NRB Chronicles 2022- Mabel Ninan- Far From Home

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Go to truthnetwork.com or call 855-573-7351. Let's bring the living water to the world. So in our big chronicles 2022, we are here. Every time somebody comes around the corner, I get to meet some really cool person that God has gifted and stories that just blow my mind. And so we have Mabel Ninen. Yes, I said it right. And so her book, I love the title of it, Far From Home. Are you struggling to find purpose in the midst of change and uncertainty? So how cool. I bet there's a story behind that.

Yes, there is. I came as an immigrant from India to America. And I struggled as an immigrant because leaving India, leaving home, leaving community, and then coming to another country, I was faced with a new set of challenges that I didn't expect, the feelings of being uprooted, not feeling like I belong anywhere, and just loneliness, isolation. And not only did we... So just to back up a minute, why did you come?

For my husband's work. So my husband... So you were married when you came? Yes, I came as a newlywed, in fact. Oh, so there you are. You're a newlywed.

Yes. Like okay, honey, I don't know about this, but he took you away from your family, right? And here you are. Where in America did you guys come? We landed in Southern California.

Oh, of all the places in American land. I've lived in Southern California, so I have some sense of like, oh my gosh, that's an interesting place to live. So here you are, you're with this brand new newlywed, and I can imagine you were lonely and brokenhearted.

Yeah, so what happened? Not only did we move from our home country, but even within America, my husband's job took him to different places. So in the past 13 years, I've lived in 10 homes in seven cities. So I never really got the chance to feel settled and rooted.

And so it took me a while, I think. I was trying to find joy and purpose in so many different things of volunteering, spending my time, you know, doing other things, just having fun. And then it was not until I joined Bible study and really started getting into God's Word that God showed me that my search for rootedness and belonging ends with Him. That in Him I have home, in Him I have hope. And that this longing that I have to belong, to be rooted somewhere, is actually satisfied in Him. So it is a shadow of the secure identity that I have in Christ. And so I started seeing myself as a foreigner on earth, and I was okay with really not having a home here, you know, literally, because my home was with Jesus as long as I'm here. And it's wonderful that I can look forward to an eternal, stable, permanent home in heaven. Wow, you use so many extremely powerful words in that explanation, from my standpoint, because I'm not unlike you, and that my father worked for Buick Motor Division, so I got transferred.

Every two years, I never lived a place in my life for longer than two years until I was in my 50s. Wow. And the word rooted, because I never felt like I was home. And when it came to discover, because I've studied this concept, was that there are more songs written about going home than there are falling in love. Did you know that?

I didn't know that. So it's right along, because everybody's heart longs. I mean, it's a common, interesting thing, you'll find it in the word comfort in Hebrew, is this bet, which means house, which has to do with the kingdom, because that's right. And then, as you probably are well know in the 119 Psalm, it says, I'm a stranger on this earth.

Yes. Hide not your commandments from me. I mean, there is that idea of rootedness.

And then, I don't want to miss anybody this. To me, this is phenomenally beautiful. In Hebrew, the letter nun means faith almost, but it looks like a plant that is in a root. Okay. And don't forget that what Jesus said is a bite, right?

He's divine, you're the best. In other words, you got to be rooted. And when you're looking for that place, like I want to sink roots into ground, which, you know, there's the parable of the soil. So there's so much. So I'm very curious on the scriptures, because clearly, you've got this book, you know, what scripture did you find that made you feel like you could sink roots? I love Philippians 3.20, Paul says that our citizenship is in heaven.

And so that is where our roots lie. And I also love, you mentioned Hebrews, and Hebrews 11 is about the heroes of faith. And when the author mentions Abraham and Moses, and he says, all our ancestors admitted they were foreigners and strangers on earth, and that they were looking forward to a city with a strong foundation, even though most of the promises that they had from God were not fulfilled during their lifetime. They believed in God, they believed in eternity, they lived with an eternal perspective. And I think that's what made their faith stronger.

That's what enabled them to take bold steps of faith and follow God, no matter where. It's so beautiful, absolutely beautiful, because it seems like that was your greatest weakness, but he made it your strength. Absolutely. Here's where I'm broken, God. But here's where he came for you to show you that through your weakness, he's made strong, right?

Absolutely. And that's what I talk about in my book, that God took my personal struggle and turned it into strength, turned it into an opportunity for spiritual creativity and growth. And so for those who are feeling far from home, right, it's a perfect book, because as God comforted you, you're now comforting others. So what chapter in that book that you wrote, and I'm sure that when you were writing it, God took you on even more of a journey into being rooted in him, right? So what chapter are you? It's just like, man, I can hardly wait till they read this chapter. What chapter is it? I wrote a chapter called Homeward Bound. Oh, I told you songs, right? Simon and Garfunkel, I'm hearing it. Homeward Bound.

Can you hear it? Okay. So in which I talk about, I start with my story. I've been living in the US 13 years, but every now and then, we go and visit our parents in India. So we take a long time to prepare going home. I mean, I'm packing suitcases six months before my journey. I'm buying gifts for my parents, for my sister, and it's always on my mind. And one week closer to my journey date, I'm all excited. Even though I'm doing other things, it's always on my mind.

I'm going home, I'm going home to see my parents. And so I use my story to show how even when we live on earth, and we have heaven on our mind, we know we are going to go home to be with Jesus. That should drive us to be prepared. And Jesus says so many times, be ready, be prepared.

And that inspired me to be a good steward of the resources, of the talents, of the time that God has given me. What a beautiful picture. I don't know anybody that doesn't get all excited about going on vacation or whatever it is. Like, are we that excited about getting to go to the ultimate vacation? You know, like, man, that's what a gorgeous picture of that.

And what an inspiration that God gave you. And so is the book out? Oh, the book will be out on July 12. It's being published by Iron Stream Media. Wonderful, wonderful. So what people can advance, get advanced copies?

Yes, absolutely. They can pre-order on Amazon right now. And so it's called Far From Home.

It's on Amazon. The author, as we talked about, is Mabel Ninen, Mabel Ninen, which is N-I-N-A-N, but it's Mabel. And again, Far From Home, Discovering Your Identity as a Foreigner on Earth. What a beautiful concept, beautiful book. Thank you for the courage to do this and all that you've done for God. Thank you. Thank you for having me on the show. Such a blessing and an honor. I appreciate it.