Talkin' LIFE with Jonathan Hunter

Jonathan has a lively conversation with goddaughter  Katie Comiskey, now Director at Large at Desert Stream Ministries (DSM)– the ministry founded by her father, Andrew Comiskey, over 45 years ago.  Katie shares what it was like growing up in and, after working as a teacher in Kansas City for several years, deciding to become involved in DSM fulltime. She also describes with candid transparency the arc of her personal healing journey in the process of becoming a leader at Desert Stream.  Katie has a long-standing connection to Desert Stream’s Living Waters ministry, having served for years in leadership facilitating groups in her local community. She currently serves as Director at Large at Desert Stream Ministries helping support and expand the work nationally. Her work is rooted in the power of the Cross to transform lives – beginning with her own – and in the commitment to living and promoting chastity.

Jonathan has an engaging conversation with longtime friend and recent author, Chris Myers. The two recall their initial meeting some 35+ years ago and Chris’ participation in the early days of Embracing Life, then known as AIDS Resource Ministry(ARM).  Chris discusses how his extensive background in design and love of travel, together with a lifelong passion for journaling, all came together in the recent publication his book, The Power of Journaling and the ARISE workshops. Chris Myers is an inspirational author, engaging facilitator and lifelong creator of immersive experiences, having notably worked with Disney, Mattel and Universal. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island School of Design, and a Masters of Practical Theology and Honorary Doctorate from New Covenant University. Chris recently published The Power of Journaling and offers ARISE workshops for novices and experienced alike to engage in journaling as a means for deepening the relationship between God and self.  Website: Home - Chris Myers Author

Jonathan has a conversation with friend, ministry leader and author, Denise Shick. Denise discusses the painful struggles she endured being raised by a trans-identified parent and the support that’s now available for concerned family and loved ones of LGBTQ+ children and adults.  Denise Shick is the founder and executive director of Help 4 Families Ministry and executive director of Living Stones Ministries. She is the author of seven children’s books and several nonfiction books, including My Daddy’s Secret, Understanding Gender Confusion—A Faith-Based Perspective, When Hope Seems Lost, and several other books. She has a BA in psychology and is a biblical counselor and certified life coach.   Website: Freedom From Homosexuality - Living Stones Ministries      

Jonathan sits down for a clear, frank discussion with friend Rev. Brian Barlow, the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Banning, CA.  Brian shares his heartfelt testimony of sexual brokenness and subsequent transformation by the Lord which eventually led to a ministry to the sexually and relationally broken and church pastorate. Rev. Barlow, in addition to pastoring, serves with many local and national ministries including Lutheran’s for Life, Y4Life, LINC-LA and Help4Families. He also served as Regional Director for Desert Stream Ministries, SoCal from 2016-2020. Brian and his wife Nicole have four boys ages 11,9,5 and 1.

Jonathan sits down with longtime friend, Glenys Brookbanks, a renowned artist and exhibiting painter in New Zealand. She has also been a pioneer leader in relational healing groups in New Zealand.  Glenys and her husband Warren live in close community with their adult family in Auckland, New Zealand. She has led many Embracing Life groups as well as those of Desert Stream Ministries over several decades. Her passion for Jesus, the Cross and the Church is abundant in her teaching. She is a co-author, along with Jonathan and Andrea Hunter, on the upcoming book, More Power! Understanding and Experiencing the Cross.  

Jonathan visits with friends Eric and Marta Darby. Eric is a former, longtime Board member of Embracing Life Ministries and has participated in ELM’s Zoom seminars on depression and anxiety.  Marta, along with her husband Eric, has taught Desert Stream Ministries’ Living Waters program for several years. Marta also has a considerable, online following within the Cuban-American community with her blog, “My Big Fat Cuban Family”. The pair have been associated with the Vineyard Christian Church in Orange County, CA for over 30 years. The friends look back on how they met and came to be involved in healing ministry together…both with Desert Stream and Embracing Life Ministries. A good portion of the podcast focusses on the profound impact Marta’s near-death Covid hospitalization had on their family, and the daily battle they were forced to wage against the spirit of death and all its various manifestations.  

