Last week, I had the joy of returning to MN Adult & Teen Challenge to lead worship for an event. It was my first time back in over a year and half since things shut down with Covid. Such a joy! I put together a team of musicians and wanted to share what one of our team members wrote about from his experience there: "I have a confession. I am a self-centered worshiper. I love worship music. I love playing on worship teams. There is nothing better than sharing that experience with a team of musicians that exude joy and praise with their whole being. But, I am self-centered. Now, I don't mean that in an idolatrous way. My focus and joy in worship is singing truth and honoring God. It's just when I sing these songs I am always seeing it from my own personal perspective and my own lived experience. That's unavoidable I suppose as many of these church songs are intended to be self-reflective and applicable to all the saints. But, sometimes change in perspective is required to see a full picture. Tonight I had the awesome opportunity to lead worship with a team for MN Adult & Teen Challenge in Minneapolis. It has been years since I played with a team in a parachurch ministry, and forgot how rewarding it is. Pouring over the lyrics this week from a perspective that was not my own seemed to just open these songs up. Songs I've played dozens of times and heard hundreds of times, heard now in a completely new light. Sharing the room with all those those voices rejoicing in that freedom from such an honest place. It's hard not to be jealous of that pure redemptive experience. But then, I remember that while perspectives and lived experiences may differ, we share the same gospel and the same freedom from the bondage of this world and the darkness within. Prodigals come home The helpless find hope Prison doors fling wide The dead come to life Miracles take place The cynical find faith The Jericho walls are quaking Strongholds now are shaking Love is breaking through When the Father's in the room." These lyrics are from one of the songs we sang at the event, called "The Father's House". You can listen to it below. Also, if you wanted to tune in to the Gala but missed it, here is a link you can watch it from: MN Adult & Teen Challenge Gala. You will be blessed by getting to listen to their choir and hear inspiring testimonies! Thank you for your support and helping to make this kind of ministry possible! Jackie
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Hello family and friends! I am writing to share an update about some exciting new opportunities for ministry that God has been providing.
PRISON FELLOWSHIP The Shakopee women's prison has not yet opened up for volunteers to come in to teach classes, be involved in ministry programs, etc. But in this, God has opened some new doors for ways to continue to be involved with Prison Fellowship and is redirecting my focus in prison ministry to re-entry: 1. Late last year, a monthly breakfast gathering began for women who were a part Prison Fellowship as inmates inside the Shakopee prison and have since been released, as well as mentors and staff. At the breakfasts, we fellowship together, listen to a message, share testimonies, and I've had the joy of getting to lead worship as part of these. We just met for our May breakfast this past Saturday and I was so encouraged by what God is doing among these women! 2. Another opportunity that has just begun is a weekly discipleship group for women who have come out of the Shakopee prison. Many of the women who attend the breakfasts are also a part of this, but because this group is meeting weekly, we are able to get to know each other better. To build trust. To be honest and vulnerable in our struggles. To learn from Scripture together each week. I really count it a privilege to be a part of this group--Thursday nights have become a real highlight in my week! MN ADULT & TEEN CHALLENGE 1. Very excited to share that the doors are open here again for volunteers to be a part of this ministry! I've just been invited back to MN Adult & Teen Challenge to lead worship for one of their large group gatherings on May 20. This event will be for clients who have graduated from the program. Love that this opportunity is open again! 2. Also, MN Adult & Teen Challenge is hosting a virtual Gala, that everyone is invited to (it is free to register and attend). There is also an online auction they are sponsoring as a fundraiser for their ministry. It is on May 21 from 7-7:45pm. You can register at this link and view the online auction items HERE. Thank you for reading. Your prayers, support, and encouragements are such a blessing to me! On Sunday Feb. 7, we received a text that a friend of ours from our small group Bible study at church was likely going to be going home to Jesus that day, after her two-year, long fought battle with cancer. I was on the worship team as a guest at another church that morning and was asked to lead this song. I sang this shortly after seeing the text, and it was one of those moments where God completely filled my heart as I sang it on behalf of Sarena's life. I wanted to share it with Sarena's family that day, but hesitated because I didn't know if it would be insensitive to share a song about God's goodness in the midst of such pain. Later that night at just 35 years old, Sarena went home into the loving arms of Jesus. Tonight, Jake and I attended the memorial service for our friend, Sarena. What stood out the most to me from tonight was the theme of God's goodness. I was so blessed to hear that in her final days, Sarena was proclaiming God's goodness. And her husband, who loved her so deeply and in the midst of his and their children's pain, also spoke of how good God is and that He is faithful. And so, I want to share this song that was sung on the day Sarena went to be with Jesus as we proclaimed that God is always good and He is faithful. Even in the midst of her battle, this song reminds us that God’s goodness pursued her every day of her life. “Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 I was honored to be a part of a Prison Fellowship Zoom call this weekend. On the call were women who were a part of this ministry as inmates inside the Shakopee prison and have since been released, as well as mentors and staff. We worshiped to this song together as we remembered that no matter what is happening around us or trials that come, we can say "It is well with my soul" because Jesus is our hope and peace. One day during our son's nap time I heard him start to talk in a preaching voice-- “Some of you don’t know about God. So let’s SING about God! …So just remember God. And if you forget, a grown-up can tell you.” It touched my heart as his mom and I of course got a chuckle out of it, but I was also struck by his understanding that if you don’t know about God, you can sing to learn about Him in a song. A song can remind us of a Truth that we may need to be reminded of or that we may need to learn for the first time. And music can serve as a great way to help us remember these truths. This is why I do what I do—to share the Good News of Jesus through music to reach a place in people’s hearts that words alone may not be able to. This picture above is at a monthly breakfast that I got to lead worship at (before it switched to going virtual) for women who have graduated from Prison Fellowship inside the Shakopee womens prison and have now been released. I had the opportunity to chat and reconnect with two women who I met from past times of leading worship inside the prison. It was such a blessing to hear how God has been working in their lives since they’ve been released and seeing them hold strong to their faith! I left so encouraged and inspired!
