Episodes

  • Trailer: What even is Take a Leap?

    Trailer: What even is Take a Leap?
    Nov 1 2024
    Welcome to the Take a Leap podcast! We are students searching far and wide for young people of faith. We want to know why individuals in our generation are choosing their faith, and learning how they blend their everyday life and faith life. Join us as we learn about the cool things people our age are doing to better their communities across religious traditions.
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    2 mins
  • BONUS: What does Christmas mean to the Take a Leap hosts?

    BONUS: What does Christmas mean to the Take a Leap hosts?
    Dec 20 2024
    Lia King and Josh Orton tell us about their favorite Christmas traditions, movies, and what this time of year means to them. DM us on Instagram (@takealeappodcast) if you want more of these fun and fresh bonus episodes.
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    16 mins
  • Bonus - Take a Leap

    Bonus - Take a Leap
    Mar 7 2025
    We are searching far and wide for young people of faith. As BYU students, we are no strangers to blending our everyday life and faith life. Join us as we learn about the cool things people our age are doing to better their communities across religious traditions. Take a Leap is a production of BYUradio.
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    20 mins
  • From Syria to Humanitarian Leadership: Shadi Martini's Story

    From Syria to Humanitarian Leadership: Shadi Martini's Story
    Mar 24 2026
    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 brutality. Martini describes fear, trust, moving his family to the U.S., and faith-based motivation to act. They discuss interfaith cooperation, including being approached by Israelis, advice to stay humble, building friendships across religions through openness and honesty, hope from trusted mixed-faith teams working in places like Gaza and Syria, and closing advice to be genuine, step outside comfort zones, value community over money, and believe good deeds are rewarded.
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    26 mins
  • In Tune with Faith: The Inspiring Musical Journey of Joshua Ali

    In Tune with Faith: The Inspiring Musical Journey of Joshua Ali
    Mar 17 2026
    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 song “You Made It” began as a two-day trailer commission (“Long Way Home”) and was later reshaped during grief. Joshua views music as worship and a God-given tool for encouragement and healing, recounting testimonies of healing during worship, emphasizing community as essential, advising against hiding faith, and encouraging reliance on Jesus through prayer, scripture, and private worship.
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    28 mins
  • From Stage to Scripture: Daniel Richter's Music & Faith Journey

    From Stage to Scripture: Daniel Richter's Music & Faith Journey
    Mar 10 2026
    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 is getting people to listen while trusting God over metrics. Richter explains the switch was confirmed when an investor’s funding stopped after prayer, and staying grounded comes from prayer and reading the Bible, not performance.
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    20 mins
  • The Heart of Music: Kaégan Talks Faith, Creativity, and Connection

    The Heart of Music: Kaégan Talks Faith, Creativity, and Connection
    Mar 3 2026
    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 suddenly while God’s promises remain, shaped by losses like his grandfather in 2018. He describes a lyrics-first creative process, finishing songs when no edits remain, and influences from Steven Curtis Chapman, for KING & COUNTRY, U2, The 1975, and Coldplay. He discusses co-writing, Bible reading, community, social-media detox, and trusting God, previews “Stronger,” and advises seekers to trust God with their lives.
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    26 mins
  • Running with Purpose: Mariah Zavala's Inspiring Journey

    Running with Purpose: Mariah Zavala's Inspiring Journey
    Feb 24 2026
    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 awareness for murdered and missing Indigenous people. She discusses endurance as surrender, flexibility, and self-care; chairing Flagstaff’s Indigenous Commission; serving on Girls on the Run Northern Arizona; and founding the Anya Collective/Yaqui Tribe Rafting Experience with Grand Canyon Youth and SPL Sports Inc., rafting 10 youth (ages 11–14) to build leadership and self-worth. She emphasizes authenticity, mentors, feedback, and “be the community you wish existed."
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    25 mins