Our Faith Journey

It’s the last episode of the podcast! Can’t believe this day has come, thank you so much for tuning in and listening to this show :) In this episode, I take some time to reflect on my journey producing this podcast, the challenges I faced, the lessons I learned, and the blessings I experienced. I also get a chance to ask Melanie Galima, my social media coordinator, about her experience helping out the podcast and why she chose to help me in this ministry!

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Suicide affects many people around the world, including Christians. One person every 40 seconds dies by suicide, and for every person who dies by suicide, more than 20 others attempt suicide. It’s the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds globally. Maybe you’ve experienced suicidal thoughts or know someone who has struggled with them as well.

So with that in mind, how we do navigate thoughts of suicide as Christians? Or maybe we know someone who is struggling with suicide, how can we minister to those people? In today’s episode, I had a chance to ask these questions to my Penang mom, Cecelia Chai. Cecelia has dealt with suicidal thoughts on a few occasions, and both of us have experienced the challenges that come with reaching out to someone who is suicidal. Really think I really hope the insights we share can be meaningful to you as we understand suicide from a faith perspective.

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Depression is a challenging thing to process and deal with. So how do we navigate this tough season as Christians? Or how can we help someone who is struggling with depression? In this episode, I invite fellow podcaster Rachel Arner to share her experience with depression and how God led her through that tough season in her life. She also provides a lot of insight into ministering to someone who is depressed and more!

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Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses, affecting roughly 1 in 5 people around the world. And I’m sure you’ve had moments of anxiety in your life, maybe times where you were overwhelmed by your anxious thoughts. So do we approach anxiety in our lives? What do we do when the thoughts of worry, fear, and/or doubt overwhelm and paralyze us? Do medication and counseling play a role, and if so, how? In this episode, I have a chance to interview my friend Wendy Wang about the topic of anxiety. She shares her experiences with anxiety, how God led her throughout that time up to now, and what to do when you or you someone you care about is experiencing anxiety.

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Have you been in a place where you’re overloaded with responsibilities and burdens that it seems impossible for you to move forward? Or maybe you felt like you hit a wall out of nowhere and everything around you seems to be collapsing? Maybe you’re experiencing or have experienced the feeling of burnout. In this episode, I had a chance to interview Benjamin Lundquist, the director of young adult ministries in the SDA Oregon Conference. Benjamin shares his thoughts on the reasons behind burnout, what is faith’s role in combating burnout, what can we do to move forward from a season of burnout, and more!

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All of us have experienced what it means to be a part of a family, and as we all know, families have their ups and downs. So what causes families to be broken? How do we actively play a role in creating healthy, godly families? And what does it mean to “honor your parents” while staying true to who God called you to be? In this episode, I have the honor of interviewing Dr. Shee, someone that played an active role during my mission year in Penang. Dr. Shee shares his journey as a parent and the lessons he’s learned along the way, and he addresses these questions and more!

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As a kid, I remembered every good fairy tale or romance story ended up with the hero and the heroine getting married and living happily ever after. A part of me looks forward to that day as well. And yet “happily ever after” seems like something harder to find in marriages today. A recent study by Dana Shapiro reveals that very few married people are happy, about 17% percent. So how does God fit into the picture of marriage, and what does a Godly marriage look like? Well, I had a chance to interview a lovely couple, Justin and Emily Khoe, about their marriage and what they’ve learned along the way. Both of them are quite open about their experiences and share valuable insights when it comes to marriage.

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When it comes to the conversation about sex, the primary message you probably hear from Christians is this: Don’t have sex until marriage. And then the conversation ends there. Which I feel is pretty sad and shallow because there’s no in-depth conversation about sex. Like why sex is an experience that is best limited to a marriage setting? Especially in today’s culture, where sex scenes have become the norm in TV shows and movies, and pornography is just a click away on the Internet, I think it’s really vital to nail down how a Christian conducts himself/herself in the area of sexuality. So in this conversation, Pastor Jason and I dive into topics such as God’s perspective on sex, how do we talk about sex, and even addressing the issues of masturbation and pornography.

