Ep 035: Lonni Asher: A Refugee Boat, Seven Pirate Attacks, and a Promise to God, Part 1

Ep 035: Lonni Asher: A Refugee Boat, Seven Pirate Attacks, and a Promise to God, Part 1

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2544389/fan_mail/new] Born in Vietnam, Lonni Asher's story begins with a desperate escape. As a young child, Lonni and her family fled Vietnam on an overcrowded fishing boat in search of freedom. During their journey, they encountered pirate ships multiple times, endured extreme hunger and thirst, and faced moments that should have ended in tragedy. In Part 1 of this conversation, Lonni shares the incredible story of surviving seven pirate encounters, her mother's desperate prayers to a God she did not yet know, and the moments she now believes revealed God's hand on her life long before her family came to faith. But survival was only the beginning. After arriving in America, Lonni faced years of abuse, trauma, hopelessness, and multiple suicide attempts before discovering the faith that would ultimately transform her life. In this episode: * Escaping Vietnam as a child refugee * Surviving seven encounters with pirates at sea * The prayer Lonni's mother made before she knew God * Growing up in an abusive home after arriving in America * Multiple suicide attempts and searching for hope * Discovering faith at seventeen years old * Why survival and healing are not the same thing About Lonni: Lonni Asher is a pastor, author, speaker, and co-founder of Believe Church in Orange County, California. Through her ministry, writing, and personal testimony, she helps others find healing, freedom, and purpose through Christ. Connect with Lonni: Instagram: @living_the_life_with_lonni YouTube: @lonniasher777 Believe Church: @believe.oc Website: believeoc.com Book: Born With Intention [https://a.co/d/03ZY3cK7] Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com [https://unspokenlivespodcast.com] and follow @unspokenlivespodcast [https://www.instagram.com/unspokenlivespodcast] on Instagram.

Ep 034: Lily Ricci: From Iran to America: When Jesus Changed Everything, Part 2

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2544389/fan_mail/new] Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Lily Ricci's journey brought her from Iran to Germany and eventually to the United States, where cultural expectations and family circumstances led her into a marriage she never wanted. After years of manipulation, abuse, and hopelessness, Lily found herself searching for answers she could no longer find on her own. In Part 2 of this conversation, Lily shares the moment everything changed. What began as a search for answers became a powerful spiritual awakening that transformed her faith, gave her the courage to pursue freedom, and ultimately led her to a calling she never imagined. What followed was a journey of healing, purpose, and redemption. Today, Lily helps bring hope to people throughout Iran through her work with Iran Alive Ministries. In this episode: * The unexpected encounter that sparked Lily's faith journey * Choosing to follow Jesus despite fear and uncertainty * Learning to trust God in the middle of suffering * Finding the courage to leave an abusive marriage * Recognizing the difference between a person and the spiritual battle behind destructive behavior * Breaking unhealthy cycles for the next generation * Discovering her God-given purpose * Leaving a successful corporate career to pursue ministry * Serving with Iran Alive Ministries and bringing hope back to Iran About Lily: Today, Lily serves as Director of Partner Relations for Iran Alive Ministries, helping share the Gospel with Iranians around the world and supporting ministry efforts throughout Iran. Learn more: iranalive.org Connect with Lily: Instagram: @lily.m.ricci Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com [https://unspokenlivespodcast.com] and follow @unspokenlivespodcast [https://www.instagram.com/unspokenlivespodcast] on Instagram.

Ep 033: Lily Ricci: From Iran to America: An Arranged Marriage and a Search for Hope, Part 1

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2544389/fan_mail/new] Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Lily Ricci grew up in a loving family surrounded by strong family bonds and cultural traditions. At the same time, she lived in a society where opportunities and expectations for women were very different than they were for men. When financial hardship forced her family to leave everything behind and start over in Germany, the life she had always known disappeared almost overnight. At sixteen, Lily found herself navigating a new country, a new language, and a new identity. Just two years later, another move brought her to the United States, where cultural expectations and family circumstances led her into a marriage she never wanted, trapping her in fourteen years of manipulation, control, and abuse. In Part 1 of this conversation, Lily shares her journey from Iran to Germany to America, the challenges of starting over, and the painful circumstances that left her searching for hope. In this episode: * Growing up in Iran and the cultural expectations placed on women * Leaving everything behind and starting over in Germany * The challenges of immigration and rebuilding identity * Reuniting with family in the United States * Being introduced to a man she had never met * Unwillingly entering a marriage she never wanted * Living through manipulation, control, and abuse * Reaching a place of hopelessness and searching for answers Next week in Part 2, Lily shares how a life-changing encounter transformed her faith, gave her the courage to pursue freedom, and ultimately led her to a calling she never imagined. About Lily: Today, Lily serves as Director of Partner Relations for Iran Alive Ministries, helping share the Gospel with Iranians around the world and supporting ministry efforts throughout Iran. Learn more: iranalive.org Connect with Lily: Instagram: @lily.m.ricci Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com [https://unspokenlivespodcast.com] and follow @unspokenlivespodcast [https://www.instagram.com/unspokenlivespodcast] on Instagram.

Ep 032: Kendall Mariah: I Thought Something Was Wrong With Me, Part 2

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2544389/fan_mail/new] In part two of this conversation, Kendall Mariah shares the deeply personal journey that eventually led to her autism diagnosis as an adult. Kendall opens up about growing up feeling different, struggling socially while excelling academically, and spending years masking parts of herself without fully understanding why. She speaks candidly about high-masking autism in women, ADHD, sensory struggles, shame, identity, and the emotional weight of constantly feeling misunderstood. Kendall also vulnerably shares experiences surrounding purity culture, sexual assault, and the pressure many people feel to hide parts of themselves in order to fit in. Throughout the episode, Kendall continually comes back to one powerful message: people are often carrying far more than we realize. This conversation is emotional, honest, and deeply human. Topics discussed:  • Adult autism diagnosis  • High-masking autism in women  • ADHD and neurodivergence  • Sensory struggles and masking  • Purity culture and shame  • Sexual assault  • Identity and authenticity  • Feeling misunderstood Connect with Kendall:  Instagram: @kendallmariah  Website: kendallmariah.com Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com [https://unspokenlivespodcast.com] and follow @unspokenlivespodcast [https://www.instagram.com/unspokenlivespodcast] on Instagram.

Ep 031: Kendall Mariah: The Questions I Was Never Supposed to Ask, Part 1

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2544389/fan_mail/new] What happens when faith no longer feels simple? In this conversation, Kendall Mariah opens up about the tension of deeply loving God while struggling with parts of Christian culture that often leave little room for honesty, grief, mental health struggles, or difficult questions. Kendall shares how infertility, anxiety, internal conflict, and years of wrestling quietly with her own thoughts pushed her into asking deeper questions about faith, identity, and what it really means to follow Jesus. Together, we talk about church hurt, political division within Christianity, deconstruction, and why so many people silently feel disconnected while still desperately wanting to hold onto their faith. Kendall also shares why she believes questions are not proof of weak faith, but often evidence that someone still deeply cares. This conversation is thoughtful, vulnerable, and deeply validating for anyone who has ever wrestled with belief, disappointment, or the fear of asking difficult questions out loud. Topics discussed: • Faith and deconstruction • Church hurt and Christian culture • Mental health and infertility • Asking difficult questions • Rebuilding faith • Politics and Christianity • Doubt and belief coexisting Connect with Kendall: Instagram: @kendallmariah Website: kendallmariah.com Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com [https://unspokenlivespodcast.com] and follow @unspokenlivespodcast [https://www.instagram.com/unspokenlivespodcast] on Instagram.