EP.017–Shedding and Blooming to Become w/ Mazino Malaka

A lot of the time we focus so much on pursuing goals and action but sometimes we don't take enough time to nurture our environments properly so we execute effectively. This week I'm joined by my guest Mazino Malaka and she shares with us the process she has undergone to birth all that she is now. This conversation was everything and I hope it serves as a reminder that taking time to nurture and develop yourself will never be a waste of time. Intentionality comes with a sacrifice but a harvest will always be reaped.

Mazino Malaka is a full time disciple, a lawyer and also works in the nutrition and wellness space.She is the founder of Liberada Nutrition a contemporary healing house committed to advancing nutrition across the African continent and beyond.She loves healing and seeing people healed by all the amazing things God has given us. She is also a writer, an encourager and truly extraordinary.

Rhieme: Hi Mazino, thank you so much for joining us today. Can you please tell us about yourself?

Mazino: Hi Rhieme thank you for having me. My name is Mazino Daisy Malaka. I am a full- time disciple who also works in the nutrition and wellness space. I love God, I love health, I love wellness. And I love healing and just seeing people healed by all the amazing things God has given us and put in this world.

Rhieme: Thank you for that little introduction. So let's get straight into it. Over the last few conversations, we've been talking about purpose and vision and all of that. Whilst all of that is good, it's always important to check the seasons we’re in. So I'll start off by asking, what season are you in right now?

Mazino: I think I'm in a season of great anticipation. Expectations are high, faith is growing. I really do believe that it's a season of growth and acceleration. The season of grace where I am solely relying on the grace of God to function every single day.That grace of God is unforced rhythms of grace it never stops it keeps going. The season I sense that I'm in I think previous seasons have been a bit not slower in a bad sense, but just a bit calmer. But I think I'm in a season where there's much expected and there's grace for the expectations.

Rhieme: 100% I think I will say I'm in a similar one as well. I feel like throughout the year, God has been building things up whilst shedding so many old parts of myself. And then now it's like I've brought you here just run. And grace as well because I feel like the responsibilities just keep on increasing. I thought after He's said one thing, that's but He's just like no you haven’t even scratched the surface.

Rhieme: So many people see you as an amazing example and your journey but what processes have you had to go through in becoming who God has called you to be?

Mazino: I think I've gone through processes and I'm going through, and we'll continue to go through the processes that we see in the Bible. You know, my goal in life is to live a life that can be seen as similar with the adventures of the disciples gone before me. And their lives, you know, a lot of hills, valleys, a lot of deserts and also lands full of milk and honey. Barrenness to birthing. I think I've been through all of them .I've been in seasons of deep obscurity and I've also been in seasons of promotion. I've been in in seasons of crushing and I've also been in seasons where I'm like wow I see all the oil and all the new wine that He's been cultivating inside of me. But I think the main thing that I have experienced that has gotten me to where I am today is desperation and hunger for God. Desperation particularly, you know, the Bible talks about Jacob and how when Jacob wrestled with God he received a new name. That place where he wrestled with God was called Penuel. He came face to face with God and I believe I've been through a lot of wrestling with God and a lot of tug of war. Where I'm literally like God you must and you will. I need you and you must touch me.It must be evident in my life that I've been around you.So a lot of wrestling a lot of desperate cries, a lot of desperate tug of wars and for my identity. Because you know, that wrestle Jacob was having, I won't let go until you bless me was actually a wrestle for his identity. So I think I've had to fight a lot to stay rooted in who God says I am.Because there are so many things that I have been that were not who I was, and so many names that I allowed people to call me that was not who I was. So desperation as a hunger is what has led me here to where I am. I don't know what here is but this point in which I'm talking to you, is that is the one thing one road I've had to walk on to bring me here.

Rhieme: Wow thank you so much for sharing. Especially what you said about here now and the whole thing of wrestling and desperation is something I can definitely relate to.It just gets to a point where you're like, God, I need you to show up in my life and show out I need you to do something. And I've definitely been there and I love how you've mentioned it's not all perfect. Like it's not always a happy Mazino like everything is perfect. I love this. There are so times where you're just like, what's He doing? It’s so important people see that because I feel like people sometimes assume if you say you're a Christian then everything is perfect. They're never going to be days where you're questioning, they're never going to be days when you're like fighting. But the truth of the matter is that seasons change and I love how you brought up people in the Bible as well. Because that's also why the Bible is there God saying to us look at my children before they've gone through so this experience is not, only you. It's so important especially when you have a sense of where God is taking you and the type of person you're meant to be. Sometimes we don't fight enough for it. So that hunger to be like, I want to see the life God has planned for me instead of going back and forth. It's like, even if you then choose to give up, it's not worth it. Because you're just there like there is nothing there because God is not there. He obviously wants you to keep on pushing. So thank you so much for sharing that because I think more people need to hear that.

