If You Can Hear Me

iHeartPodcasts
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We’re all looking for something.   In If You Can Hear Me, Ben Higgins sits down with people from all walks of life—celebrities, thinkers, everyday folks—to talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope.   These are honest conversations about the big stuff: identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out.   If you’ve ever felt like there must be more to the story—this show is for you.

  1. 2d ago

    Why Montell and Kristin Jordan Traded Platinum Records for Prayer and Picture Books

    What if the monster under the bed is more afraid of you than you are of him? That's the question Kristin and Montell Jordan asked their son one night — and it became the seed for their new children's book, *Shiloh and the Not-So-Scary Girl Above His Bed*. In this episode, Ben sits down with the Jordans to talk about:• Why fear left unattended in childhood often becomes trauma in adulthood• How 32 years of marriage, ministry, and music shaped their approach to raising brave kids• Montell's journey as a two-time prostate cancer survivor — and what early detection made possible• Kristin's role as caregiver, and how vulnerability protects intimacy• Why humility is the doorway to inviting God into your hardest seasons• The difference between spending time with your kids and investing in them September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. If you're a man over 40 — or you love one — this conversation matters. Grab the book, share this with a friend who needs it, and subscribe for more honest conversations on faith, family, and doing hard things together. Timestamps00:57 Meet Montell and Kristin Jordan01:33 The story behind Shiloh04:57 Flipping fear into empathy09:14 Why fear was the first lesson13:02 Montell's cancer journey15:46 Doing hard things together17:34 Inviting God into the scariest moments21:49 Faith woven into a good story28:08 From heathen to marriage ministry34:27 Investing time with the next generation36:50 Prostate cancer: early detection saves lives42:29 Final cries to God See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. Sep 1

    Jay Pharoah: SNL, Addiction, and the Prodigal Son

    Jay Pharoah — SNL alum, impressionist, and star of Fox's Quiz With Balls — sits down with Ben Higgins to talk about the moment he stopped running. In 2023, surrounded by everything he thought he wanted, Jay heard a voice tell him to leave the room. What happened next changed his life. In this conversation:- Why fame and access left him emptier, not fuller- The night he heard "meet me halfway, and I'll carry you the rest"- The addictions he walked away from — and how his father unknowingly echoed the same message- The blue Bible story: a prayer he never spoke out loud, answered by a stranger in Ohio- Why he's cutting language from his stand-up and what he's building toward next- Near-death experiences, the prodigal son, and the freedom of surrender Jay is honest about the version of himself he used to be — and clear-eyed about who God is shaping him into now. If you've ever wondered whether transformation is real, this one's worth your time. Subscribe for more conversations like this. Timestamps00:47 Why fame doesn't fulfill02:44 Meeting Jay Pharoah04:41 Growing up in church, road with Charlie Murphy06:27 SNL and losing his way08:00 The voice in the room: meet me halfway11:30 Getting rid of the room, the Quiz with Balls offer14:37 Why God forgives murderers and thieves17:57 Using the platform as an example22:09 What you have to give up25:00 Cutting the swearing from his set28:21 Freedom, not prison29:23 The blue Bible story37:58 The old version isn't wasted39:12 Becoming a rebel for Christ43:28 Stay in the fight See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. Aug 25

    DOE: I Want to Be God's Daughter, Not His Employee

    Grammy-winning artist DOE joins Ben Higgins to talk about what it means to stop performing your faith and start living it. In this conversation, DOE opens up about being raised at the intersection of music and faith, the weight of feeling like "an employee" of God rather than a daughter, and how she learned to separate the anointing from her identity. She shares stories from her upbringing in a family band (Forever Jones), her father's militant commitment to morning prayer, and the wrestle that eventually shaped her solo career. We also dig into her new album Shiloh (out August 28), named after her son and built on Psalm 22:30. DOE talks about posterity, what she hopes her children inherit from her music, and why insisting "God is good" matters more now than ever. Timestamps:00:41 Welcome & intro to DOE02:33 Faith and music inseparable growing up04:12 Not a slave to the anointing08:35 Wrestling from employee to daughter14:44 Going solo after Forever Jones18:33 Winning the Grammy & new album Shiloh20:23 Why Dad made prayer non-negotiable25:35 What she hopes Shiloh takes away29:42 What "God is good" really means32:21 Reaching back and forward through worship35:06 Picturing a listener encountering God See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. Aug 24

