Vivian Mabuni: surrender, fresh faith & discipleship

Whit's End: Real People, Hard Questions

Vivian Mabuni is an author, speaker, and fellow podcaster who lives in southern California. As an Asian American woman, Vivian is passionate about leading and discipling and does this as she shares her authentic faith. She has written several books, including one we dive into in this episode, Open Hands, Willing Heart.

She and her husband Darin have been married for 32 years. They have 3 grown children and are very much enjoying this stage of spending time with adult kids! She works with a ministry called Cru and speaks with Family Life, as well as serves on the Board of Trustees for Denver Seminary.

I am so eager to share this conversation with you on a life of surrender, living with fresh faith, and what discipleship looks like. We talk about everything from surviving cancer to valuing ethnic heritage to building a thriving marriage. Let’s dive in!

Show Notes:

• Open Hands, Willing Heart by Vivian Mabuni

• John 15:4-11 - “Abide in me, and I in you…”

• Vivian’s Discipleship message at If:Gathering - https://youtu.be/QhexfN4d8Q8?si=iTz-3cD8MG_YOAj-

• Website: https://www.vivianmabuni.com/

• Podcast Someday is Here: https://www.vivianmabuni.com/someday-is-here

• Family Life Marriage conferences: https://www.familylife.com/weekend-to-remember/

• IG: @vivmabuni

• “Would we live a life of surrender. When we have open hands, God is free to put things in our lives, remove things from our lives. We don’t have control over those things. We can grip our hands or we can open our hands.”

• “God is released to move in our lives when we have a willing heart. And that’s one that says, ‘I’m ALL IN.’”

• “As hard as cancer was, there was still an underlying confidence…I knew the Lord’s got me.”

• “I think that’s what fresh faith looks like - that we are continually having to step out and trust Him in ways where we can’t figure it out.”

• “Our ethnic heritage does affect how we do life.”

• “The way that Jesus wanted us to reach the world was impacting people who would impact people who would impact people.”

• “Ministry is not life. My kids are not my life. Jesus is life.”

• “There’s a difference between impression and impact.”

• “Anything that’s worthwhile requires work.”