Rhieme: Okay, so how did you have the courage to make a major career change? You’ve spoken about how you used to work in banking then you moved unto to starting your business, how were you able to do that?

Mazino: I think the only way I was able to do that is because I feel free in Christ. So I'm actually a lawyer, I'm a barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and I've transitioned from law. Right after law school I went into finance and worked in the banking and FinTech department. Then from there, I felt the Lord calling me into hospitality and the one thing that looked like hospitality to me that I could get into was a start-up company that was working on creating short stay spaces and they were a real estate and technology company these spaces across Africa. So I started working there and COVID hit. It caused me to pivot because that industry was quite badly hit and the only thing that led and allowed me to pivot to nutritional wellness was freedom in Christ. The fact that I needed not to answer to any man apart from Him. It looks delusional, how you go from law, to finance to hospitality, real estate, and then to nutrition. But in 2019, when I had left the bank, I felt the Lord tugging my heart and telling me to begin to figure out how I could enter into the health and wellness space. I was overweight for most of my life, and I had lost weight. I had so many medical issues that nobody could explain. Somehow through changing my diet, I was healed. So in 2019, after I left the bank, before I even started working at the real estate company, I felt God one day, tell me just started a course on nutrition. I gave you a diploma in nutrition. So I was like, okay, I've done that I did it in three months and aced it, glory to God. Then after that I felt like no, there's more to this, there's no way I'm so passionate about healing, so passionate about whole foods and gut health, that is not normal. So maybe I should go into this a bit further. Then I took on my certification, got qualified as a certified holistic nutritionist and that just opened the doors up for me to so much more. And again what led me here is just being free. Tomorrow, I pray not, but tomorrow Liberada may not exist, because maybe the Lord wants me to navigate in a new direction.For me, as a laid down lover of Jesus Christ, I have to acknowledge that this life that I live is not my own and if that then comes, and I have to pivot again,I know that God will take care of me.That's how I've pivoted on now, the final pivot, which is the general theme of my life, being in full time ministry.You can't pivot any more than your identity. So I'm now rooted in my identity in ministry, and just then doing everything else that is required of me.

Rhieme: I really really love what you said about freedom.One thing I've been learning is that God tells you who He's made you to be so I don't believe you can know why you're here if He hasn't told you what you're here for.

Mazino: I I definitely agree with that because I think a lot of people wait for big bang moments of this is why I'm here but I've noticed that in obedience, the more you walk it will make sense. So for me, I thought I was called to hospitality and I still am right and a lot of what I do ministry, is service. Being a hospitable person and serving people but when He gives you that one thing or that word you have to give Him the flexibility to show you how it's going to play out. Right and never thinking that okay, God has called me into hospitality. So I'm going to work in a hotel, it may not look like that. He may call you to be in hospitality in a school, you know, that word is so broad that it could mean so many things. I think if we give Him who has called us, the ability to keep speaking into our identity, we will be free. The hindrance comes when we allow people to tell us who we are. And we allow society to tell us who we are, you know, at this age, you should have accomplished this and if you're doing this business, you have to do it this way. If you're doing this, you have to do it that way. I just believe if we let God write our stories as the author and finisher of our faith, you will see that at some point, it all makes sense. But in the journey, it won't all make sense but at some point, it will begin to make sense.

Rhieme: Thank you for that, honestly because I feel like more people need to know that especially when you know, around this age from like, probably 18, 19 you're like, oh, what do I do with my life? The worst thing I think you can do is go any path that was never yours. And sometimes people think because doors are opening yeah, this is for me.

Mazino: So when I was at the bank, like they begged me to stay like, I've never been begged so hard to stay at a job. And they literally did not want me to go the day I was even going they were like, you know, why don't you just give it a go. And, you know, I've never experienced this and that was a door so easily. I would have gone back there, you know, even gotten a pay rise but that door was not my door. It maybe would have belonged to somebody else. But it wasn't my door no matter how good I was at this. And I think there are a lot of people who like me can be good at so many things. And you're trying to narrow down. The best thing I can tell you, even if you're good at everything, you're not supposed to be doing everything. Even if you're good, even if every door is open to you it's not every door you're supposed to be entering into because it will wreak havoc on your mind. You will keep drawing out water when you are never meant to and even if you're getting the applaud of men, even if you're getting accolades if God has not sent you to do that thing, it's a waste of time. You don't want to be building in vain and I definitely didn't want to that's why I try tried to pursue alignment at all costs.

