Category: Intentional Living 2.0

Restoring Faith and Identity after Shame and Loss

It was October 2023 when I finally admitted that I was scammed. I couldn’t believe it – how foolish could I be?!! I lost a huge 6-figure sum, but more than that, I lost all my confidence, trust and identity. For months, I cried tears of shame and guilt.

WEEK 8 Theme: Restoring Faith and Identity after Shame and Loss

The experience of being scammed brought deep meaning to the words, “God’s redemption and restoration” – as I lived through it in a real and painful way. I was brought to a lonely desert place, where God redeemed me with His grace and restored me with His love. When all I could feel was shame and I wanted to run far away from God, He pursued me relentlessly with His fierce love and held me tightly in His loving grace.

He brought friends who prayed and supported me, books that enlightened me, and songs that helped me weep. He restored my shaken faith and broken identity. He restored me by renewing who I am.

Weekly Intention

Each of us has past experiences of shame and guilt – but they do not define us:

  1. Identity one past experience that has haunted you for a long time. Find a safe time and space to sit with it and experience the emotions, however painful or uncomfortable they are.
  2. Place your pain and suffering at the foot of the cross – releasing them to our Great Healer, Jesus.
  3. Simply ask Jesus: Please heal me, redeem me and restore me.
  4. Thank God for His great love, mercy and compassion.

Our negative past experiences will continue to hold us captive if we do not release them to God – trapping us with their lies about who we are – lies that we are not enough, or we can’t be trusted, or we have nothing to offer.

I rebuilt my confidence through God’s faithfulness. The money may or may not return in the same form, but something deeper already has – my identity as a daughter of God. This post today is my testimony of God’s redemption and restoration. And also to close this chapter of my life, so that I can move on to new chapters.

Question: What lie did shame plant in me – and what trust is God restoring in my life?

Restored to Your True Identity

I was reading the passage of the Prodigal Son today – how the father welcomed back his youngest son who squandered his inheritance after demanding it from his father. Usually, I would relate to the elder son who felt indignant that his father celebrated and welcomed back his prodigal son. Today, I had an epiphany – like the younger son, I too had squandered the many blessings God had given me.

WEEK 7 Theme: Restored to Your True Identity

The younger son had sought freedom, pleasure and fulfilment outside of his father’s house – and ended up losing all his money and starving in a pigsty in a foreign land. In shame, he wanted to return back to his father’s house as a servant. But his father ran towards him from afar, welcomed him back and restored him as his heir. The father celebrated his son’s return by getting his servant to fetch him his robe, ring, and sandals. And on top of that, he slaughtered the fatted calf to have a feast for him.

What a wonderful imagery of restoration – being reinstated and celebrated as a beloved child.

Weekly Intention

In our lives, we neglect the many blessings that Our Father has given us. We squander our time, opportunities, and calling. We run away to find pleasure. We distract ourselves with social media scrolling or food/wine or other self-indulgences. We strive for performance and perfection. All in futility…

This week, we will set our intention to live as a Child of God, and not as servant. Hence, we will need to change our mindsets:

  1. Stop performing for Approval – I don’t need to do/achieve more to please God, but to know that I am already deeply loved. I serve from love, not for love.
  2. Replace fear with Security – replace punishment and shame with security in God’s love. God is always waiting for us, even when we have squandered His treasures.
  3. Make decisions from Identity, not insecurity – stop chasing validation and needing to prove our worthiness, but be secure in our identity as a Child of God and in His love and grace.

Question: Where have I been living like a servant instead of a Child of God?

From Redemption to Restoration

Redemption is where God starts – how He gave His Son to pay the price for our sin. After we are redeemed by Jesus, He continues to restore our lives, so that we don’t live as damaged goods, but wine in new wineskin.

WEEK 6 Theme: From Redemption to Restoration

In the story of Ruth – she lost her husband and had no future. Boaz stepped in as her kinsman-redeemer. He paid the price to legally restore her inheritance.

Ultimately, redemption points to Jesus, who paid for the debt of our sin on the cross. Fully. This redemption means that sin has no authority over us, shame has no hold over us, and our past does not own our future. We are no longer condemned by our sin. We are fully redeemed.

Redemption settles our position before God. Restoration transforms our condition.

Restoration looks like: courage replacing fear, wisdom replacing regret, peace replacing chaos. Hence purpose emerges from our pain and redemption.

Redemption happens in a moment. Restoration unfolds over a lifetime.

Some believers stay mentally stuck at redemption – knowing that we are saved and forgiven, yet living like broken and stuck in life.

The same God who redeemed you is committed to restoring – your character, your calling, your confidence – and this will lead to increasing your capacity to influence and empower others.

Weekly Intention

He redeems what was lost.

