In this episode, Victor and Eileen Marx reflect on 37 years of marriage and leadership, moving from successful business owners to influential mentors within the religious community. Through candid discussion, they offer a glimpse into their personal and professional lives, including their call to action in political spheres motivated by a commitment to faith and reason. Tune in for insightful narratives on living purpose-driven lives, building meaningful relationships, and making courageous decisions for the greater good.
Welcome everyone to The Calling’s radio show to all the dreamers. I’m your radio host, Dr. Chrysandra Brunson, founder and CEO of The Calling. It is such an honor to be with all of you today. You know, at The Calling, we have realized that so many people are afraid to go after the dreams that Jesus has put inside each one of our hearts because they are afraid to fail. And that is just plain wrong because if God has given us a dream and we’re not living it out, we are wasting it. And we do not want you or anyone else to die with regret. That’s why at The Calling we love to inspire, empower, and equip people to after Jesus’s calling on their lives, to reap the best kind of eternal legacy possible, to have immediate impact on themselves and their families. And we love to do this through so many different avenues, through custom tools, programs, workshops, but especially through this radio show where we bring on world-renowned guests to share how they’re going after their God-given dreams and how you can do the same. You guys, we are in for such a treat, myself, you included. We have the one and only Victor and Eileen Marks in with us. And you guys, we’re so honored to have you. Welcome to the show.
VICTOR MARX :
Well, thank you. The privilege is ours. Thanks for having us on.
CHRYSANDRA :
We’re just going to jump right into it. We want to hear, Victor and Eileen, what your guys’ leadership positions have been so far and what’s ahead.
VICTOR MARX :
Well, let’s say first, we just passed 37 years of marriage. We started out with a martial arts school in California. Really? Yeah. That was our first business.
EILEEN MARX :
Fitness and martial arts.
VICTOR MARX :
Fitness and martial arts.
EILEEN MARX :
Wow.
VICTOR MARX :
And then we ended up, I would say, growing in that area of… leadership and we ended up in Hawaii and we had two locations and also had ownership in a construction company and we had a tv show and we were probably the largest or most recognized martial arts and fitness do you remember do you remember this craze called fitness kickboxing
CHRYSANDRA :
I have heard about it. Yes.
VICTOR MARX :
She started it.
EILEEN MARX :
Oh, my goodness. And some would say that we were suffering in Hawaii.
CHRYSANDRA :
What island were you guys on?
EILEEN MARX :
We were on Oahu.
CHRYSANDRA :
Okay.
EILEEN MARX :
Yes.
CHRYSANDRA :
Is there one secret about Oahu that most people wouldn’t know? Or your favorite fact about it?
EILEEN MARX :
i would say i think it is the largest in tourism because of honolulu waikiki yeah we we had a home up in the mountains that the view of our living room was waikiki i mean it was beautiful yeah we suffered
VICTOR MARX :
Well, you know, we really experienced raising our first three children there. And we fell in love with the Hawaiian people and the locals. And they really adopted us. I would say that’s the biggest secret for me is just how loving the Ohana is in Hawaii. And we still have that love and connection. But we left there in order to go into ministry. here in Colorado Springs many, many years ago with Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family.
CHRYSANDRA :
Is that what drew you to Colorado?
VICTOR MARX :
It was.
CHRYSANDRA :
I was just going to ask.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah, I ended up becoming an assistant to him. I was recruited, and I didn’t want to do it. No, not at all. I didn’t like cold weather, required travel, and you know.
EILEEN MARX :
Well, we came from Hawaii in our flip-flops in December.
VICTOR MARX :
We did.
EILEEN MARX :
To the snow. My gosh.
VICTOR MARX :
Beautiful, but it was such a drastic. Very drastic. Yes. The interview process, it was a couple of days. I got here, and I remember getting, like, we got in that night, and I was going to have my first interview tomorrow with the team, the executive team. And I asked the guy, I said, hey… Should I wear like a suit or tie? And he goes, yeah. And we went to JCPenney and bought me a little suit.