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Over the past few episodes, we’ve explored the present moment of social uproar, delved into various forms of injustices and disparities, and addressed the mentalities behind racism and prejudice. Now, with this information in mind, we ask the overarching question: what’s the solution? In the final episode of the Race and Religion podcast series, Brian, Shawn, and I answer the questions you asked and dive into where we think we should go from here.

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In the past few episodes, we’ve addressed the external realities of racial disparities and dove into our perspective of Christian theology relating to race. And today we dive into topics related to the heart: the conversation on privilege and power. Some topics we address include white privilege, insensitivity, white fragility, virtue signaling, and color blindness. And throughout the conversation, we explore these terms and what they mean in light of the gospel and our identity as children of God.

We want to hear questions from you! If you'd like for us to tackle a question you might have about race and religion, send the question to ourfaithjourneypodcast@gmail.com, or you can send a message to Our Faith Journey Instagram and Facebook pages. In the next episode and last episode of the series, we will be having a Q&A section dedicated to answering questions that you might have.

Besides the criminal justice system, what other disparities and challenges do the black community face? How do all of these issues tie in with the overarching issue of poverty? And how are we, as Christians called to view and treat the poor in society? In today's episode, Dr. Bowtie Brian, Dr. Shawn Smith, and I will explore these questions and more, and our hope is that this conversation will help you gain a better perspective on the present situation in the U.S. 

We want to hear questions from you! If you'd like for us to tackle a question you might have about race and religion, send the question to ourfaithjourneypodcast@gmail.com, or you can send a message to Our Faith Journey Instagram and Facebook pages. In future episodes, we will be having a Q&A section dedicated to answering questions that you might have.

Are Christians called to be activists, or should we ignore current injustices in light of Christ’s second coming? How has America become the country that has 5% of the world’s population, yet holds 25% of the nation’s prisoners? What is the role of police in society, and how can we explore conversations about police reform? In the second episode of the Race and Religion podcast series, Dr. Bowtie Brian, Dr. Shawn Smith, and I dive deeper into an understanding of the prophetic voice in Scripture, the police, and the prison system.

We want to hear questions from you! If you'd like for us to tackle a question you might have about race and religion, send the question to ourfaithjourneypodcast@gmail.com, or you can send a message to Our Faith Journey Instagram and Facebook pages. In future episodes, we will be having a Q&A section dedicated to answering questions that you might have.

In the first episode of the Race and Religion podcast series, Dr. Bowtie Brian, Dr. Shawn Smith, and I explore our present situation with the recent death of George Floyd and the protests that erupted around the world as a result. Also, we share our racial and socioeconomic backgrounds and how our understanding of racial issues has changed over these past few weeks. In addition, we briefly explore how we are called as Christians to learn more about this situation and be involved in the ministry of racial reconciliation.

We want to hear questions from you! If you'd like for us to tackle a question you might have about race and religion, send the question to ourfaithjourneypodcast@gmail.com, or you can send a message to Our Faith Journey Instagram and Facebook pages. In future episodes, we will be having a Q&A section dedicated to answering questions that you might have. 

Breakups are really painful experiences and something you probably don’t want to experience if you haven’t already. But they do happen. And they are complicated. So with that in mind, how do we navigate breakups as Christians? In this episode, I bring on Pastor Sam Leonor, who has a lot of experience in helping others through breakups and also was a key person in my healing journey from past breakups. Some of the things we talk about include what are valid reasons for a breakup, how to break up with someone in a Godly manner, what does it mean to be healed from a past relationship, and so much more!

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Dating is quite a new phenomenon in human history: something that’s been around for 100 years. So it’s a topic that we can’t find a step-by-step playbook in the Bible, but there are definitely Christian principles that we can value when it comes to dating. In this episode, I interview Pastor Jerome and Jesline, a couple from Penang, Malaysia. In our conversation, they share their dating experience, what they looked for in a significant other, how they’ve handled hard seasons in their relationship, and much more!

