Our stories are a combination of pain and beauty, of grief and love, of despair and wonder. In the moments when pain and isolation threaten to engulf us, God is there to lift us up and, as our guest Mattie Jackson Selecman says, sprinkle “tidbits of joy” along our darkest paths. Growing up, Mattie watched her dad, country music superstar Alan Jackson, sing songs that connected with people across the country, and she knew she was born to tell stories just like him. But Mattie never could’ve imagined one of the stories she’d tell would be a tragic story of her own: losing her newlywed husband Ben in an accident. With God’s help, and with her Jesus Calling devotional by her side, Mattie began to put the pieces of her life back together and found healing in the very ministry that she co-founded to heal others, NaSHEville. Music journalist Deborah Evans Price passionately chased her dream to tell stories behind some of country and Christian music’s biggest stars, becoming a full-time journalist at Billboard Magazine. But Deborah learned firsthand that just because part of your dream works out doesn’t mean your whole life will fall into place. As Deborah tackled an unexpected cancer diagnosis, she learned there’s true joy in allowing others to come alongside us and care for us when we’re at our lowest.

 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Sarah Young

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling books

Jesus Calling devotional

Jesus Calling Peace for Everyday Life video series

Jesus Calling Magazine [FREE!]

Jesus Calling Podcast Episode with Dawn Barton: Joy: God’s Antidote to Pain

Mattie Jackson Selecman

Alan Jackson

UT [University of Tennessee]

NaSHEville

Human trafficking

 

Deborah Evans Price

Billboard Magazine

Billboard.com

First for Women Magazine

Redbook 

Woman's World 

Sounds Like Nashville

LSU [Louisiana State University]

 

Victoria Damone

1950’s Big Band crooner Vic Damone

 

Interview Quotes:

“Jesus is the only hope, not because He's the only thing left to turn to, but because He's the only thing that will bring light in the dark.” - Mattie Jackson Selecman

“You kind of take [faith] for granted until you have real reason to buckle down and understand and evaluate, Why is this my faith, and why is this not just what I've been told and taught?” - Mattie Jackson Selecman

“Don't feel like it's your job to plan out every step of your life—go live it. And what happens to you will be the story that you'll end up telling.” - Mattie Jackson Selecman

“He walked the way Jesus walked. He saw people for who they were, and not for what they did, or for something that he expected or wanted from them.” - Mattie Jackson Selecman, on her husband Ben

“On paper, we did all the things we were supposed to do, you know, to “get the miracle.” But we didn't. And part of understanding and processing and finding joy amidst the pain doesn't come from having that question answered.” - Mattie Jackson Selecman

“Wherever you are in your faith, He'll find you.” - Mattie Jackson S