EILEEN MARX :
A cheap jacket.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah, a tie. I was like, what? Wives must have made this thing. Because it’s about choking me to death. And then we had the most incredible time together. You know, that position required a master’s degree and a bunch of experience, and I told them, I said, according to your job description, I’m not qualified, so choose someone else. But they chose me out of quite a number of candidates, and I think that’s been a theme in my life that God has put me in the positions that I really wasn’t qualified for by so many people’s standards but yet I’ve flourished at all of them
EILEEN MARX :
I think God shows off in our lives. And he’s not impressed by credentials or degrees. He’s impressed by our willingness to follow him. And that’s what we’ve done.
CHRYSANDRA :
Yes, you have in a historic manner. And so, and Victor, so you took this position as Dr. Dotson’s assistant. Then what happened?
VICTOR MARX :
Well, after a few years, they weren’t going to make me president of the organization, so I said, I’m out of here. No, we felt called, which was another very difficult step. We felt called to start reaching troubled youth, marginalized folks, and we stepped out and started our own nonprofit. That was the first time we ever started our own nonprofit. We did businesses before, but this was ministry.
VICTOR MARX :
And I remember Dr. Dobson, who was my boss, but he became my mentor. And when he, you know, of course he recently passed, he was a friend to me. And I would speak for different things. And I remember the last time I spoke at the gathering, was it the Broadmoor? He would bring in his top constituents and… You know, I walked off the stage. People were very generous in their applause, but he stood. You know, a man in his 80s, he stood. And when he stood, I walked over to him, shook his hand, and gave him a hug. You know what he said to me?
CHRYSANDRA :
What did he say, Victor?
VICTOR MARX :
Victor, I love you.
CHRYSANDRA :
What did that do to you?
VICTOR MARX :
You know, it was like a hug from God because he was certainly a mentor to me and someone I respected. And truly, he was the man that you would read his books. He was the man. Same man that you listen to in front of or the mic or behind. So I look back and it’s almost a changing of the guard where I’ve always tried to downplay my leadership because leadership means responsibility.
CHRYSANDRA :
I think you need to say that one more time, Victor, for everyone.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah, leadership equates to responsibility. It’s not a title or position that you’re supposed to feel good about. You’re the one handling the hardest things and making the most difficult decisions. So I don’t think people fully understand that. They want to be esteemed. I’m always like, oh, let me just stay back here. But it’s God that calls and equips. We have to be stewards of it.
EILEEN MARX :
Well, and I remember sitting in the interview with you with Del Tackett, who was on Reagan’s cabinet, right? He was in his cabinet.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah, Bush.
EILEEN MARX :
And he asked Victor, Victor, why do you want this job? And Victor said, I don’t. And he said, you know, Victor, I don’t want you to have this job either unless God has called you here. And that was like another fingerprint of saying, yes, I’m calling you here. God is calling you here. And it doesn’t matter what the qualifications are.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah.
EILEEN MARX :
God qualifies. Yes.
VICTOR MARX :
That is such a… Thank you for sharing that. Adele Tackett, if people look him up, he’s one of the most incredible intellects. And he did work for the president. But he understood that the highest calling wasn’t credentials, it was God’s signet ring on you. And I think that’s where both…
CHRYSANDRA :
I have, like, goosebumps just saying, because it really is, that is the definition of God’s calling on a person’s life.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah. You know, we had opportunities for a lot of things in our life. Eileen was, she’s a former Miss Fitness USA.
CHRYSANDRA :
She is stunning inside and out. I mean, Victor, you won the jackpot, the lottery for all of heaven.
VICTOR MARX :
I’m the proof that prayer works.
CHRYSANDRA :
Inside and out.
VICTOR MARX :
This one. Yeah, no, and I mean, but, and even I, you know what? I remember praying to God because he told me she was going to be my wife.
VICTOR MARX :
Yes. And I mean, I wrote it down in my man journal. But I remember she took me out for my birthday. Your 22nd birthday. 22nd birthday. And just as a friend, I knew her from church. And I mean, I was deeply smitten and in love. And I mean…
VICTOR MARX :
Ninjas cutting onions. Invisible ninjas cutting onions. Get my security team. No, here’s the reality. There was no way I could get this woman. There’s no way. I knew it. And you know what God told me? He like affirmed it, but he goes, she’ll fall in love with you because of your love for me. And that’s what took the pressure off.
