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Finding “Tidbits of Joy” in Seasons of Pain: Mattie Jackson Selecman & Deborah Evans Price
Description
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:
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
LSU [Louisiana State University]
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