Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to play the guitar. It wasn’t until I was in grade school when my grandmother took me to prayer meeting though, that I became passionate about it. I walked out of there thinking, “I want to do that! I want make people feel the way that they made me feel.” I started playing at my parish shortly thereafter and haven’t stopped yet! In the mean time though, I went to college and got a degree in Respiratory Therapy. I worked my way up to be an assistant department head while in graduate school. When I earned my graduate degree in Community Health Administration I moved over to the Education Department. I had also started my own consulting business. I did a lot of public speaking in those days. Things were going really well in my career, but I wasn’t happy. I felt like God was getting me ready for something bigger. . . something with youth. So I did what any good Catholic would do, I prayed for guidance. When I saw the ad in our parish bulletin for a youth minister, I knew that was it! To shorten this story a little bit, I got the job and then the music and the ministry just started to roll into each other. I started playing at deanery events, then diocesan, regional and eventually national. I guess if you have read this far, you might want to know what kinds of BIG things or accomplishments I may have to my credit. Well, alone, I actually don’t have any, but when God has been in the driver’s seat I have been a member of the Award Winning Catholic Artists for Relief, I was the only female American Musician to lead catechetical sessions and perform at World Youth Day XX, I had a song that I had written be nominated for Christian Song of the Year by a National Web Based Company and was a semifinalist in the National Christian Talent Search Competition 2002. I have performed and/or presented at: NCYC 2005, NCCYM 2004, NCCYM 2002 (showcased as an Emerging Artist), NCYC 2001 and NCCYM 2000. I have worked with parishes and dioceses all over the United States, but when I am not doing that, I still work part time at my parish, attend graduate school (religious education) at Duquense University and spend as much time as possible with my husband and our two children, which goes to show that ‘with God all things are possible!’

Jamie Dillon

For more information visit: www.jamiedillon.com email: Jamiedillon@comcast.net