Episode Details...
Let's Pray
A Lifetime of God's Love
What does it really mean to believe that God loves you, not because of what you do, but simply because of who you are? Season sits down with Timothy Nelson, Dean of Men at Washington Adventist University, who shares his journey from childhood survival, through years of spiritual performance and doubt, to a deeply personal relationship with God.
Season Cromwell sits down with Timothy Nelson, Dean of Men at Washington Adventist University, for a candid conversation about faith, identity, and what it truly means to be loved by God outside of performance.
Timothy opens with a remarkable childhood story: at around 18 months old, he accidentally drank a substance similar to ammonia, was hospitalized for three months with a fever reaching 105 degrees, and later developed asthma. Through it all, his mother, a nurse, stayed by his side and prayed. These early experiences of survival, however, did not immediately translate into a personal faith. Timothy describes growing up in a conservative Adventist home where devotions were long, Bible reading was required, and faith felt more like a to-do list than a living relationship.
The conversation explores how Timothy spent decades struggling to believe that God's love was not conditional on right behavior. He describes prayers that sounded like complaints, a deep sense of insignificance, and an instinct to avoid leadership even as God kept placing him in it.
Timothy also reflects on his work with young men and women on campus, the recent losses the university community has faced, and the prayer needs he carries for students who are wrestling with identity, belonging, and what a real relationship with God looks like. The episode closes with Season leading a prayer over Timothy, his wife Michelle, the students, and the campus.
Videos
What does it really mean to believe that God loves you, not because of what you do, but simply because of who you are? Season sits down with Timothy Nelson, Dean of Men at Washington Adventist University, who shares his journey from childhood survival, through years of spiritual performance and doubt, to a deeply personal relationship with God.
On election night in the United States, Season Cromwell sits down with Pastor Marlon Reid at the historic Takoma Park Seventh-day Adventist Church to wrestle with a question many are afraid to ask: can genuine trust in God actually change the way we feel and respond on election night? Drawing on the story of Daniel, Pastor Marlon Reid explores what it looks like to care deeply about justice and community while remaining spiritually anchored.
What does it look like when the person who prays for everyone else finally gets to share their own story? In this playful episode of Let's Pray, Season Cromwell and producer Phil Riley take their conversation to a basketball court, using a game of H.O.R.S.E. to swap questions and open up about faith, family, and what keeps them doing this work.
What does it look like to build a ministry out of a 30-year friendship? Season Cromwell sits down with Ricky Venters and Marlon Madden, the founders of Success Journey Sports, to explore how two friends who met at a church camp in the '90s turned decades of shared faith and life experience into a community hub serving youth, families, and those in recovery. Their story raises a bigger question: what happens when God's call grows far beyond what you originally prayed for?
When Dora Desamour's life was already upended by divorce and single parenthood, a friend suggested something she never expected: uprooting her family to serve as an HR director on the island of Guam. Season sits down with Dora as she recounts how she resisted, negotiated, and ultimately stepped into a calling she never asked for, only to see God's leading through a broken ankle and a custody hearing thousands of miles from home.
Season Cromwell sits down with Jasmine Brann, the new principal of Tacoma Academy, to talk about what it really means to lead a school through prayer. Jasmine shares how her personal prayer life, including original songwriting and prayer walks, shapes the way she serves students, staff, and families. The conversation explores how prayer can genuinely transform a school culture, especially for young people navigating mental health challenges, big life decisions, and a world full of distractions.
Singer Chayah Miranda shares her journey of choosing to give her talents to God—and the incredible ways He has guided her life along the way.
Pastor Mike Speegle, joins Season to discuss his co-authored book "Big Questions," which tackles faith's hardest doubts, including whether God exists, why people suffer, and how to find purpose in life. The conversation explores honest, practical approaches to prayer and doubt, emphasizing that uncertainty is a natural and valuable part of any faith journey.
Shelley Ringstaff, social worker, missionary, and pastor's wife, joins Season to share how God has guided her through poverty, bullying, and seasons of uncertainty. She reflects on simple, honest prayer, the power of compassion shaped by hardship, and a remarkable story of God providing food for refugee communities during Covid.
Jerry shares his remarkable journey from atheism to faith, recounting how a series of unexpected nudges led him to buy a Bible, discover the Sabbath, and eventually get baptized. Season and Jerry discuss the realities of new faith, including a serious health crisis shortly after baptism, an honest prayer life, and the beauty of answered prayers for community and marriage.
Justin Woods, a long-time Hope Channel team member, shares his remarkable journey of waiting on God through years of unanswered prayer. From a dinosaur dig in Texas to a surprise call to India, Justin recounts how bold, specific prayers led to unexpected doors, a career in Christian media, and a family he never imagined he would find in Maryland.
In this episode of Let's Pray, Ruthie Reeves shares her personal journey from a faith-filled Kansas upbringing through a serious situation in her teen years, into a place where scripture promises and prayer carried her through. The conversation turns practical, exploring how to "claim the promises" of God's word, with a concrete example of applying James's wisdom promise during high-stakes academic testing. The episode closes with two heartfelt prayers: one for those needing to apply God's word, and one for those longing for a trusted Christian friendship.
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