    Faith, Marriage, And Second Callings with Cody Zeller and Leanna Crawford

    Ben's college buddy Cody Zeller — and his wife, Grammy-nominated artist Leanna Crawford — sit down for a conversation about faith, identity, and what comes after the spotlight fades. Cody spent a decade in the NBA before retiring at 31. Leanna's career is just taking off — a #1 radio single, a sophomore album, and a schedule that keeps her on the road. Together they talk about how they've kept their identity rooted in something bigger than their careers, and how they're preparing to become parents this November. In this episode:- How Cody and Leanna met (and why she made him wait)- 10 surgeries, retirement at 31, and finding purpose after the game- Writing songs from journal entries — and why not every song resolves- The friends and family who keep them humble- What they hope to pass on from the parents who raised them A real conversation between old friends about marriage, calling, and trusting God's timing. Follow the show and let us know what stood out to you. Timestamps:01:39 Welcome & intro02:07 Cody's IU recruiting visit06:18 How Leanna & Cody met09:33 The proposal at Crowder's Mountain11:47 Staying grounded through fame15:46 Prayers answered, prayers waiting19:41 Identity beyond career26:05 Life after basketball31:12 Writing from the journal36:43 Helping listeners feel less alone40:33 Lessons from their parents43:50 Becoming parents See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. Aug 4

    Max McNown: I Climb One Step, Not the Whole Staircase

    Max McNown learned guitar in 2022. Three years later, he's selling out venues and releasing his next album. In this conversation, Max sits down with Ben Higgins to talk about the story behind his rise — and why he doesn't credit it to ambition. We get into:- The guitar his dad handed him as he drove off to California at 21- His brother Brock's 5-year battle with lymphoma and what it reshaped in him- The Edmonton show where he realized fans were there for *his* music- His grandfather Dale, forgiveness, and what it means to have a "servant heart"- Staying grounded when the career is moving faster than you are- Why he prays before every show — and what that prayer actually sounds like- His new album *Leave On a Light* (out September 25) and the people it's written for Max is one of the fastest-growing names in music right now, but the through-line of this conversation isn't the numbers. It's gratitude, family, and the quiet decisions that keep a person whole. Listen to *Leave On a Light* when it drops September 25. Timestamps:00:47 Welcome to If You Can Hear Me02:09 The guitar that started it all05:59 Rising fast, one step at a time08:27 Edmonton: the turning point10:56 Street performing and first fans13:22 Providence in a father's gift16:26 Grandpa Dale's wisdom19:03 Forgiveness as foundation22:38 Staying grounded through fame27:44 Music isn't everything29:37 Praying before every show32:00 Living one day at a time35:18 What Brock's cancer taught him38:17 Leave On a Light — the new album See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. Jun 24

    Love Me Anyway — Writing the Song I Was Afraid to Play My Mom, with Alana Springsteen