EILEEN MARX :
That’s true. Mic drop. And you know what? The Lord, the first time I ever heard Him speak to me, I’m a brand new believer, and I am sitting, I’m sunbathing with my girlfriend in my backyard, and I hear this voice that said, you’re going to marry Victor.
VICTOR MARX :
Watch how beautiful her response is. Watch the joy of this response. Capture it.
EILEEN MARX :
I want to hear. It was so clear. I sat up and I said, I can’t marry Victor. I don’t love Victor. But I mean, I was like a baby, baby Christian. And I’ve never heard his voice like that. But it was so clear that it made me respond like that.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah, and you know, the thing about it is, I mean, we weren’t even romantic. She taught me how to be a friend. I was like, I don’t want a friend. I want a girlfriend. But she certainly taught me how to be a friend. But when it was the right timing, and this is what I would say to single people, marriage and relationships, One, you should only date for the purpose of marriage. Anything outside of that, you’re spending time with someone else’s wife or husband. And you should not be trying to benefit from things that only should be benefited in marriage. And I remember once we got sweet on each other, because it took her about another year. Before she realized.
EILEEN MARX :
I had to grow in my faith, right?
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah, scales had to come off your eyes.
EILEEN MARX :
God knew, Victor, do not pursue her. Let her be.
VICTOR MARX :
Which is true. Yeah. Because had we both not grown in our faith, we would have never made it in marriage. Yeah. And that’s a key thing for single folks. Yeah. When you find, and when God brings the right person to you… It’s bigger than you. That’s one of the things we learned because we kept making it about ourselves in our early marriage. And then finally, Eileen’s like, okay, this whole marriage thing, it’s bigger than us. There’s a purpose that’s more than just us being happy, and God has a purpose. It was actually her influence on me. I am the leader I am today due in large part to my bride’s influence on me. And I will tell, listen, I’ll tell wives out there, don’t, don’t belittle yourself. Don’t, you know, marriage is equal, but the influence that wives have on their husbands is far greater than they can imagine if they walk in that. Whew. And when men are not responding appropriately to their wives, or let’s say they’re looking at porn or something, it is not the woman’s fault. It’s an issue with the man. So I’ll tell you, pray. Pray for your husband. She prayed for me. Still does. And I pray for her. There’s no one else I can… cover you better than someone you’re committed to but the main thing is you date for the purpose of marriage and you’re like okay lord you and set your boundaries women just say hey listen there’s no goodies here and i honored her yeah and she honored me and we we waited for intimacy until we were married
CHRYSANDRA :
We love it. Victor, we have to take a short break real quick. But, I mean, we don’t want to miss a second. You guys, you are listening to Victor and Eileen. Mark’s on with us live in studio. We’ll be right back. We’ll be right back. Twist and shout with Lee & Co. They are the premier oldies band delivering the rock and roll vibes you’ve been missing. Great songs, great memories. Book them at LeeAndCo.com.
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CHRYSANDRA :
At Ignite Brilliance Coaching, you will get 34 years of science teaching, a decade of university-level instruction, and over 10 years of instructional coaching to empower educators with the tools, mindset, and confidence to thrive. Contact Ignite Brilliance Coaching on Facebook. We are back. Thank you for listening to all the dreamers radio show. I’m your host, Dr. Chrysandra Brunson, founder and CEO of The Calling. It is such an honor to be with all of you today. We have live in studio the one and only Victor and Eileen Marks here with us. And you guys. you don’t want to miss a second and it was hard to even go to break because we didn’t want to pause but you were just sharing victor right before break just how much eileen has impacted your life your walk and being able to go after what god has called you to and all the ups and downs and you on her life as well honestly you guys i haven’t seen a better team and all the land and truly influencing the world like both of you have in the kingdom. And one thing that I would love for us definitely to touch on in a little bit later on is definitely your impact on Charlie Kirk’s life, Victor and Eileen, as well as Erica. But you had a little bit that you wanted to add in from break.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah, we did. Well, what I was saying is about how when we met and our relationship, we determined early on that we were going to do it God’s way according to the Bible, which is kind of old-fashioned for some people. But we had had relationships before. I mean, we were still young. We were in our early 20s, mid-20s.