He restores what was broken.

And He often gives you something better than what you thought you needed.

This week, instead of simply asking God to fix things, ask Him to transform you through them:

  1. Write down something in your life that you want God to redeem and restore
  2. Pray and place it in God’s hands
  3. Release it and trust that God will redeem and restore it in His amazing way

Question: What part of my story do I need to release so God can redeem and restore it?

Allowing God to Restore Our Souls

Restoration is God’s work of making us whole after we have been slowly drained, neglected or wounded – often without us even noticing.

WEEK 5 Theme: Allowing God to Restore Our Souls

This week is about permission – permission to slow down, to stop pretending we’re fine, and to let God heal our soul. For God is our creator – He understands us like no one else. He knows our secret thoughts , our deepest longing, and our hidden desires. He is aware of our years of carrying, coping, striving, and staying strong. And He grasps that we are tired, exhausted, and muted – for He realizes that many of us have been surviving on an empty tank or low fuel.

He restores my soul – Psalm 23:3

Weekly Intention

This week, let us do a contemplative practice of allowing God to restore our soul (5 minutes):

  1. Settle Down (1 minute) – sit comfortably, take a slow breath in and an even slower breath out. Let us create a space to enter God’s presence.
  2. Become Aware (1 minute) – gentle ask yourself, “What feels most tired in me right now?”. It could be your body, your emotions, your mind, or your spirit. Whatever comes up – just notice it. No judgement.
  3. Turn Toward God (2 minutes) – simple pray this simple sentence: “Lord, I allow You to restore my soul”. Just sit with the words, and gently return to this sentence if your mind wanders.
  4. Rest (1 minute) – stop the words, sit quietly and breathe. Let God do what only He can do – restore what you cannot fix by trying harder.

Weekly Reflection Question:

Let God heal and restore your weary soul – to bring joy that has gone quiet, to give hope that has been postponed, and to revive dreams that have been buried. God restores us by aligning our soul with His still water, where clarity returns.

Question: Where do I need to allow God to restore me, instead of trying harder?

Listening To Your Younger Self

Today, my friend talked about seeking the wisdom of your younger self, starting from 5 years old, up to your current age, in increment of 5 years. I thought he was referring to imagining what my younger self would say, but he wasn’t referring to that. It is to listen to your younger self “speak” to you.

WEEK 3 Theme: Listening to Your Younger Self

Reawakening isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about remember who you were – before fear learned to speak louder than your faith, or setbacks kept you from moving forward, or tragedies broke your heart.

It is not about fixing your past. It’s about letting the past speak life into your present.

Weekly Intention:

Sit down in a quiet place and allocate a time where you won’t be disturbed or distracted. Ask yourself this question:

Imagine I am 5 years old, and knowing what I know now, what would my younger self share with me? (Do this for the next 5 years – 10 years old, 15 years old, 20 years old, etc)

After this reflection, very importantly, you must say this to yourself:

Thank you for serving me. I can now take it from here.

Do not judge or beat yourself up. Do not allow shame or guilt to overwhelm you. Do not scold your younger self.

Be compassionate. Be kind. Be forgiving.

Honour yourself and be proud of how far you’ve come. Appreciate and thank yourself for the person you are today. Do not be ashamed of your battle scars, because those scars are evidence of the battles you have fought and won. Do not be ashamed of your brokenness, because they show how God has saved you and made you whole again.

God can use the wisdom of your younger self to transform you – to remind you of His grace, mercy and compassion. Whether you see it or not, God has redeemed, restored and protected you in miraculous ways.

Remember: you are God’s masterpiece.

Weekly Reflection Question:

If you feel stuck or restless, then listening to the wisdom of your younger self might bring invaluable insights. Seek the truth from your younger selves – to claim their wisdom and to transform your life today.

Question: What truth from my younger self am I ready to claim?

Presence is Where God Meets Us

WEEK 2 Theme – Choosing to be Present on a Consistent Basis

We live a noisy and distracted world, so choosing to be present on a consistent basis is a rare skill. We tend to enjoy the badge of honour that comes with being busy or productive. We allow ourselves to drown in doom scrolling as a so-called reward for working hard. We fool ourselves with excuses or justifications – just this once, this can wait, you’re doing enough already… Slowly, our presence erodes, sometimes without us noticing.

Reawaken is not a moment of insight – it’s a daily choice to return. To return to God – to return to ourselves – to return to what actually matters. Being present is an act of resistance in a world addicted to urgency.

Presence is where God meets us – not in the past we regret, or the future we worry about. Stop reminiscing the past, or worrying about the future, but be fully present.

