EP. 9: When We Don't Fit In (with Vivian Mabuni)

During this week’s episode of God Hears Her, Vivian Mabuni admits that as an American of Asian descent, she’s struggled to fit in, and this reality leads to a conversation on diversity, inclusion, and healing. From understanding terms like “microaggression” to walking us through how to be a good friend to someone who’s hurting, this is a conversation about how God intended us to love others, even those who are different from us.

Guest Bio: 

Vivian Mabuni is a teacher and uses the platforms of writing, speaking, and podcasting to encourage women to find the abundant life Christ offers within the good and bad of life. Her battle with cancer led her to see God as present and faithful, even when life is not working out the way she expected. She wants people to know that following Jesus is not a pain-free and smooth journey, but it is still rich and good! Her newest book is titled Open Hands Willing Heart: Discover the Joy of Saying Yes to God.

Notes and Quotes: 

• Microaggression: An othering; it separates us. According to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, a microaggression is “a statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group.”
• “I have been on a journey, really, and some of it has been learning to actually embrace and celebrate my ethnic heritage because most of my life I spent trying to fit in.”
• Here’s a kind way to ask a person of a different ethnic background about themselves:  “Will you share with me your ethnic heritage?” Also, learn your own ethnic heritage so you can contribute to the conversation.
• “American does not mean ‘white,’ and we tend to start to think that is the normal; and that is not necessarily normal. It’s its own experience.”
• There is a strong rooting that takes place when we understand who we are and where we are from.
• God intends for us to live in unity, but unity is not uniformity. 
• “I am not going to let what would be injustice, impact my character.”
• “Instead of segregating our offerings into little cliques, which is so difficult, can we be more intentional of being inclusive?”
• How to help a friend who is healing: “To be a good friend, don’t offer advice. The present of presence just goes so much further.”
• We all heal differently, and learning to be a gracious receiver is hard. We need to be respectful that each of us handles suffering differently.

Links/Books/Resources Mentioned In Show: 

• Show Notes on godhearsher.org
• Discover the Word series with Vivian: “Open Hands Willing Heart”
• God Hears Her website
• Share the love by giving this episode a 5-star rating on iTunes! 
• Order God Sees Her: 365 Devotions for Women by Women
• Vivians’s Podcast: Someday is Here
• Vivian’s Book: Open Hands Willing Heart
• Vivian’s Book: Warrior in Pink
• Bryan Stevenson’s Book: Just Mercy