“I’m committed to God,” Marva said. “God is my job. That’s my number one job and always will be. So, when I’m asked to do something, I’m not going to say I’ll think about it. So, I took that step in faith because I knew God was with me always.”

When Gospel Time with Marva first aired, the show was only 30 minutes long; far shorter than the three hours it runs today. During that early period, Marva set up an iTunes account so she could access more gospel themed music. She also took some notes from gospel television to help prepare herself.

Marva Pretends Eagle being interviewed on air by about her ten year anniversary of being the host of KMHA’s Gospel Time With Marva. Photo by Brian Heskin

“On Saturdays I would clean house. So, I would turn the TV on and switch it to a gospel channel and listen. That’s how I got a lot of my music.”

As time went on and Gospel Time with Marva continued to develop, Marva realized she had found her calling. Her natural ability to deliver the word of God mixed with her genuine enthusiasm resonated immediately with KMHA listeners.

When it came to choosing the music, Marva channeled her father and formatted the show accordingly.

“He was a big Hank Williams Sr. fan. So, I chose that era of music and the old time gospel hymns that I grew up with.”

  Marva is also thankful her children have been able to play a big part in the show. Her son Jeriah, who tragically passed away in 2018, always had constructive criticism to help Marva improve her hosting skills. Her daughter Lynette also plays a critical role in the show’s success as the technical producer of the program.

“I don’t know why, but I always asked my son how I sounded on the radio. He’d say, ‘Mom, you’re saying “um” too much.’ I told him to give me some time and then I won’t be saying it so often.”

Marva laughed as she joked that after 10 years, she still finds herself saying “um” too much.

“Doing this show has helped me a lot since I lost my son. After he passed away, the music has spoken to me in a different way. It’s helped me a lot with peace and strength.”

About six months after Marva’s son passed away in early 2018, her daughter Lynette became the technical producer of the show after it was suggested by the KMHA station manager.

“I’m thankful for that too because it helped her with the loss of her brother and it gave her purpose. I mean, we always had purpose, but when something like that happens everything stops. I’m just so thankful that my daughter is sitting here next to me doing the work of the Lord.”

Around that same time in 2018, Marva and Lynette began introducing new music into the program while also giving their listeners the opportunity to call into the show with music requests or dedications. These interactions allowed Gospel Time with Marva listeners to feel more connected to the program and helped expand the show’s popularity.

“People started telling us that the program was their church and I had never thought of it that way. I want to thank God for our blessings out there. Because when they would call, they would really bless us with encouraging words. It really showed me that, ‘Ok Lord, I’m doing what you want me to do.’”

Marva’s next calling came after the COVID-19 pandemic swept the nation in 2020. Chairman Mark Fox knew that the people of MHA Nation were in need of some encouragement and spiritual guidance during that uncertain time. The only person that came to the Chairman’s mind was Marva Pretends Eagle. He suggested Marva start a secondary show where she could share words of comfort to the people of Fort Berthold.

“We called the show Hour of Hope and we did it from home because nobody could go anywhere. The show aired at 6pm everyday Monday through Friday.”

Hour of Hope was also streamed online and at one point reached as many as nine different countries.

“I just praised God and felt so blessed. I also thanked God for the technology.”

Thanks to the technological advancements of the internet and social media, Marva was continuously reminded of how popular her show was. One of these instances happened after Marva had entered a gas station in Stanley. 

Even though her face was covered by a mask, a lady was still able to identify the host of Gospel Time with Marva and Hour of Hope just by the sound of her voice. Her genuine excitement after realizing it was Marva proved she was a dedicated fan of the show. These interactions became more common as time went on and it was a sign that Marva was on the right path.

Marva and Lynette also incorporated things like bible trivia into “Hour of Hope” and mailed prizes to the winners. They continued their daily pandemic-era show until COVID restrictions began to ease.

Over the years, Marva has had a variety of guests join her on the show. In one instance, she was accompanied by two celebrities, Cameron and BJ Arnett. Cameron appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Miami Vice, Doogie Howser and Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns. His wife BJ is a nationally recognized investigative reporter. The couple are devout Christians who are not afraid to publicly proclaim their faith.

“It was really something to have someone of that stature come and do the show, and we had an awesome time. The presence of the Lord was there. That’s why it’s really awesome to do this because we’ve met a lot of really good people who became our friends.”

Even though Gospel Time with Marva has entered its 10th year, she still hopes to continue the show for as long as possible.

“The most exciting and joyful thing I’ve ever done is doing Gospel Time with Marva. I pray that I won’t stop until I’m called home or our King comes back.”

Gospel Time with Marva can be heard 1-4pm every Sunday on KMHA.