About this episode

The episode discusses Edwin Martin's journey from a gambling addiction to finding hope and purpose through faith and endurance sports.

Pastor Joby Martin and Denny Thompson sit down with Edwin Martin on this week’s episode of Built 4 More. At 20 years old, Edwin was hiding a four year gambling addiction that nearly cost him his life. He was borrowing money he couldn’t repay, carrying debts no one knew about, and placing bets from the church pew while claiming to follow Jesus. It ended with Edwin alone on his bathroom floor, ready to take his own life. He prayed one desperate prayer: “God, if You are real, reveal Yourself.” Ten seconds later, his best friend unexpectedly texted him three words: “I love you.” That text interrupted Edwin’s darkest moment, and the friend who sent it would eventually lead him to Christ. Five years later, Edwin is an endurance athlete using every mile to point people toward hope. He recently ran 133.2 miles on a treadmill for 24 hours straight at a 10:49 minute per mile pace to raise money for suicide prevention. Months earlier, he ran across the entire state of South Carolina to support families battling cancer. Joby, Denny, and Edwin talk about the gambling epidemic hiding in plain sight, how sports betting is being engineered to keep people hooked, the difference between Jesus plus…

People in this episode

Hosts: Joby Martin, Denny Thompson

Guest: Edwin Martin

Topics covered

• gambling addiction
• faith and recovery
• mental health
• endurance sports
• suicide prevention
• mentoring
• spirituality

Keywords

• gambling
• faith
• suicide prevention
• endurance athlete
• mentoring
• hope
• fitness
• spirituality

More episodes of Built 4 More

• Why You Don't Feel Close to God - Pastor Joby Martin & Denny Thompson · September 9, 2026 · 1h 31m
• What Christians Get Wrong About Spiritual Warfare - Joel Muddamalle, Pastor Joby Martin & Denny Thompson · September 1, 2026 · 1h 27m
• The Faith You Want Takes All of You - Pastor Joby Martin & Denny Thompson · August 25, 2026 · 1h 13m
• The Season You Want to Escape Has a Purpose - Brady Russell, Pastor Joby Martin & Denny Thompson · August 18, 2026 · 1h 17m
• The Evidence for Jesus is Undeniable - Jeremiah Johnston, Pastor Joby Martin & Denny Thompson · August 11, 2026 · 1h 54m
• You Can’t Outrun What You Won’t Face - Liam Coen, Pastor Joby Martin & Denny Thompson · July 28, 2026 · 1h 7m

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