Rhieme: I love this, honestly. What I've learnt is you think you know yourself but only God truly does and sometimes He will start telling you things that He wants you to do, or you've never really seen yourself going in that direction. And I really love what you said about when He gives you a word don’t assume two plus two is this.Tilewa said when we had an interview two plus two equals whatever God wants it to be. It's not for you to say this is how it's going to play out. This is what's going on. And it's just so important. It's just so important.

Mazino: I think a lot of people do this thing where you get A and B from God and you kind of listen out for C but then d E, F, G, H you begin to develop by yourself. And the painful thing is, when you do all those by yourself in your flesh, because you think you know yourself, you will always have to refer back to Him because you've gotten an error. And that's why waiting is hard. Waiting on the Lord is hard because you will receive ABC and when it comes to D it would almost be like what do I have to wait on Him? Do I have to listen to what He has to say maybe I already know the way to go. Let me just do it. But it is wisdom. And you know, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So fearing the Lord actually is what you need to maintain, and stay on that journey to make sure you're listening for E, F, G, H, I, J. K, even when you become an expert in ABCD, you have to still listen out for the rest.

Rhieme: Yeah, you can't tell His next step, you think you know but you don’t. And even going back to what you said about how He's the one who would change, not change the word but whatever the word means to him. He's the one that will bring it to life. I've seen with this blog, quite literally, I just started this from a job. That's how it started. Well, obviously, l I was saying the other day things just keep on changing and I'm used to always knowing what is next. So I like that sense of I know where this is going. But just seeing when I'm doing things I’m like don't even look at what other people have done and start saying okay, this is probably going to look like that because it's not, it's not meant to be the same. And as I said taking time out to hear from Him. Waiting will never be waste of time.The thing about God is if you've built something that He didn't ask you to or maybe it started with Him but then you added your own, He’ll make you pull it down. He’s not going to try and mix His will with yours.

Rhieme: Thank you so much for sharing that. Could you please explain the processes you had to go through to bring Liberada to life?

Mazino: I think I had to be Liberada before it became Liberada. Liberada means in Portuguese, the liberated ones, and I had to be set free in Christ set free emotionally. You know, it being a nutritional and wellness company. I had to be set free from gluttony my obsession with food, and I had to be set free from my lack of self -control with food. I had to also be set free from my eating disorder with food. For years I had body dysmorphia I would look in the mirror and just see myself even still till today, I'm still being healed off of that. See myself as 10 times bigger than I actually was and my mind would play games on me and then I would binge eat all the time, just overeat until I feel sick. So I had to become the liberated one. And that was a journey that even started before I even had the idea of Liberada in my mind, I had to become liberated, you know, in the identity of your company, if you are building something, a lot of it does have to do with you. And for you to be able to have a consistent company identity.You have to know the story, you have to know the why. So I had to be a liberated one and fight for the liberated ones. So I know even before we started as Liberada, I would do free consultations for people online and people would sit and talk to me about their health challenges and the symptoms they're having in their guts. I would sit with them free of charge, for 30 minutes send them their consultation notes. I just thought it was just a way for me to serve people especially during the lockdown a lot of people were sick and you getting breakouts. Struggling with mould issues and how mould was affecting their health and you know, too much processed foods and the effects of sodium, bloating and inflammation.So I had to be a liberated one and I had to liberate them. And then that then birthed oh wow I could do something with this.God could use this for something so I had to become Liberada.

Of course in a practical sense processes had to be put in place and from start to finish, everything was the Holy Spirit. To how we created our documents, how we onboard people, and how we checked in on our clients, our payment processes. I told God that I wanted a three step process for Liberada. With a lot of start-ups, you have so much back and forth, especially when you're doing a service-oriented business, it can be so much back and forth. I said to the Lord, that I don't want to be doing too much admin work, because currently I'm the admin so I just started putting in processes that will make things simpler and simpler, I technology that would make things simpler. Of course, these things were expensive at the time, and still are but I was just able to put things in place that would simplify my life, because you don't want to burn out because things are complicated. And so those are just little things and prayer of course and supportive friends. I just had friends that would cheer me on and I still do. Whenever like, you know, someone would get off a programme and be so happy, I would send them the reviews and they would celebrate and, and family as well, you know, I have my parents are extremely encouraging, my dad in particular, has just always encouraged me believed in me, and you know, caused me to think bigger. So all those things, the combination of all those things is what has led to me to Liberada.

