April 30, 2025 Midweek News
Last Sunday we began our worship series, “Resurrection Stories.” And I shared with you about the resurrection power at work in the life of Jelly Roll a.k.a. Jason DeFord. In 2023, he had three number one country hits and has been nominated for two Grammy awards at the age of 39. But prior to that, he was imprisoned at the Metro-Davidson County Detention Facility in Nashville, TN. Jason spent his teenage years deep in the prison system. Starting at the age of 14 – the same year he was baptized – he was in and out of prison for several offenses: drug possession, dealing, shoplifting, aggravated robbery.
But Jason loved music, so much so that he even wrote songs in his jail cell. Like Paul and Silas, maybe he sang those songs, too. Everything changed for Jelly Roll when he was 24 and learned from his prison guard that he was a father of a baby girl named Bailey. Out of prison, he continued recording and distributing his rap music until he experienced a breakthrough in 2020 with an acoustic version of one of his songs that caught the ear of country fans. The following year, he performed at the Grand Ole Opry. He’s won several awards and been nominated for two Grammys. His music tells his story and inspires others. Like Paul and Silas caring for the prison guard and leading him to trust in Christ in Acts 16, now Jelly Roll’s visits to prison are to speak words of hope to inmates as he shares his story of redemption with them. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus telling the story to others, Jelly Roll does the same.
Check out this interview on CBS with Jelly Roll, and remember that God’s resurrection turn around power is still at work in the world, freeing people from chains and limitations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7LMd3ailno
Easter blessings,
Pastor Jared