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In today’s culture, love and romance saturates everything, from popular music to TV shows and movies. With all the messages that go around, it’s very easier for Christian singles to get lost in the daydream world, wishing to be in a dating relationship and/or married. With that in mind, how does God want us to think and approach a season of singleness? What are some benefits and challenges that Christian singles face? And how can we combat feelings of loneliness when romance isn’t a current option? In today’s episode, Dr. Fam answers these questions and shares much more.

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How do we minister to people on a campus setting (college, high school, university, etc.) when we aren’t able to meet in a physical location or even be on campus? How do we combat the loss of community during this time? And how do we change our avenues of ministry in light of these times? On this episode, I bring on Chaplain Kevin Straine to share his thoughts on these questions and more Kevin shares a lot of wisdom not just for those in campus ministries positions, but for anyone who’s thinking of how to reach out to people during this time.

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In this season, what is the church now that we can’t meet physically in a building together with fellow believers? How can this pandemic be a catalyst for positive changes in the ways we perceive and conduct church? How can the church help combat feelings of loneliness and loss of community during this time? In this episode, I bring on Pastor Marcos Torres to talk about rethinking church in light of COVID-19.

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In this COVID-19 crisis, we as Christians have to wrestle with certain challenges right now, and naturally, questions might arise. Like for example, if God is love, why is He either causing or allowing this pandemic to take place? How do we come to terms with suffering as Christians, and how can the Gospel address the struggles we face now? On this episode, I bring on two of my good friends, Jason Daniel and Abhijeet Andrews, to share their thoughts on these questions and more :)

We're starting a new series this week called Peace Be Still: a series that will focus on deepening our trust and faith in God and also rethinking the way we are called to minister to those around us. In the first episode of the new series, I share how COVID-19 affected my time in Malaysia and how God took care of me along the way :) 

Do you have an ability to easily see from multiple perspectives, yet you find it difficult to assert your own opinion? Do you find yourself doing all sorts of activities to avoid doing the activity you know you need to do? Is peace something you value, and you have a natural ability to make others feel comfortable around you? If you relate with any of these statements, there’s a chance you might be a Type 9 on the Enneagram. In this episode, we end the Enneagram series by learning more about our Type 9 friends: the Peacemakers! I bring on my friends Joe Hsiao and Phuong Ly, who Identify as Type 9’s, to share about they view life as a Type 9.

Do you tend to come off as strong and powerful and avoid being vulnerable with others? Is confrontation something that you find easier to lean into than others? Are you very passionate about defending the weak and powerless? If you relate with any of these statements, there’s a chance you might be a Type 8 on the Enneagram. In this episode, we continue the Enneagram series by learning more about our Type 8 friends: the Challengers! I bring on my friend Lara Albano, who identifies as a Type 8, to share about she views life as a Type 8.

Would you describe yourself as the life of the party? Do new experiences, moments, and things fascinate you? Are painful feelings something that you avoid and fear to face? If you relate with any of these statements, there’s a chance you might be a Type 7 on the Enneagram. In this episode, we continue the Enneagram series by learning more about our Type 7 friends: the Enthusiasts! I bring on my friend Jennifer Chavez, who identifies as a Type 7, to share about she views life as a Type 7.

Is it important for you to know there’s someone behind you, supporting you every step of the way? Does it seem like there’s a committee of voices in your head imagining every worst-case scenario at every moment? Do you find it hard to come to a conclusion on anything because you’re constantly second-guessing yourself? Well if you relate with any of these statements, there’s a chance you might be a Type 6 on the Enneagram. In this episode, we continue the Enneagram series by learning more about our Type 6 friends: the Loyalists. I bring on my friend Christie Leung, who identifies as a Type 6, to share about she views life as a Type 6.

