Episode Details...
Let's Pray
Reaching is Preaching
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?
Season Cromwell hosts a conversation with lifelong friends and ministry partners Ricky Venters and Marlon Madden, whose 30-year friendship began at camp and has grown into a multi-faceted community mission based in Aberdeen, Maryland.
Ricky and Marlon trace the arc of their journey from singing duets and playing basketball in the '90s, through Ricky's studies in mechanical engineering at Stony Brook University and Marlon's enlistment in the Marine Corps following 9/11, to the launch of the Success Journey Show podcast and, eventually, Success Journey Sports. Along the way they discuss how their shared commitment to meeting people where they are, not leading with a sermon but with genuine relationship, has shaped their approach to faith in the community. They describe the concept of "survival swimming," the idea that people overwhelmed by life's pressures cannot receive a message they have no capacity to hear, and explain how they blend mind, body, and spirit through their four core values: dream, drive, discipline, and diligence.
The conversation also surfaces the weight of growing responsibility, from running youth programs and a junior MBA cohort for children aged 7 to 11, to operating sobriety and rehabilitation homes in Baltimore. Ricky and Marlon reflect on how their prayers have evolved alongside their calling, beginning with a simple petition to "touch just one," and on what they would tell a 15-year-old about faith, potential, and allowing young people the space to encounter God on their own terms. The episode also introduces Success Journey Society, their newly launched nonprofit focused on workforce and youth development.
Videos
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.
Pastor Shawn Boonstra joins the Let's Pray program to share his personal journey from a rebellious youth to a television evangelist, tracing how prayer shaped every turning point in his life. He discusses the importance of building a genuine relationship with God rather than treating prayer as a wish list, drawing on Matthew 6 and his own experiences in public evangelism. The episode closes with a heartfelt prayer for anyone hesitant to take a step of faith toward Jesus.
In this heartfelt conversation on Let's Pray, Season and guest Tom Luttrell, a psychologist and educator, share candid reflections on their personal prayer journeys. Tom recalls early skepticism, transformative answered prayers, and the grief of unanswered ones, while both explore what it means to pray authentically rather than perfectly. The episode closes with two warm, sincere prayers for listeners who feel disconnected from or uncertain about prayer.
Ivan Omania sits down with Season to discuss the nature and power of prayer. Drawing from his experience as a pastor's kid, a young pastor, and a hospital chaplain, Ivan shares how prayer evolved from a childhood checklist into a vital lifeline. The episode closes with a heartfelt bilingual prayer for Venezuela following the recent earthquakes.
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Let's Pray
Kingdom Building Education
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.











