Jeremy Powell, a pastor and teacher in Union City, Tennessee, was born with an autoimmune deficiency that rendered his body incapable of defeating bacterial and fungal infections. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world, Powell contracted fungal meningitis. Given only an 18% chance of surviving the infection, his doctors at the National Institutes of Health recommended a bone marrow transplant as a last-ditch effort to clear the meningitis and save his life. Powell survived the transplant, and his rehabbed immune system even fought back the infection in his spine and brain. He was healed of his autoimmune deficiency and the fungal meningitis it caused. However, it left him completely paralyzed from the neck down, an he found himself dangerously close to having his breathing permanently compromised.

After a stint at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Spain Rehabilitation Hospital, another operation and an inpatient rehab stay at Vanderbilt’s Stallworth Hospital, Powell slowly began feeling again. As he has grown stronger, his mobility has dramatically improved, and Powell continues to amaze medical doctors, nurses and physical therapists nationwide with his miraculous recovery.
 
In this episode, Powell shares his inspirational story and that in the midst of some of the darkest days he has ever experienced, it became clear that God could use his suffering to cultivate hope in his life and in the lives of others. Today, he has returned to the pulpit of Crosswind Church where his message of hope touches hundreds each week. You can discover more about Powell at JeremyPowell.com and find episodes of his messages on Crosswind Church’s Youtube channel.
 
This episode is sponsored by Leader Credit Union. Leaders is insured by NCUA.

EP 153: Jeremy Powell: Cultivating Hope

​Each year, Discovery Park of America’s Southern Artist Showcase highlights a unique artist with roots in the region. This year, metal sculptor Dave Dunn brings his Reelfoot Critters collection to life, blending movement, whimsy and storytelling through welded found, repurposed and new metal objects. Inspired by summers spent with family in Hickman, Kentucky—on the banks of the Mississippi River and at Reelfoot Lake—his work captures the essence of the wildlife and landscapes that shaped his childhood.​

In this episode, recorded during the opening reception on February 27, 2025, Discovery Park's senior director of exhibits and collections, Jennifer Wildes, conducts a brief interview and Q&A with Dunn. He shares the inspiration behind Reelfoot Critters, his creative process, and insights into his distinctive style. Listen in to discover how Dunn transforms metal into expressive sculptures, infusing a sense of place and nostalgia into each piece.

Ep. 191: Dave Dunn: Reelfoot Critters

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