pride in America.” I didn’t stop there. I called to my 14 yr. old son and had him watch it. After the song finished, I asked his thoughts and he said, “That song is cool, Dad.” (He must be a chip off the old block, because that was exactly what I was thinking.)

Last night I finally found time to give Mr. Dodge a call to discuss his song and ask him for a little history of how he came to be a Youth Pastor and how it was that Glenn Beck so inspired him to write this song. After watching and listening to Jeremy’s song, “Stand Up”, please take a few moments to read a great and inspiring story of how Jeremy Dodge and his song came to be. And, then pass this song to everyone you know so we can let our youth know it’s alright to take pride. I have also been informed that his website was just officially launched a few minutes prior to this article being written.  You can check out his new site by clicking his name above.

Please welcome, Jeremy Dodge and his new song, “Stand Up – America”!

Jeremy’s story continues below. I was going to to just take excerpts from it, but after reading it I decided the whole story is what made the man, and thus made the song.

For as long as I can remember I have had a passion and love for music.  It all started when my dad took me to my first rock concert when I was just 4 years old.  Growing up, my parents were later divorced and I lived with my mom who always did her best to raise me in a Godly home.  As I came into my teenage years, I became very involved in my church, but when high school hit, decided to go my own way and pursue my dream of becoming a musician.  After several hard years of trying to “make it” I ended up broke, depressed and homeless.  Eventually I moved home and after many months of making wrong choices and one late night of partying, I laid on my bed and thought, “there’s got to be more to this life!”  I prayed the most ugly prayer in history and told God if He was real, I needed to know.  I passed out and woke up completely sober.  Completely.  I had no desire for any substance at all.  I immediately got back into church and within months met my wife.  I moved to Utah in 1999 where I’d spend the next 8 years volunteering in my church in several capacities, one of which was youth ministry.  I really never had a true desire to teach young people.  I wanted to minister to adults and help them with their walk with God, not kids!  But, one night I went with my wife into a youth service where a new found love for young people and a heart to see them set on the right path was discovered.  After that, it was game over and what was once all about me became all about others and I just wanted to help them however I could.

In 2006, I moved home to Albuquerque where my wife and I became Student Ministry Pastors and have been pouring our lives and souls into young people ever since.  I sincerely care for young people.  I care about where they are at mentally, physically and of course, spiritually.   I care about their safety, education, view points and mentality.   I honestly feel there is a generation of young people growing up that are not investigating the things they believe in.  Instead, they believe what music artists, the media, their friends and the internet say concerning important subjects like life, religion and politics.  This must stop!

One night while watching Glenn Beck on FOX News, I had a sudden urgency come on me to write a political song.  I’ve never written a political song and actually had been planning to get into the studio to record a rather bold, in your face song about God.  Yet, I knew I had to write this political song instead.  As I continued to watch Glenn Beck, I fought the idea about writing it.  I thought, “What in the world would I do with a political song?”  I knew how strongly I felt about politics and the current condition of our government and nation, but a political song?  Finally, I put all doubt aside and picked up a pen and piece of paper.  Within literally five minutes, the song was written.  I got into the studio immediately and we pumped the song out in less than a couple sessions.  With the help of a close friend, I was given the idea to make a video and everything else is history.  I’m so stoked about how this song is in some way helping our nation.  It’s making a difference.

I wrote “Stand Up” out of pure concern about where our country and the generations coming up in our nation are going and honest conviction and belief in the possibility that it is not too late for the UNITED States of America.  That we can and will “Stand Up” and truly be “a government of the people, by the people, for the people.”  In looking at some of the lyrics from my song, “Stand Up”, I wrote:

“There’s somethin’ happenin’ here.
What it is, ain’t exactly unclear.
Politicians with our lives in their hands,
Tellin’ you and me, which way we should stand.
I think it’s time we STOP, hey what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s goin’ down…”

This is the heart of the song.  We Americans have to stop, and really look at what is and has been happening in our nation and government.  We must stand up to injustice and unrighteousness and be the strong nation we were founded to be.  If I can stand up, anyone can.  I’m really hoping and praying that many Americans will join the battle-cry to Stand Up and not back down.  We are America.

Updated: Fixed embedded video error