CHRYSANDRA :
You guys were babies.
VICTOR MARX :
We were babies. You think you’re so old at 25. But when we met, we said, hey, well, let’s do it God’s way. So we abstained from intimacy until we were married. And then we had a lot after we were married. And five babies, because we had to practice to make sure we produced pretty babies. But you know, the deal is… We don’t talk about this much, but on our honeymoon, Greg Laurie, who’s a pastor out in California, he had discipled me. Him and Laurie gave us our honeymoon. Oh, really? Yeah, I mean, we were broke as church house mouse, and they were like, hey, you know, here. So they gave us a wonderful little honeymoon suite. We go to the honeymoon suite, and it’s like, oh, my gosh. Okay, we’ve known each other a couple of years, and I’m like, oh my gosh, this is about to happen. And I remember going, I told her, I said, I forgot the marriage certificate. And she’s like, well, okay. I go, I think I have to have it here at the hotel to show we’re married. And she is so sweet. She’s like, okay. I called the pastor and said, I forgot the marriage certificate. He’s like, okay. I go, but I mean, I left it. Shouldn’t it be here? He goes, Victor, it’s okay. You don’t need it. You’re married. Yeah.
CHRYSANDRA :
You’re married. Yes, you’re married.
VICTOR MARX :
But here’s what’s beautiful, and I would attest to this. We felt, I’m telling you, God has a way to make a person, yes, and feel like a virgin. It was so pure. There was shyness. There was tenderness. It was like, you know, she chased me around for a while. I was like, back off. No. Is that how you see it?
VICTOR MARX :
Is that how you see it? I don’t know. I don’t know. But it was beautiful. And then, look at Roger. Roger’s laughing. So we ended up learning. How to love one another God’s way, intimately. And it’s been an incredible journey where, I’ll tell you, we’ve never cheated on one another. And we’ve always enjoyed the intimacy. I mean, now we’re old folks, so we don’t do that anymore. We don’t even go around. We’re grandparents.
EILEEN MARX :
Right, because people in our age and stature, they just don’t do that anymore.
VICTOR MARX :
But I’ll tell you what, and we’ve said this, even our young frisky days, we always felt like the highest level of intimacy wasn’t an act, wasn’t this, wasn’t that, but it’d be holding hands. Mm-hmm.
CHRYSANDRA :
Everyone, I think, can attest to just even seeing the lens from the outside, but you can tell the authenticity of your guys’ intimacy, spiritually, mentally, physically, and how it really does build up the kingdom. It does. And it really is what God has called us to, a kingdom couple.
VICTOR MARX :
and then here we are colorado 37 years later and you know just over i don’t know 90 days ago god spoke to us again and said run and win for governor of colorado that is the biggest news no political background so tell us what tell us what how did jesus whisper this to both of you
EILEEN MARX :
Well, this was not in our view. Five months ago, we weren’t even considering this. But we had some events that prompted a decision that we had to make. And one of it was our daughter being attacked. And the response time from the police… 45 minutes. 45 minutes. And just watching our state morally decline and parents’ rights being taken from them and being forced to do things that just, this is just, it felt like this state is going downhill and over a cliff quickly.
VICTOR MARX :
I mean, safety, crime, affordability.
EILEEN MARX :
There’s so many things.
VICTOR MARX :
Things that we had enjoyed many, many years ago here, it’s not enjoyable anymore. Rights being taken away, like Eileen said. But just, like, what happened to Colorado?
CHRYSANDRA :
Yeah.
VICTOR MARX :
So we had to make a decision. Do we leave like thousands of others or do we stay and fight? And it was this warrior woman that laid out. She came to me.
CHRYSANDRA :
A wonder woman.
VICTOR MARX :
Yeah. The real one. She comes and says, 65 seats to choose from. Choose one if we’re going to stay and fight. And we looked at them, Representative, Senator, we go all the way to governor’s seat, and I’m like, ugh, I think that’s the one that could have the most influence. So we checked out who was running and all, and then we did honest, we always do an assessment, whether we’re overseas on a high-risk mission, we do 4As, we’re aware, we assess, we avoid if possible, and then we take action, and we apply that same principle of choosing the governor’s seat. Because one, no one on the Republican side could win. A lot of candidates, but no one can win the general. And I’ve told other candidates to their face at events, I just go, you’re probably better qualified in some ways.