Instead of trying a new activity right away, do you prefer to sit back, analyze and process before trying it for yourself? Do you love acquiring knowledge about all sorts of things yet don’t feel competent enough to share what you know with others? Do you have a natural ability to be objective about situations that others can be very emotionally attached to? Well, if you can relate with any of these desires and traits, there’s a chance you might be an Enneagram Type 5. In this episode, we continue the Enneagram series by learning more about our Type 5 friends: the Investigator. I bring on my friend Michele Leong, who identifies as a Type 5, to share about she views life as a Type 5.

Throughout your life, have you felt there was a part of you missing as if you were incomplete? Has a major struggle in your life been finding your unique voice and persona? Do emotions really swing you from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows? Well, if you can relate with any of these desires and traits, there’s a chance you might be an Enneagram Type 4. In this episode, we continue the Enneagram series by learning more about our Type 4 friends: the Individualists. I bring on my cousin Ezekiel Teo, who identifies as a Type 4, to share about they view life as a Type 4.

Does success matter a lot to you, and you’re willing to set the steps and goals necessary in order to reach your definition of success? Has failure been difficult for you to face, and feelings seem unnecessary and inconvenient? Well if you identify with these desires and fears, there’s a chance you might be an Enneagram Type 3. In this episode, we continue the Enneagram series by learning more about our Type 3 friends: the Achievers. I bring on my two friends Yarimel Huerta and Emily Pangalila, who identify as Type 3’s, to share about they view life as a Type 3.

Are you someone that can’t help but serve those around you? Do you have the ability to read and perceive other people around you, but you find it difficult to face your emotions and feelings? And at the core, is your greatest fear the fear of being alone? Well, if you identify with these desires and fears, there is a chance that you identify with the Enneagram Type 2. In this episode, we continue the Enneagram series by learning more about our Type 2 friends: the Helpers. I bring on Jon Hwang, who identifies as a Type 2, to share about how he views life as a Type 2.

When you look at life, do you desire to create perfection in yourself and in everything around you? Is being wrong, corrupt, or immoral something that you fear? Well, if you identify with these desires and fears, there is a chance that you identify with the Enneagram Type 1. And on this episode, we start the Enneagram Series by learning more about our Type 1 friends: the Reformers. I bring on Tim Yun, who identifies as a Type 1, to share about how he views life as a Type 1.

Ever tried taking personality tests such as Myers-Briggs (16 Personalities), DISC assessment, and/or Strengths Finder and felt like they placed you in a box? Or maybe you’re skeptical about personality tests because you think they are stereotypical descriptions like horoscopes or palm reading? Well, if you relate with any of those statements, I believe the Enneagram is going to shatter all of your preconceived notions. In this episode, my friend Olive Hui and I introduce to you the Enneagram: a typology that really dives deep into your underlying motivations (your basic desires and fears), shows what you are at your worst and envisions what you could be at your best. And yes, the Enneagram does tie into Christian spirituality, which is why I think it can be a very useful tool for our faith journey.

Ever faced a difficult decision that you weren’t sure what to choose? For example: choosing your career, deciding who to date, choosing a church, doing a particular ministry, who to hang out or not hang out with, etc etc? How do we know God’s will for us in those moments? And how can we utilize our fellow Christians to help us in the decision making process? In this episode, I sit down with Pastor Desmond Tongpo to address these questions and more.

We live in a culture that screams: “More is better”, and sometimes we have a lot of expectations placed on us: friends, family life, church, school, the workplace, and a whole lot of other places. And without realizing it, we might overload our plates, run out of gas, and burnout. So how do we set healthy limits on our lives in order to prevent burnout, disappointment, and over exhaustion? Well on this show, I interview Chaplain Kevin Straine about the importance of limits and how do we set healthy limits in our lives.

Conflicts are inevitable and challenging to deal with. And when we don’t handle conflicts right, conflicts definitely have consequences: broken families, broken hearts, broken homes, broken friendships, and broken societies. So how we can navigate situations of conflict in order to prevent brokenness and pain? Well in this episode, I interview Chaplain Matthew Hunlede about how we, as Christians, can approach conflict in a godly manner.