Weekly Intention (Choose One):

Let us start this adventure by choosing presence:

  • Set a daily alarm called, “Choose Presence” – to do one thing fully present, for example, deep breathing, look at the sky, sip your water slowly or eat your food mindfully – do it intentionally, without multitasking, and invite God into the moment
  • Daily Devotional – download a devotional app (YouVersion/Bible, or Ascension) to guide you to read God’s Word and be in His presence
  • Be Still – sit quietly at a place where you will not be disturbed, set a timer for a few minutes and be present in the moment – see yourself with the loving eyes of God – but be kind if you find yourself easily distracted or feeling restless

Weekly Reflection Question:

In the midst of our busyness, let us be intentional about setting time apart to be present – to meet God. He is always knocking at the door of our heart, waiting for us to invite Him in. Even when we turn our backs to Him, He will not stop pursuing us. And especially when we are too busy for Him, He will remind us to seek Him wholeheartedly and to rest in Him.

Question: How can I be more present with God – and with myself?

Awakening deepens through repetition, not intensity.

Wake Up from Distraction and Be Present

Last week, I revamped the CREATE framework from my Intentional Living series. This week, I simplified this framework to just 3 steps – REAWAKEN – RESTORE – RESPOND. I realize that transformation does not happen by doing more, but by paying attention (REAWAKEN), healing deeply (RESTORE), and obeying faithfully (RESPOND).

A new year of 2026 has begun, but many of us are still asleep in our spiritual slumber. The noise and distractions from the world has a way of numbing our spiritual awareness, keeping us in an autopilot of busyness and daily grind.

WEEK 1 Theme – Waking Up From Distraction and Be Present

But before we start the journey, let us reflect back:

  • What were the three biggest distractions last year, that is pulling you away from God’s presence?
  • What are the three things from last year that you are ready to release this year?

Intention Living beings with your ATTENTION.

Weekly Intention (Choose One):

Let us start this adventure by paying attention:

  • Be present and put your phone away when you are with your family and friends, especially during meal times and festive seasons
  • Be bored and look around you – cut down the non-stop social media scrolling and train yourself to be bored – then maybe, just maybe, you will be aware at the strange and beautiful world and people around you
  • Be imaginative – dare to dream again and actively pursue whatever you can imagine, or ask silly questions like a small child and come up with crazy answers for yourself (let’s see how imaginative you can be!)

Weekly Reflection Question:

As we start a new year, let us forgo the New Year’s Resolutions, and lists of annual goals for the year, but take a deep dive on the transformation you want for yourself this year.

As yourself the question: who do you want to become this year? Visualise a “transformed you” at the end of the year – with great clarity, excited emotion and in full detail.

Question: “What is God inviting me to do—and who is He inviting me to become?”

The Costs of Staying Stuck for Another Year (and How to Move Forward)

Happy New Year! Welcome to another new year! A fresh new start. Yet so familiar – have we felt the same last January with this fresh-new-start feeling? However, are we still carrying forward the same doubts, frustrations and unfulfilled dreams from past years?

The Hidden Costs of Staying Stuck:

  • Lack of Peace – your soul longs for purpose but you settle for comfort, making you feel frustrated and restless
  • Delayed Dreams – your dreams are still in the threshold of becoming a reality, being buried year after year
  • Stolen Joy – your joy is incomplete as you realise you’re “settling” in life, staying safe, and not fulfilling your purpose or calling

The Reason We are Stuck:

  • Unhealed Hearts – our hearts continue to harbour past mistakes, failures and traumas
  • Unforgiveness – we can’t forgive others, even ourselves, which hinders us from moving forward
  • Self-Reliance – we rely on our own strength and we want to do things our own way, instead of trusting God

Question: Do you want to stay where you are for another year?

Moving from Stuck to Aligned

This year, I am venturing into a new project – to revamp my Intentional Living Series which I started in 2020 – into a 12-week guided journey, using the CREATE Framework:

  • C – Crossroad: recognise where God is inviting you to pause and pay attention
  • R – Rebuild: allow God to heal and rebuild the foundations of your soul
  • E – Establish: form structures to sustain your restored heart
  • A – Action: step into God aligned action
  • T – Testing: start small with mini-experiments, then go beyond your limits
  • E – Elevate: steward influence and grow with humility and faithfulness

This journey has two parts:

  • Restoration – Crossroad, Rebuild and Establish modules – this come first because God doesn’t release what our hearts aren’t ready to do
  • Calling – Action, Testing and Elevate modules – next comes our divine calling, which comes out naturally from a heart that has been restored and made whole again

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: live with intention – from restoration to aligning with your divine calling.

Stop drifting in frustration and missed opportunities for another year. Know that doing nothing different – not changing – will costs you more than you know.

Question: Are you willing to be allow God to restore your soul so that you can fulfil your divine calling?