In October 2008, at just 19 years old, Jackie Hill Perry found herself in a moment that would change her life forever. Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Jackie had grown up in a single-parent home, experienced early trauma, and by her teenage years, had embraced a lifestyle that felt both familiar and rebellious. She identified as a lesbian, assuming a masculine role in relationships and engaging in behaviors that distanced her from traditional Christian teachings. Yet, on one particular night, everything shifted.
Divine Intervention Bedroom Encounter
Jackie recalls sitting in her bedroom, free from the usual haze of smoke after an impulsive spree left her without distraction. It was then she felt a profound interruption. "I sat up quick, like I'd seen a ghost," she remembers. In that stillness, she sensed God speaking to her heart, revealing the weight of her sins and their fatal consequences. "I just felt God speak to my heart in such a way that I saw that all of my sin deserved death," she later recounted, understanding that it wasn't just her sexuality but a life lived apart from Him.
God Changed Her Life Instantly
This divine encounter marked the beginning of Jackie's transformation. She turned to Jesus, recognizing Him as the only one who could save her from the path she was on. Her understanding of faith shifted from a set of rules to a relationship with God, powered by the Holy Spirit's work in her life. "God interrupted my room," she said, "and all of a sudden, I had this awareness that my sin deserved death."
Walking in Complete Transformation
Gradually, Jackie distanced herself from destructive relationships and began expressing her identity differently, both in dress and demeanor. In 2010, she performed her first spoken word piece, using her poetic gifts to share the Gospel. By March 2014, she married Preston Perry, a relationship that underscored her belief that God didn't simply call her to heterosexuality but to love a specific man He had for her.
Jackie's journey is a testament to the transformative power of Jesus. Her story, filled with authentic struggle and supernatural change, points to a God who can create galaxies and intricately change hearts. Today, Jackie continues to use her voice through writing, speaking, and poetry to testify to God's work in her life, giving all glory to Jesus for her redemption.