Rhieme: What you said about becoming Liberada is so powerful because everything that you now do is coming from that place. Of course you're still healing but you've reached that level where God can use what once almost broke you or didn't allow you see yourself properly to reach other people.It's so important because I've also seen that in my life. Like I was saying maybe two weeks ago before God placed anything in my hands He had to heal me first He had to sort me out first because He cares about who you are as a person. And what you produce will always flow from who you are in Him. Not anything else. It's just so powerful that you said that because for a lot of people there's so much pressure like what am I doing with my life? Maybe I should start a business, but God has a deeper meaning. There's always something else nothing is just because.I feel like more people need to know that because as you said knowing why you are you doing what you're doing is so important. You're not always going to be in the mood to have a consultation. But you've seen where it was birthed from and I just love what you shared about how you've been very free.You know how we talk about how God like should mould us, He should make us who He wants us to be.We put God in a box, we put ourselves in a box a lot of the time because we're like no I'm just doing this and that's all I'm doing and that's what I'm interested in. But God knows you better than you know yourself. He will give you the passion for it.

Mazino: Even about Him giving you the passion. I said one thing to God I never want Liberada to become a chore. I never want this to get boring and I kid you not every consultation I have, every client I have, I could be in the worst place but the moment I open my computer to have a consultation, I feel rooted. I just feel like this is where I'm meant to be not once have I created something and it feels like stress.For a year of Liberada no one knew about it we would just have clients virtually. So that obscurity under hiddenness in Christ gave us the ability to one make a lot of mistakes and gave us the ability to be covered. It gave us the ability to do things, not for the applause of men, but for God's applause and the audience of one. So I would also just encourage people, like, don't always be in the mood to announce everything God is doing in your life, sometimes let Him announce you. And that's what would happen. God would announce us to people by word of mouth, it would spread like wildfire. Somebody would hear, another person will hear, they'll be like oh I want to sign up for a consultation. I want to do this. And, you know, that's how the gospel was preached by word of mouth. And, and that's another strategy, I think, that we must always remember.

Rhieme: That is so key. I just feel like what you said on letting God announce you is so important. Because sometimes there's so much pressure to put ourselves out there. And whilst on a practical level you can't hide forever at some point you have to put yourself out there, don't put yourself out there for you. Put yourself out there from a word from God. Or even announcing things prematurely because God is probably still in the process of adding to the vision and you tell the whole world. There's this fear of let me be known for something you know like what am I doing? But as you said it all starts with your identity, when you know whose you are and who you're in you don't need people to know you because you're known by the most important person. So everyone else is an addition.

You go ahead, and you do something maybe you were not meant to or you do something for people not for God. There's only so far you get because people are fickle, they love you one minute the next minute they don’t. And even on your down days when you’re not speaking, that's when you realise, at the end of the day you're not here for yourself. You're just serving selflessly and it's not easy. But then I've been rereading this book, The Purpose Driven Life.

Mazino: I need to buy that book I really should.

Rhieme: It's amazing, because it just reminds me constantly that it's not about making a name for yourself, to be very honest, everything we're doing is for God. And as you said, He will make you known. And if you start something in the flesh, you start something without God telling you to, you actually have to sustain it, because He’s not backing it.

Mazino: Another thing I know about God is that if you honour him with His presence, He will always bring people. There was a conversation I had I said if you can kneel before God, He will cause you to stand before men. And I believe that is true. I believe that is true. If you can kneel before Him, He will cause you to stand before men.

Rhieme: And really coming to the end of yourself. I had an interview with someone last week and I was telling them that when you come to the end on yourself, when you reach that point, when you're like this life is not for me, this life is whatever God wants you to be, that's when you start living. Because when when you start, that's when you start living. In the Purpose Driven Life as well, the author was talking about living with the kingdom in mind and how we sometimes forget here is not all that there is. So we focus on a reputation and everything. This really isn't for you and allowing God make you whatever He wants to make you and you also being willing to let go of who you thought you were. It’s definitely hard especially when you become so accustomed to living life a certain way. But I'm just learning that like its only God that can tell you who you are and being willing to accept whatever that looks like.

Mazino: That's another journey of its own. You know, God can tell you who you are.I struggled for so long it was embarrassing to me that I can now say that I'm in full time ministry. I never thought that like, why that sounds so hmm. You know, and that's just me being honest. I've known this for years, I've been aware that I've been marked for spreading the gospel in a very full on way then, you know. That doesn't dismiss people who are called to be in the marketplace, it just means that like the ministry fields are my marketplace. So I'm not going to say I wasn't embarrassed, I just thought my life would be much different. And I would just have a nine to five and what not. But God continues to shock me. So you have to accept that identity. And it's not just about Him telling you it's do I accept it?