Jonathan sits down to talk with friends Russell and Marion Pyle, who share their riveting story of their God-directed experience in overcoming a deadly, cancer diagnosis.  Russell and Marion Pyle each have extensive resumes of their vast experience in film, television, stage and media. However, when Russ was diagnosed with a deadly, bladder cancer back in 2012, they entered into foreign territory. A Holy Spirit -led strategy emerged for battling the cancer and amazingly, 10 months later, Russell was completely healed! This podcast is about their incredible story of overcoming cancer that resulted in Marion’s book, Healed, Healthy and Whole, How We Beat Cancer with Integrated Therapies and Healing Strategies.You can buy the book here:  Healed, Healthy and Whole: Pyle, Marion M: 9781629520988: Amazon.com: Books

Jonathan gets together with Neil and Debra Driscoll, the Associate Directors of Embracing Life Ministries, to talk about their history with the ministry. 2023 is the 25th anniversary of Embracing Life’s first publication, Embracing Life Series (ELS).  To commemorate the occasion, Jonathan has Debra and Neil Driscoll share about their first encounter with ELS two decades ago and how it radically changed their lives and involvement in ministry life! 

Jonathan sits down with dear friends and co-authors of Embracing Life’s publication More Hope! Emerging from the Shadow of Breast Cancer…Beth Webb and Andrea Hunter. October is “Breast Cancer Awareness” month and coincidentally, “AIDS Awareness” month.  Jonathan, Beth and Andrea share memories of the early years of Embracing Life Ministries– formerly AIDS Resource Ministry (ARM) – recollecting their heartfelt experiences while ministering to the HIV-affected. Beth (a cancer survivor) and Andrea also share how More Hope! came together and has since become a valuable, healing resource for women struggling with a cancer diagnosis. Link to More Hope!  publication: More Hope! — Embracing Life Ministries

In this podcast Jonathan sits down with Annette Comiskey, wife of Andrew Comiskey, the founder and director of Desert Stream Ministries.  Annette has served alongside Andrew for over 4 decades ministering to wives and family members and those seeking healing for their own areas of personal wounding and sin. Having received much healing for the sexual abuse she experienced in childhood, Annette understands the process, hope and restoration that can be found in and through Jesus Christ. She adores her family and is most “in her element” with their 4 kids (all grown, 3 married) and their multiple grandkids.Web site:    Desert Stream

Jonathan visits with Kent and Cathy Larson, associate pastors at Vineyard Community Church (VCC) in Laguna Niguel, California where they oversee prayer and pastoral care. During their time at VCC they established HOPE (House of Prayer for Everyone), Vineyard healing Rooms, Mercy Arts Community and Mercy Transformation Center. Their passion is to provide resources to bring people into full transformation in Christ through a lifestyle of face-to-face encounters with the living presence of Jesus and joyful, relational and intergenerational community. Website: Immanuel Prayer Ministry – Inner Healing Ministry

Jonathan sits down with friend Karen Covell, founding Director of The Hollywood Prayer Network (HPN) as well as producer of TV specials, documentaries and children’s programming. Karen has a broad and extensive resume of work in the Hollywood TV, film and music industry. Her unwavering, prayerful intercession for the entertainment industry through her HPN leadership, has given Karen a seasoned perspective and special insight into how the Lord is moving in that community. Karen is married to film and TV composer, Jim Covell; they have two sons, both professional filmmakers in their own right. Website:  Hollywood Prayer Network - Praying for the Entertainment Industry

Jonathan has a conversation with guests Shannon Brooks and Cassie Erickson. Both women serve as directors of discipleship programs at The Dream Center, in Los Angeles, California which provides support to those affected by homelessness, addiction, hunger and lack of education through residential and community outreach programs. Cassie and Shannon share what brought them to The Dream Center and go on describe its ever-expanding outreach as more Dream Centers are established throughout the U.S. and around the world. Co-founded by Pastor Matthew Barnett in the mid-1990’s, The Dream Center currently helps tens of thousands, each week, through various ministries and outreach programs. Web Site:  Transforming Lives (dreamcenter.org)