In this day and age, we live in a world full of violence and hatred. It seems that every day we hear about another mass shooting or a terrorist attack, and what the world needs more than ever are Christians who really exemplify what it means to love and care for others. But questions arise. How do we care for others? What does it mean to be compassionate versus sympathetic? And how do we listen to others so that they feel heard? Well in this episode, Ashton Hardin answers these questions and more.

One activity often associated with Christianity is going to church. But why go to church in the first place? Or maybe you’ve tried going to a church and the people there have hurt you. What do we when the church has hurt us? And how can we distinguish between healthy and unhealthy churches? On this episode, Pastor Robert Liaw shares his thoughts on these questions and more.

So in today’s world we are connected like never before through the Internet and social media, yet we are living in a time where we are feeling more lonely than ever before. Although a relationship with God is something that can ease our loneliness, as God said in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Community plays a vital role on our faith journey, especially when it comes to friendships.

So why are some of us falling short of wholesome friendships? How can we find good wholesome friendships? And what does it even mean to be a good friend? On this episode, my best friends Abhijeet Andrews, Jason Daniel, and John Sumilat answer these questions and more!

In recent years a major trend in popular culture has been self-awareness. From the emergence of personality tests and counselors/therapists, self-awareness has become something more valued and recognized. But why is self-awareness important in our faith journey with God? And if self-awareness is so important, how do we learn the things about ourselves that we don’t know about ourselves?

In this episode, my therapist Melissa Williams breaks down self-awareness into principles that we can apply in our faith journey. Currently, Melissa Williams works as a professional therapist at La Sierra University, and for those of you who don’t know what a therapist does, a therapist is trained to listen to your problems and help you discover the solutions you’re looking for. Basically, therapists help you understand yourself better. Since she’s played a huge role, as my therapist, in helping me grow in my self-awareness, I thought it would be exciting to bring her onto the show to talk about this topic.

The concept of the Sabbath was set up by God in Creation and emphasized during the time of the Israelites, but does Sabbath still apply to us today? And if God calls us to keep the Sabbath day, what is the definition of the Sabbath, and how are we called to observe it?

I sat down with Pastor Alex Niculaescu to hear about his thoughts on the Sabbath and why Sabbath is important for Christians, especially in this day and age. Instead of debating about the specific day of Sabbath worship, we discussed practical ways as to how we can observe and also enjoy Sabbath.

So why is spending daily time with God important? What prevents us from wanting to spend time with Him? And maybe we’ve heard our pastors say to pray and read the Bible every day, but how do we go about doing that? In this episode, Jason and Jefferd Daniel address these questions by talking about what it means to develop daily rhythms with God.

As a Christian, how do we find our primary purpose in life? Is following Jesus just a list of “do’s” and “don’ts” or something more? And how can we connect with Jesus to discover what He wants us to do? In the second episode of The Inner Life series, Chaplain Terry Swenson breaks down these questions by sharing how we can find purpose in Christ!

What does it mean to ground our identity with Christ? And how do we attach the identities that the world offers us in order to really embrace God's identity for us? In the first episode of The Inner Life series, Dr. Bowtie Brian shares his thoughts on what an identity with Christ looks like and how it affects our daily lives. 

So what does it mean to be a follower to Jesus? How can faith move from a cultural norm into a personal walk with Christ? And what does a faith journey with God really entail? In the second episode of the show, Pastor Sam Leonor talks about the theme of this show, Our Faith Journey, and how he's found Jesus to be an irresistible option.

On the first episode of the show, Gerald Cheng, your host for this podcast, shares about a pivotal moment in his life that started his faith journey with God. He is joined on the show by Rhidge Garcia, associate pastor of the Fort Myers Seventh-Day Adventist Church and one of Gerald's best friends. Together, they recall the story about how Gerald almost gave up on God and how God sent Rhidge as an answer to prayer.