Year-End Giving: Although 2020 was a difficult year for many financially, our wonderful partners continued to give toward Consumed’s Kingdom work. We believe your investment is noticed by God. Thank you! I would be grateful if you would consider giving a gift (or extra gift) to support my work with Consumed Ministries. All donations are tax-deductible. For online giving, you can donate through this link and select "Music Ministry- Jackie Dixon" as the designated fund: www.consumedministries.com/giving Grateful for my friends and family and the new challenges AND blessings we've experienced in 2020. Merry Christmas to you all! Jackie I've been hearing from so many friends of mine about how much they miss getting to join others in singing praise and worship songs at their churches. And I include myself in those feelings as well. We are so looking forward to being able to go on a regular basis again. Being in some of these conversations prompted me to share something I've been working on for MN Adult & Teen Challenge. I recorded a 3-song worship set for this ministry to use, since they are not meeting for their daily chapel meetings in large groups right now. So my greeting at the beginning of the video is to the Teen Challenge clients, but if you'd like to worship and sing along with the songs that follow, I've shared the link to it below. There are lyrics within the video to make it easy to sing along to. Jake and I had the opportunity yesterday to visit the George Floyd memorial site in Minneapolis. It was a warmer part of the day and there wasn’t anyone near us, so at one point I said to Jake, “Maybe let down your mask and let yourself breathe a little”. And I immediately felt jarred and felt the weight of what I had just said. George Floyd didn’t have the option or choice to “breathe a little”. His breath was taken from him. It was sobering to listen to the voices through the signs and artwork and the people that were speaking. We have come a long way as a nation but we still have so far to go. Jake and I are thinking and praying on these verses as we continue to ask what we can do. To listen. To lament. To act. To love. “And what does the Lord require of you? To ACT justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” -Micah 6:8 “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” -1 John 3:18 These are some pictures from our time at the memorial site. May they continue to move us to listen, pray, lament, act, love, and serve. We also drove through one of the areas where there were riots. We saw this man painting over vulgar graffiti and it struck me. This man was doing what he could. Just a can of paint and a brush. A simple act and not looking for any recognition.
I have something exciting to share with you that I've been working on! This is in response to the special video update from my last post. If you didn't get a chance to watch it, I shared how because it will still be awhile before I can return to my normal places of doing large group ministry (Shakopee women's prison, MN Adult & Teen Challenge, etc), I am feeling God lead me to a new thing in this season-- and that is recording times of worship. My purpose in doing this is to connect with and worship God and to invite others to worship with me from my little corner in our basement:) I hope these songs can be an encouragement to you..
The first song I've recorded is "Spirit Pour Out". I discovered this song when it was led at our church and thought it was very relevant for this time we're in, in light of recent happenings in Minneapolis. This song is a prayer for our nation- for healing, for justice, and for God's kingdom to come. Here are the lyrics: SPIRIT POUR OUT Spirit pour out and flood this city Heaven come down and shake the walls Fill us Lord the world is waiting Father let Your kingdom come Come restore generations of desolation Bind up the poor and broken heart Plant and sow, till and grow what time has ravaged Break down the walls of race and war Spirit pour out and flood this city Heaven come down and shake the walls Fill us Lord the world is waiting Father let Your kingdom come God we seek peace and welfare for our city Prosper redeem her as Your own That all would see Your glory here in greater measure Through us Your church, Your kingdom come Spirit pour out and flood this city Heaven come down and shake the walls Fill us Lord the world is waiting Father let Your kingdom come You are the God who builds You are the One who saves You are the God who prospers Evil has no claim You are the God who builds You are the One who saves You are the God who prospers Fervently we pray Spirit pour out and flood this city Heaven come down and shake the walls Fill us Lord the world is waiting Father let Your kingdom come Hello friends!
I have a special update to share with you this month via a video recording we did as a Consumed Ministries staff team. In it, I will share about a new direction I feel God leading me into within my role of music ministry with Consumed. Thank you for your partnership! Here is the link to the video update: http://consumedministries.com/podcasts/2020/consumedprayer.mp4 "Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning." -Lamentations 3:23. I love this verse and it is the one I woke up reciting to myself as I woke up this morning. Wanted to share, as I think it is a great reminder for us all that God's mercies are new for us each morning. As I type this, I am praying you will be encouraged today in a special way by our great and powerful God. Here is a quick update that also includes an invitation to a virtual event this Friday night. MN Adult & Teen Challenge: I was thankfully able to be a part of leading worship for two events here right before social distancing went in place as part of Covid-19. One event was for a monthly gathering consisting of the program's alumni and the other was for a family worship ministry night for all current clients in the program. I always leave so encouraged by seeing the ways that God is at work among these men and women who are recovering from their addictions and desiring to live in the abundant life Jesus offers them! I would like to inform and invite you to be a part of the Gala that MN Adult & Teen Challenge hosts every year. It will be online this year and is FREE to anyone who registers. It will be this Friday, May 1 from 7-7:30pm. You can register and also browse through the silent auction items at this link: www.mntc.org/gala Singing Hope: I also wanted to share a recording I did with a friend of mine, David Vicchiollo, called "Eye of the Storm". We recorded this a few years ago, but I thought it was fitting to share again. I hope it can bring you some encouragement for today. Hebrews 6:19- Jesus is the anchor of our souls. |
Jackie Dixon
I love Jesus. I love my husband & family. I like dark chocolate. And hats. Traveling. Slippers. Hand written notes. And thrifting. These are a few of my favorite things! Categories
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