Jonathan sits down with Benjamin (Benji) Cruz, the National Director of Living Waters Philippines – a Christian relational and sexual healing ministry. Benji describes how his personal pursuit of healing and wholeness eventually led him to give up his public relations consultancy firm to become involved with Living Waters. Under his directorship, Living Waters/ Philippines has grown exponentially, having the largest network of groups outside the U.S.Website: Home - Living Waters Philippines 

Jonathan sits down for a conversation with Susan Highleyman – a longtime friend, international conference speaker/trainer and marriage and family therapist. Susan shares about her decades-long involvement with inner healing, her own ministry Diakonos/Face to Face and the various healing Intensives, workshops and Spirit-led approach to healing of the soul that her ministry offers. Website:  Face to Face / Diakonos (unshakabletrust.com) 

Jonathan sits down with friends and longtime supporters of Embracing Life Ministries, David and Elizabeth Schmus, both leaders in the Christian Educators Association International (CEAI).  David, who is Executive Director of CEAI and Elizabeth, who works alongside him, share about the vital role the organization plays in supporting Christian educators today. CEAI encourages, equips and empowers teachers in living out their faith, legally, in our public schools as well as offering an alternative to politicized teachers unions. This discussion is enlightening and “good news” for anyone disturbed about the current state of our educational system. Married for 29 years, David and Elizabeth have five daughters and are active homeschoolers and foster parents.Website: Christian Educators Association International - CEAI Phone Number: 888-798-1124 

Jonathan has a conversation with longtime friend, Tracey Bickle, pastor over Restoration and Recovery at Forerunner Church in Kansas City and contributor to International House of Prayer (IHOP) and it’s healing ministries.  Tracey describes her own experience of the pain and damage of divorce, as well as her recovery journey and long-held passion for helping others dealing with trauma, abuse and addiction. She is the author of Chaos Beneath the Shade.   Tracey Bickle Ministries: https://www.traceybickle.com/  

Jonathan has a conversation with friend, Daryl Lefever, who has worked in the film industry for 28 years. Fifteen of those years were as a feature film controller [i.e. financial] for  X-Men, Polar Express, Nancy Drew and Where the Wild Things Are, to name a few. In 2008, Daryl decided to focus on producing Christian-themed films. Some of his  credits since then include: Faith of Our Fathers, Amazing Love, Mom’s Night Out, Woodlawn, I Can Only Imagine and Unplanned. Daryl shares about how he came to work in Hollywood, some of the breaks he got, the conflicts  he learned to avoid and most importantly the faithfulness of God in seeing his dream to produce Christian  films fulfilled. 

Jonathan sits down with guest and friend Cheryl Allen, the Founder and Executive Director of Pasadena International House of Prayer (PIHOP) located in Pasadena, California.Cheryl shares how PIHOP first began and later expanded to include its extensive worship and prayer offerings for the body of Christ in the LA area and mission community in the world.  Website:   PIHOP 

Jonathan has a conversation with Andrew Comiskey, the founder and Director of Desert Stream Ministries based in Kansas City, Missouri. Andrew shares thoughts and memories of working with Jonathan for over 20 years on staff at DSM, as well as lending insight into the Church’s vital role of equipping men and women for radical wholeness.  Web site:    Desert Stream

A conversation led by Embracing Life Ministry assistant Ofelia Habelt, with Jonathan, talking about the critical need for discussion and teaching on the Cross in the Church today. Jonathan also shares about the upcoming ELM publication,  More Power! Understanding and Experiencing the Cross. 

Jonathan has a conversation with Sandra Teplinsky of Light of Zion Ministries based in Jerusalem. Jonathan and Sandra discuss various topics regarding the significance of the Church’s role in caring about and praying for Israel and the Jewish people.Light of Zion website: Here

Jonathan has a conversation with Ajay Samuel, the head of prophetic ministry and training at Pasadena International House of Prayer (PIHOP). They discuss the role of prophecy and inner healing in Christian growth and  transformation.

Our first interview is with Jonathan and ELM Board member Carla Turner having a personal discussion on matters of race in America.