Take a Leap

We are sad to say that Ocean is now leaving Take a Leap for the next phase of her life. She recounts her favorite moments in her adventure as a host of Take a Leap.

Panashe Pemhiwa grew up moving between rural Zimbabwe and Harare's toughest neighborhoods — surviving through gold panning, losing his mother, and missing entire years of school. Yet he went on to earn a full scholarship, study geomatics engineering at the University of Zimbabwe, and found the Hibiscus Dotage Foundation, a nonprofit bridging the gap between youth and the elderly. In this episode,...

Take A Leap interviews Dr. Ahmad Anani, a naturopathic doctor. Anani describes rediscovering Islam after moving to Michigan State in 2015, reading the Quran for himself, and viewing it as a guide to life emphasizing doing good, patience, and “with hardship comes ease,” especially amid world chaos. He explains choosing naturopathic medicine over conventional symptom-focused care, influenced by atte...

It's our next episode in our BYU-Pathway Worldwide collab. Oluchi Peace Egharevba interviews Betty Eguagie Agho, a teacher from Nigeria. Betty faced an incredible decision about her personal life in a very public manner. Look for more upcoming interviews from interns in Uganda, Zimbabwa, Nigeria, and Ghana. Take a Leap is a production of BYUradio.

Hosts Ocean Marshall and Neftali Rodriguez interview Zach and Wyatt Cluff, Latter-day Saint brothers from Meridian, Idaho, who were both called to Farsi/Persian-speaking missions in North America (Zach in San Diego, Wyatt in Toronto). They discuss mission motivations, how they learned Farsi (including online MTC training during 2020), challenges moving from classroom study to real conversations, a...

It's our next episode in our BYU-Pathway Worldwide collab. Esther Kisseke interviews Charlotte Adokorah, from Kampala, Uganda. Esther & Charlotte are both small business owners--Esther talks to Charlotte about her struggles as a teenager when she was the main caregiver for her younger siblings. Look for more upcoming interviews from interns in Uganda, Zimbabwa, Nigeria, and Ghana. Take a Leap is a...

Amanda opens up about her faith journey to the Bahá’í Faith, which she joined five years ago after growing up in a home with Christian and Buddhist parents and identifying as an atheist. She describes how a youth conference in high school introduced her to the Bahá’í focus on unity, community building, and service, shaping her sense of purpose and leading her to stay in Calgary. Amanda explains Ba...

It's our next episode in our BYU-Pathway Worldwide collab. Oluwadare Gabriel Olaleye interviews Dr. Adebowale Tolulope, a professor at the Nigerian Federal University of Agriculture, who's invested in helping small farmers, and specifically women farmers, produce higher yields with a vegetable feed readily available to them. Look for more upcoming interviews from interns in Uganda, Zimbabwa, Niger...

Aeja & Diego from Wyoming Catholic explain that a major focus of the outdoor leadership program is identity—understanding who you are in relationship to yourself and to those around you. They describe how time in the backcountry, free from distractions and familiar coping mechanisms, strips away comforts and creates space to pray, talk to God, and more fully enter into His presence.

We're introducing a special project! Over the past few months we've worked with interns in Africa to interview people we couldn't reach. Here's the first episode, with intern Jesulolami Olubowale, who interviewed Reverend Oluwagbemiga Ajayi, a full-time minister within the Anglican Communion. Rev Ajayi went from a profitable career in pharmacology to the Anglican ministry, all to answer the call h...

Shadi Martini shares his story as a Syrian aid worker in Bulgaria who found a mattress for an elderly refugee couple and was later thanked with an emotional hug. The conversation shifts to the guest’s background growing up in diverse Aleppo, attending a Christian school as a Muslim, and how Syria’s conflict pushed him into secret medical aid while managing his family’s hospital amid severe regime...

Joshua Ali, a Trinidad and Tobago international gospel minister, worship pastor, producer, songwriter, musician, and Grammy member, talks about using faith and music to change lives. Joshua shares how faith became personal through encounters with God, the tension between ambition and obedience as an artist, and struggles including chronic health issues and two miscarriages. He explains how his son...