    Alana Springsteen grew up in a house where prayer was the answer to everything—including an eating disorder no one talked about out loud. In this conversation, the country artist opens up about her new album *I Hope This Helps* and the years of quiet work behind it: the breakup that broke her trust in herself, the chameleon habits she picked up as a kid, and the phone call from her 85-year-old pastor grandfather questioning why she'd see a psychiatrist instead of just praying about it. We talk about:- Moving to Nashville at 14 with no plan B- Writing "Love Me Anyway" as a letter to herself, her family, and God- The moment her mom asked, "Is that your story or mine?"- Why questions deepened her faith instead of dismantling it- What it looks like to ask for help in a community that calls it a lack of faith- Living in the messy middle of a healing journey with no finish line For anyone who's ever felt like the kid looking through the window at a party they weren't invited to—this one's for you. Listen to *I Hope This Helps* wherever you stream music. TIMESTAMPS 00:08 Meet Alana: from Pungo to Nashville02:39 Has success changed her definition of why04:36 Finding her "why" beyond fame07:25 The relationship that shattered her trust08:41 Writing "Love Me Anyway" as a confession11:55 Growing up as the family caretaker15:44 Playing "Note to Self" for her mom20:29 Faith built on fear vs. transformed faith26:14 The eating disorder no one talked about28:42 Her grandfather's reaction to therapy33:18 Why the album is titled "I Hope This Helps"37:26 The loneliness of choosing a different path See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. Jun 20

    Young Washington: The Origin Story of the Original American, with Diederik Hoogstraten

    What happens when a kid from the Netherlands grows up to write the origin story of America's first president? In this episode, screenwriter Diederik Hoogstraten joins Ben to talk about Young Washington — the Wonder Project film releasing July 3rd to mark America's 250th — and why an immigrant might be uniquely positioned to remind us what this country actually is. We get into: - Growing up progressive in 1980s Holland and how Family Ties (yes, really) planted the seeds- Becoming a U.S. citizen in 2019 and what most Americans miss about their own country- The Wonder Project, House of David, and building a studio for the audience Hollywood forgot- Writing George Washington from age 11 to 22 — the failures, the loss, the overbearing mother- Why failure shaped Washington's character (and what that means for the rest of us)- A Native American chief, a battlefield, and the moment Washington's purpose became clear A conversation about country, craft, and the kind of leader formed in the quiet years. Young Washington hits theaters July 3rd. CHAPTERS:00:48 Welcome & guest intro02:18 Why an immigrant celebrates America 25003:51 Family Ties and discovering America06:28 World Cup as a unifying moment12:48 What the Wonder Project is17:15 Faith-based or family-friendly?22:19 The loneliness of screenwriting27:10 Why focus on young Washington30:34 Balancing history with creative license36:36 How failure shapes leaders43:05 What viewers should take away48:09 How the project changed him See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. Jun 15

    Say Yes Before You're Ready, Listen Before You Speak, with Dana Perino

    In this conversation, the former White House Press Secretary, Fox News anchor, and bestselling author Dana Perino joins Ben Higgins to talk about the unglamorous middle of an ambitious life: the quarter-life crisis, the yeses that change everything, and why worry might be the most wasted emotion we have. We cover:- The moment President Bush asked her "What's wrong?" — and changed her career- How she said yes to becoming Press Secretary in a single second- Why mentorship works better as conversation than contract- The "epidemic of interruption" and what listening actually requires- Her new novel Purple State, and why she wrote a political book without politics- Faith, humility, and praying silently for strangers on the subway Dana's perspective is grounded, specific, and refreshingly free of partisan noise. If you're in a season of figuring out what's next — or wondering if you're behind — this one's worth your time. Dana's new book "Purple State" is available wherever books are sold! Subscribe for more conversations like this one. CHAPTERS00:32 Welcome to If You Can Hear Me01:11 Why mentorship matters now05:35 Bush's "what's the worst that could happen"08:11 The yes that made her press secretary14:41 Staying excited in a new chapter19:51 Meeting Peter on a plane23:16 Humility vs. imposter syndrome30:06 Inside Purple State's characters34:39 The epidemic of interruption40:24 Don't worry your 20s away44:06 Silent prayers on the subway49:53 Who Purple State is really for See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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About

We’re all looking for something.   In If You Can Hear Me, Ben Higgins sits down with people from all walks of life—celebrities, thinkers, everyday folks—to talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope.   These are honest conversations about the big stuff: identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out.   If you’ve ever felt like there must be more to the story—this show is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    If You Can Hear Me