For a speaker, people’s faces are especially interesting. The face reveals how words affect the heart. Last weekend I spoke for a conference where I visibly noticed a physical change on the faces of the women in a single moment. They seemed interested and engaged before, but when I touch on one point in particular, the room became oddly still. Every eye fixed on mine-almost as if I was talking to each woman one-on-one. I knew I walked on tender ground and had broached a subject that resonated someplace deep inside their souls.
Today my friend, Vivian Mabuni, shares a real life story which dovetails with the message that profoundly impacted the women last weekend. It’s one she’s recorded in her new book, Warrior in Pink. In honor of her new release–and because she’s a really cool and generous person–I’m giving away a free copy of her book. All you need to do is leave a comment below. So……take it away, Vivian!
She had it all—described as an “Asian Martha Stewart.” Her home, the food she cooked, the clothes she wore, the clothes her children wore—all flawless. But then doctors diagnosed her with breast cancer. My friend tried to reach out to her, others around her tried to help, but she refused them and shut down emotionally.
On Wednesday morning six of us met in the food court at the Irvine Spectrum mall halfway between our homes. Located between Los Angeles and San Diego, Irvine, California boasted being the safest city in the nation. Our wicker chairs circled around a large, round metal table surrounded by potted flowers and towering palm trees. The setting described well the nature of our group and our self-appointed name: The Oasis. Week after week we unpacked our bags and filled the table with notebooks, four color clicky pens, Bibles, coffee and water bottles. And week after week trust grew steadily like the palm trees around us. We began to unpack the deeper places in our souls as we shared our struggles and secrets. Our choice to take time from our busy weeks to invest in building our relationship with God and each other yielded the blessing of a true oasis. Our group became a refuge and a place to refuel. Conversation came easily and we welcomed questions about the Bible. We laughed often, sometimes shed tears, and inevitably would go off on rabbit trails that eventually took us back to what we had learned in the Bible. What most groups covered in one week, we spilled over to a month.
This particular Wednesday morning Elaine shared about the Asian Martha Stewart. I leaned in to hear more. Her voice grew quiet as she struggled to share the last part.
“She couldn’t handle how her body changed. She couldn’t hold her perfect world together. She ended up committing suicide and left behind her husband and two kids.”
The story gripped me. I had never met the Asian Martha Stewart but could relate to her desire of wanting everything together, of being the strong one, of going inside when challenged with emotional pain, of not wanting to be a burden to others. I could see myself closing off from people as she did.
The conversation probably continued around me. But in that moment I sat still. I heard the background voices and sounds of the food court, the trays and ice machines, chairs being pushed into tables, paper wrappers being crumpled. Right then, I chose to pray. “God, if anything like that ever happens to me, I purpose right here, right now, I will let others in.”
I prayed this in October, two months before my life careened from the doctor call no one wants:
“You have cancer.”
And looking back,
that story,
that prayer,
that moment,
that decision.
It made all the difference.
“And the LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed .”
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NASB)
Vivian is a wife, mom and breast cancer survivor. For the past 25 years she’s worked for the Christian organization CRU impacting others with the love of God. She’s a normal gal who’s learned the secret of being a warrior. You’ll love her book!
You can connect with Vivian at www.vivianmabuni.com
To purchase a copy of Warrior in Pink, on sale until October 31st in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, click here.
For your chance to win a free book, simply leave a comment below.
This sounds great. Would love to read. I know a few women that have been in her shoes that I would love to share this book with.
Thank you for your message of hope.
I have gone thru depression and it is a horrible place to be. There were times that the thought of suicide crossed my mind. Times where I didn’t want anyone in my life. I thank the Lord for a praying family for it was thru their prayer that I made it.
It’s comforting to know we are not alone in our struggles, isn’t it? Thanks so much for your vulnerability, Maria. I’m praying for you!
thank you for sharing this Donna. Joe lost his mom and his sister to breast cancer, and now he is involved with Susan G Komen (he’s on the board). I will pass this on to his other sisters and his nieces. ANd some friends we know that have been affected by this. Thanks for this blessing today!
I was one of those women whose faces changed last weekend! Thank you for every message you gave. The Holy Spirit spoke through you and into our hearts. I’d love to win the book!
Thanks for your kind words, Sharon!
This book sounds wonderful! I’m on a memoir/non-fiction reading binge at the moment. I would love to win a copy!
I would love to give this book to a very dear friend who is fighting her cancer…My friend,Kathy Larson just had to shave her head yesterday and wow! Is she ever beautiful!!
Just prayed for your friend, Patti….thanks for sharing.
I would LOVE to read this book! It’s courage that all of us women need! I hope I win! 🙂
Wow, this story really resonated with me. After nearly a year of yearning and praying for a third child because I had it so “together’ with the other two, my husband relented and we had our little David. Although he was born at 37 weeks, which is considered full term, he weighed 4 lbs. 13 oz. at birth and had a large hole (VSD) in his heart as well as a coarctation. After two surgeries and later a placement of a feeding tube for “failure to thrive, speech therapy, shoe inserts, physical and occupational therapy and 11 readmissions within the first three years of life he continues @ 13 to struggle with developmental delays and Spectrum Disorder, depression and anxiety. On the worse days I (used) to feel that I somehow caused all of this and his suffering but I see how much pride has been striped away and how the Lord continues to work on my heart (and my not yet a Christian husband) and I see little glimpses of the “how and the why” in God’s Plan. It was scary and uncomfortable to rely on others for help. I have always been an “I can do t myself” kind of person but I’ve seen what it looks like to live in community with other Christains, to allow myself to be honest and vulnerable with them and allow others to see my failings. Painful sometimes but worth it and necessary to be an authentic Christian.
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Machelle. What an encouragement to know that living in community with others can make all the difference. May God bless you and your precious David!
This is a gripping story. The decisions we make in a ‘split second’ as well as the words we say can impact us down the road. Like most every woman my life has been touched by someone dear to me being diagnosed with breast cancer.
would love to read the book…got to find out what happened!!!
So inspiring! I’d love to read her book.
Sounds like a powerful story!!
I would love to win this book! I am a three year breast cancer survivor, still taking daily preventative medicine, hopefully preventative! Hearing the word cancer is a scary, scary thing!
Wow Gail! Praying for you today 🙂
It sounds like a powerful read!
Reading your email Donna makes me think of how many times we as women charge ahead carry great burdens that aren’t even ours to carry…sometimes the burdens belong to our husbands, sometimes to our adult children, sometimes to our great GOD! Thank you for sharing.
So true!
I would love to win a copy of this book.
I had breast cancer nine years ago and it came back this year to my lung. I will be starting treatments again soon. Reading this book would be a blessing.
I am so very sorry to hear that your cancer is back, Julie. I just prayed for you, sweet girl :).
I would love to read this book. I have seen more friends than I’d like go through this and it would be nice to know if there could be better ways to support them.
Wow. Prayer is definitely powerful but God won’t give what we cannot handle. If the giveaway is still ongoing I’d love a chance to read the book.