In this Take A Leap episode, Daniel Richter shares how he realized faith and music should work together: after over a decade in the mainstream Top 40 industry, Daniel Richter switched to Christian music about a year ago and began leading worship three years ago. Daniel says using music as ministry matters because he wants Jesus to be famous, not Daniel Richter, and emphasizes the biggest challenge...

Take A Leap Hosts interview Christian musician Kaégan about faith, songwriting, and purpose. Kaégan, raised by worship-pastor parents, says his love for God and music grew in church and that as a quiet pastor’s kid he began using songwriting to help others feel included and consider Jesus. He explains his song “Water” reflects giving his life to the Lord at six and learning that life changes sudde...

On Take a Leap, hosts Ocean Marshall and Neftali Rodriguez interview Mariah Zavala (Pascua Yaqui; also Oaxacan and Puerto Rican), a Flagstaff-based community advocate, ultra runner, and business development professional at Mountain Mojo Group. She shares how ultra running (beyond a marathon) became prayer and advocacy, including racing in traditional clothing with a red handprint to raise awarenes...

In this Take Leap podcast episode, Neftali Rodriguez interviews Rachel Lief, a senior at NYU and future medical student, about her journey with faith and interfaith work. Rachel discusses her Jewish faith's impact on her values and actions, particularly in social justice and health equity. She reflects on her evolving religious identity, her involvement in interfaith initiatives, and her experienc...

In this episode of 'Take a Leap', hosts Neftali Rodriguez and Ocean Marshall converse with Sabah Ahmedi, a British Muslim imam, about balancing faith and modern life. Ahmedi shares insights on his spiritual journey, the meaning of 'Take a Leap', dealing with misconceptions about Islam, and the importance of interfaith dialogue. He also discusses the influence of prayer, gratitude, and how Islam al...

In this video, Ocean interviews Jaleesa about her ideal place to live and her faith journey. Jaleesa shares her deep-rooted belief that faith is an action and responsibility, and how it has influenced her leadership, particularly in founding the Raising a Village Foundation. The nonprofit supports underserved children and families in Washington, DC. Jaleesa discusses the impact of faith on young p...

In this episode of 'Take a Leap,' hosts Neftali and Ocean, interview Mirabelle Morah, a motion designer and founder of Grohwie. They discuss Mirabelle's journey in using her faith and creativity to make a social impact. Mirabelle shares her background, experiences, and the role of faith in her career. She emphasizes the importance of patience, community, and staying grounded in her beliefs while w...

Sadie Dahl, recently on The Voice, joins us to talk about how prayer was a huge part of her experience on the NBC singing reality competition television series. Plus, what it's like to work with Snoop Dog.

Replay of Ocean and Arriza discussing Arizza's work as a global peace advocate and co-founder of Kris for Peace, a nonprofit promoting peace in conflict-affected areas of the Philippines. Kris for Peace has generated significant impact through libraries, education support, and youth programs. Arizza shares her personal story of growing up in a mixed-faith household, challenges faced, and the impor...

In this episode of the Take Leap podcast, hosts Neftali Rodriguez and Ocean Marshall interview Ashley Breinholt, a student studying neuroscience and Chinese at Brigham Young University. Ashley recently won second place in the global finals of the Chinese Bridge competition, celebrating Chinese language and culture. She shares her experiences, discussing her favorite Chinese foods, the impact of fa...

Hosts Neftali Rodriguez and Ocean Marshall interview Dallin Bundy, a 2025 Truman Scholar and a senior studying political science at BYU. The discussion covers a range of topics, including Dallin's love for silent discos, his interest in epic fantasy literature, and his journey to winning the Truman Scholarship. Dallin shares valuable insights on the importance of civil discourse, the impact of pol...

Jennifer Eburuoh, a PhD student in international relations at American University. Jennifer shares her journey, detailing her Nigerian American faith background, her work with the UN Refugee Agency, and her study of environmental science. She discusses how her faith motivates her service and advocacy work and provides insights into her experiences in Uganda and the importance of being a good liste...

Jeremiah Paltan, a singer-songwriter from the Bronx, New York, shares his journey intertwining faith and music. Paltan shares his experiences as a pastor's kid, his early introduction to music, and how his faith has shaped his musical career. He highlights the importance of community in sustaining faith, his path to finding his spiritual identity, and the humbling experiences of having his music f...