VICTOR MARX :
But you can’t win the general. I can’t. That’s what this boils down to. And I know how to govern as far as leadership by surrounding myself with incredible teams. I can build out teams. So all of this, I love what Eileen said, because people are like, oh, is this such a big, heavy deal? And Eileen just goes, no.
CHRYSANDRA :
another assignment and victoria i want you to speak real quick we’re coming up towards the end of our show but just list off real quick because we’re gonna have to have you back sooner than later but we need to know a list of these missions that you’ve had an impact on and how the lord has really positioned you to
VICTOR MARX :
Well, yeah, the last decade we actually had a home in Iraq. We’ve done over 150 missions to rescue or recover or help traumatized victims of terrorists or even cartels or, you know, nefarious people. That’s been a heart to help people. And the last mission we were on together was a husband and wife event and a very successful rescue of a girl who was held captive for nine years, two children in captivity to ISIS. So we understand making decisions under pressure. We understand negotiating with multiple cultures. We understand budgets. We understand accomplishing the mission. And, you know, you mentioned earlier Charlie and Erica. Yes. You know, Charlie wrote the foreword to my book and I welcome people to get it. The Dangerous Gentleman. If they want to hear and read some of the stories, it’s on audio version. But, you know, he wrote the foreword because I was considered one of his spiritual mentors. And my heart is for men because Colorado would look much different if men were walking in And the true identity of who they are and what manhood should represent.
CHRYSANDRA :
Victor, what would you whisper to Charlie? Because he was such an advocate for that very thing. And I’m sure he got that impression from you. What would you tell him?
VICTOR MARX :
I’ll tell you what I told him is don’t make decisions based on comfort. Sorry. Fear, you know, or ego. And he lived by it. And it cost him his life. But I’m telling you, there are things in life worth living and dying for. And our future, our children, our state, our nation, and the kingdom of God. There are many mortars who went before us, and Charlie is one. So I love him. We miss him. We’re close to Erica, especially Eileen. And, you know, I just men, if men live by that, not being motivated or, you know, because of fear. And there’s fear of success and there’s fear of failure. Yeah. Some people don’t want to be successful. They think they can’t handle it. I had to go through that. But don’t make decisions based on ego. Who cares? And then certainly not comfort. Too many people want comfort and ease. That’s not real life. Right. You’ve got to embrace what we call the suck, the hurt, the pain, and just push into it for a greater cause. Yeah. That’s what I would tell them.
CHRYSANDRA :
We love it. Victor and Eileen, we are coming up to the very end, but real quick, your one piece of wisdom to someone that’s tuning in, they’re afraid to go after what Jesus has called them to. What would you tell them?
EILEEN MARX :
I would say when you include God in that equation, if God is for you, who can be against you? And we have lived our life understanding this scripture that says all things with God are possible. So that has been our mantra. That has been our guiding, our guidance. Because people throughout our marriage, throughout our ministries have said so many times, you can’t do this. Can’t be done.
VICTOR MARX :
And we’re like, well… And probably, like Jesus said, with man it’s impossible, but with God all things are possible. People should go to my website, victor2026.com. Support the campaign. It requires funding, prayer, and support. Last question I have is for my wife. Honey, how did you get me? How did you get all this?
EILEEN MARX :
I’ve already answered that. I told you that it’s a calling.
VICTOR MARX :
It is indeed. Thanks for being faithful to your calling, babe.
CHRYSANDRA :
And how can they find both of you online for everyone tuning in?
VICTOR MARX :
Victor Marks. I mean, we’re on all social medias and Eileen Marks. And then, you know, we have a website, victormarks.com.
CHRYSANDRA :
dangerous gentlemen society.com dangerous women right yes we love it thank you victor and eileen we just love and appreciate you guys so much thank you so much for being here we’re all changed forever and um a challenge everyone go follow both of them right now get the books get it on audio and physical to give to your loved ones till next time dreamers keep dreaming big let’s go
