Today, we are thrilled to be joined by Nicholas Sparks, a renowned author whose novels like The Notebook and A Walk to Remember have touched hearts around the world. While many know him for his captivating love stories, few realize that Nicholas’ journey to writing was born out of personal setbacks and unexpected moments of faith. He’ll let us in on his latest book, Counting Miracles, ​​a powerfully emotional novel about wondering if we can change—or even make our peace with—the path we've taken. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Mattie Jackson Smith—author, speaker, and daughter of country music legend Alan Jackson—as she shares about the process of grieving her husband, Ben, and the identity loss that came with it. As Mattie struggled to trust God in the face of unimaginable suffering, she watched as God turned her life story around in a way she never could have imagined.    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Willie Robertson Upcoming interview: Dr. Sarita Lyons Jesus Calling commemorative edition Jesus Calling app - Premium subscriptions 20% off for a limited time!    Nicholas Sparks  The Notebook  A Walk to Remember  Counting Miracles Notre Dame Book of Job www.nicholassparks.com Other Jesus Calling interviews about forgiveness   Mattie Jackson Smith Alan Jackson Mattie’s first interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast John 11:35 NIV www.mattiejackson.net Through the Valley of Grief Other Jesus Calling interviews about making peace with our circumstances   Interview Quotes: “I’ve learned a couple of things about myself [while becoming a writer]. Number one, that I had it in me to finish a story once I started, and number two, there were parts of telling a story that I really enjoyed.” - Nicholas Sparks   “It's the nature of life for challenges to happen. And I think in the end, what is most important to God is that we choose to still believe.” - Nicholas Sparks “All of a sudden a widow at twenty-eight, it upends everything about your life. The loss and grief of him and our love, but also our future and everything else we had planned for. There is this devastating emptiness of that person not being in your life. But there is also this emptiness in this really painful and unwanted shift of our identity in relation to that person.” - Mattie Jackson Smith  “God didn't design us to hold the weight of death on our own.” - Mattie Jackson Smith  “He is always faithful not to fix our circumstances, but to meet us in them over and over and over again.” - Mattie Jackson Smith “What's the balance of really asking God for what I want and surrendering it to Him? He keeps writing our stories into more joy and into more beauty and into a more abundant life.” - Mattie Jackson Smith “You think back to being a kid and If you're afraid of the dark, it's still dark. But when your parents hold you tightly, what's around you doesn't change, but you feel secure. And I think that's the way that I experience the peace of God. And I think that's one of the most miraculous things that we experience as believers.” - Mattie Jackson Smith  ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes:     https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7  Bonus Podcasts:     https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw  Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer:  https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C  Peace for Everyday Life:     https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj  Peace in Uncertain Times:     https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u  What’s Good?     https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj  Enneagram:     https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY  ________________________  Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.