Mission in My Words
My first experience with the Nashville Rescue Mission was through a mailer I received around Thanksgiving. It was 2004 and I had recently moved to Nashville for my music career. My dad feeds the homeless back home, so I knew a donation would help those in need. It felt good to give.
I got to know a lot more about the Mission two years ago when my record label participated in a radiothon with 94 FM The Fish to raise money for the Mission. I worked the phone bank, heard testimonies from men and women going through the Mission’s life-recovery program and toured the facility. It was enormous and the experience was enlightening.
When you consider I didn’t know the Lord until much later in life, it’s really hard to believe God has brought me to a place where I can minister to the homeless and hurting—whether it’s through a donation or through my music. God is so good.
I’m from Boston where there are no Christian radio stations. I went to church, but never really heard the gospel preached until the end of my junior year while studying at Berklee College of Music. My life was forever changed when a friend shared the gospel with me. I was going through a difficult time, but when I came to Christ, His forgiveness was instantaneous. Feelings of mercy and grace overwhelmed me.
Experiencing the love of God and the journey of faith with Jesus was all I could think, talk and dream about. The music I was learning, listening to and performing was not bad, but when my heart changed so did the song of my life. I began writing and singing songs to glorify God. My fervor for the Lord spread through my family, and eventually they all accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. This led to my dad’s passion for helping the homeless. Every Sunday he feeds 100 to 200 homeless people in Boston.
This past year I worked the radiothon again. They are doing amazing things at the Mission. Not only do they provide food, clothing and shelter for homeless men, women and children, they also provide life-recovery programs for those dealing with addictions. Hurting people are finding Jesus, overcoming their past, getting jobs and giving back to the community. With God’s help, lives are being changed every day at the Nashville Rescue Mission. I’m just so glad I get to be a part of it.
Jaime is a Christian singer, songwriter and worship leader. She grew up in Boston and attended Berklee College of Music. After graduating, she interned at The City Church in Seattle, and then signed with Centricity Music as one of their first artists. Jaime’s new single, Everything You Are is now playing on Christian radio stations nationwide.