Rhieme: So good and accepting it the way He's presented it and not adding your own thing to it because we're so used to people telling us what we should do and people validating us. Your skills validating you and whilst your strengths and all can contribute towards knowing what you’re good at, the affirmation should be from God. Because He might actually call you to do something where you feel ill-equipped for. It's like, how are we going to do this? And that's when your story is even more beautiful, because you're relying solely on God. No one can tell you're here.Things that are long lasting, are always things that will most likely be birthed from God, and long lasting and consistent in the vision individuals. Not one minute you're this and next minute you're that, and it's just so key. There's just too much pressure from too many people, like I need to be here by this date, I should be here, but it's like, no, like, just leaving it at God's feet. And as you said, pursuing alignment I think that's the most important thing. There was someone who made a video and she was saying that her pursuing purpose and what God wants for her isn't based on activity isn't based on her always doing something sometimes God can ask you, drop everything, just be still. And that's still you walking in alignment.

Mazino: It is it definitely is and you know we listen to Scripture, and we realise that woman was formed out of man, when man was asleep. That's God telling us that life comes, even if you're asleep.Even if you're resting, even if it looks like you are doing nothing, the hand of God can still bring the life out of you, out of a situation. When Adam saw Eve he, said ‘finally’.So there was something he had been longing for that had finally caught and I believe that you know, I've had sleep shame for most of my life as an entrepreneur. If I want to rest or sleep, I'm like I can't I have to do x.Over the past month, God would just tell me in the mid-day, can you just lie down and it would just be a struggle. But life was birthed out of that. Out of what looked like nothingness, I can now see that so much life has come out of it. So yes, even when it looks like nothing is happening, trust me life is being birthed.

Rhieme: Mhmm those moments where He's restoring you.There are just some things that make you think about life and you're like, there's no way I can leave God. I know where I’m coming from.I know where I'm going, because He's told me there are some things that keep you grounded. Because it's very easy to get so caught up in different things. If you're moving and it's not God moving you, you will fall back down. Even for people who might actually feel that they've actually stepped out of line with God, and what He wants them to do it's actually okay. Like, some people think their story is over if they make mistakes, we're all going to make mistakes.I also get very scared like no I don't want to mess up. But, at the same time, He's also told me don't set your mind up for I'm going to mess up, your story can also be different, you will probably have setbacks you're not perfect.There's this thing where you feel one minute you're rising or you're moving with God and everything. And then we've almost normalised this thing where you crash, so everything comes tumbling down. One thing about God is that as He builds up different people, so as more and more people share their stories and share their experiences, people come behind and the better.

Mazino: That's the goal so people don't make the same mistakes that we made.

Rhieme: Exactly. That's why vulnerability and everything is so important because I love hearing people's stories. I love hearing more than just an announcements because I how I felt when all I would see would people just saying great things.So I've made announcements too but I always as much as I can, share the process.

Rhieme: How have you been able to adapt and transition as you evolve?

Mazino: I think staying childlike, is how I've been able to. Being a child means that wherever my father drags me today, I'm going. It goes back to that desperation. I tell God, I need you. Like, for the littlest things, I need you. I can't function if you don't help me. And I had to write a newsletter this morning. And the whole time I was writing as like, I need God to tell me what to say and just maintaining that childlike heart, I believe.

Rhieme: Yeah relying on Him for sure. Never thinking you're above teaching. As I was listening to a sermon by Sarah Jake Roberts, she was saying that whilst at some point you would teach others you are forever going to be students because God is always going to be your teacher. And I think where most people miss it is you think you reached a point where you're above teaching. But just listening and learning as He speaks, because it's one thing for God to speak and you don’t listen.

Rhieme: Do you have any last words advice anything on your mind?

Mazino: Thank you so much for having me Rhieme it’s been amazing being just chatting with you. It's quite liberating as well. I really just want people to pursue the heart of God.His one desire is that we would love God with all our heart, all our strength, all our soul and love our neighbour as ourselves.Through that, so much can be birthed and I just pray that we will seek the hearts of God as we build for God. As we do life we will just seek His heart.

How did you find this conversation? What were your key-takeaways? Feel free to share below in the comments. Make sure you check out Liberada Nutrition and click this link to shop The Purpose Driven Life.