At 26, Baylor Wilson has already lived a life most people only dream about – excelling at competitive cheerleading, starring in Season 29 of CBS’s Survivor, scoring a country music publishing deal – all before graduating from college.  

But according to Baylor, these life-making moments were just a precursor to the abundant life she found when she met Jesus. When asked what exactly happened that prompted her to start writing songs about Jesus, she joyfully exclaims, “Jesus happened.”

In 2017, a year after she’d graduated, a friend invited her to a worship service being held at an auto body car shop.

"I walked in, and I was so surrendered in life at that point. Life was really hard in that season. It was the perfect moment for me to have a soft heart toward God, and I did," said Wilson.

"I walked in and literally, I felt the presence of God so strong, I was on my knees in the first 10 minutes. I didn't even know what the presence of God was. I just felt his love, his holy spirit. I felt so welcomed by him, by actual God. Not by a group of really nice people. It was such a radical born-again moment. This was the real deal. I gave my life to Christ."

Baylor hadn’t sought out an encounter with God, hadn’t considered her life was going down the wrong path. But after that life-altering worship service, Baylor could concentrate on little else but her newfound love for Jesus. “I’d have co-writes with country writers and I’d be testifying to these people who used to be worship leaders. They didn’t know what to think! But my mind had been renewed. I’d had supernatural brain surgery and it was all I wanted to talk about.”

After finishing out her country publishing deal, Baylor sought advice from longtime friend (and now co-manager) Michael Blanton. He brought her to Fair Trade where she immediately felt at home. Fair Trade recognized her talent from the catalogue of country songs she’d written, but more than that could see Baylor’s absolute desire for spreading the love of Jesus as far and wide as she could. They offered her a deal and she hasn’t looked back since.

Baylor’s first single, appropriately titled “Jesus Happened,” is her story of meeting Jesus and being changed from the inside out. Baylor’s country-leaning vocals sparkle with her conviction, belting out how every part of her life’s been changed, sounding every bit like a country artist who got saved. “It’s sanctified country music,” Baylor says with a smile that matches the joy of the song. “ After my encounter with Jesus, people would see me and say, ‘What happened to you?’ I figured out the easiest way to explain it was that Jesus happened!”

Today on Connections, Baylor shares her amazing testimony with us. She'll also chat a bit about her music.