Have you heard of Jackie Hill?
If not, then do yourself a favor and watch this powerful poem. Then read her powerful testimony. The 23-year-old St. Louis native is fast developing a reputation for unleashing raw, undiluted, in-your-face truth through the medium of spoken word poetry.
Jackie’s salvation story is an especially encouraging testimony to God’s interrupting, life-altering grace. He is using her, too, to spread good news.
After walking with the Lord for almost four years, God has allowed Jackie to witness to thousands of people, through the gift of poetry, about the grace and power of God! Her life’s goal is to see people believe in Jesus for the IMPOSSIBLE!
I corresponded with Jackie about her “impossible” conversion (praise God for Matthew 19:25-26!), her four-year journey with Jesus, challenges for young artists today, and more.
According to your website, growing up you were “molested by a family friend, bullied in school, and fatherless, which, accompanied with an inherent separation from God, led [you] into a lifestyle of rebellion, homosexuality, drug use, porn addiction, and everything wicked.” How did God save you?
Over a period of six months (from spring 2008 until October 2008), I felt the Lord drawing me. I was beginning to be very convicted about my lifestyle. I never had peace, and I knew ultimately that I would spend an eternity in hell if I didn’t repent. In October 2008, I was in my bed minding my business, and I felt the Lord speak to me and say, “She will be the death of you.” I knew he was referencing my girlfriend. Even though God spoke of homosexuality initially, I knew in the pit of my soul that my entire lifestyle would be the death of me. For the first time in my life, I saw the reality of my sin.
At that moment, I conversed with God and told him that I would not be able to walk away from sin without his help, but I knew he would help me. I had no concept of repentance and faith at that time, but now I realize that’s what I did. Since that day, I’ve been freed from the power of sin over my life and have been walking with Jesus.
You’ve been walking with Jesus for about four years now. What’s the journey been like?
It hasn’t been easy, to say the least. I’ve had a lot of struggles and various trials, but I’ve also experienced consistent growth overall. I believe that’s been due to God surrounding me with godly women, as well as my being discipled for two years and just learning what it means to walk with Jesus. These have been some of the hardest years of my life, but I wouldn’t trade them in for anything, because the hardships have given me a revelation of God I probably wouldn’t have seen if everything was “all good” all the time.
How have you been able to minister to friends from your “former life”?
Initially, I had to separate myself from the majority of my friends in that life because I knew the temptations would be far too strong for me to resist as a new believer. But as time went on, I began reaching out to many of them through social networks. I simply told them the truth and showed them how God changed my life and the reality that it truly is possible to change.
Many of them already know that, but they are still slaves to a lie. But God is able! Others have told me that my change has inspired them—-and with that, I trust God is working in their hearts.
Who inspires you as a gifted and faithful Christian artist?
Mali Music, Propaganda, and Ebony Moore are a few people who inspire me to be great at my craft.
What’s the most pressing challenge today for artists like you trying to express their faith?
Creativity is one of the greatest challenges. As an artist, my job is to take subjects that are common knowledge and often cliché and express them in a new and innovative way. Artists who are boring are artists who won’t be appreciated. They could have awesome topics, but if their creativity doesn’t bring those topics to life, then they may have done their jobs as Christians but failed as artists.
The world hates the truth, but it loves good artistry, so my aim is to create good poems to get people’s attention, yet with subjects that will convict and bring forth the truth of God’s Word to their hearing.