I grew up in a household steeped in Eastern religions. Since young, I just followed whatever my parents did, worshipping idols, doing rituals, going to temples, and consulting mediums who claimed to be deities. I genuinely believed all of it.

I grew up watching Hong Kong dramas about gods and celestial beings, and I thought they were real. So when it came to fengshui, charms, donations… I did them all, thinking they would bring blessings and make life better.

But I also came from a broken family. My dad had an affair, my parents divorced, and I always wondered, “Why is my family like this?” When I looked at my cousins or friends, their families looked intact.

I carried that hurt with me for a long time. That insecurity drove me. I needed to prove I was worth something, and so I started chasing achievements and success, hoping it would fill that void.

For all my efforts, I was disappointed to enter the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) — but I continued to push through.

I studied hard, got a perfect GPA, went on to polytechnic, then NTU, and eventually graduated with First Class Honours in Art, Design and Media.

I received a local sponsorship to cover my university fees and even won an international award. My story was also featured in newspapers like The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.

But even after all that, something was still missing. I had thought that maybe having more money, more recognition, or better titles would help. But the emptiness stayed.

Flying high on empty

After university, I joined the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). I did so not because it was my dream, but because I wanted to make my parents proud. I wanted them to recognise me.

Additionally, arts and design weren’t considered a stable path in Singapore, and I already had a girlfriend (who’s now my wife), so I wanted stability, something I could build a future on. 

Initially, I wanted to be a pilot, got selected, but didn’t make it through training. So I returned to air traffic control and eventually became a major.

It was a stable, respected job. But deep down, I felt stuck and unfulfilled. By the time the COVID period had passed, I hit a season of burnout and dryness. I felt like I was just going through the motions.

During my RSAF career, I got more into fengshui. The readings felt accurate, and I began renovating my house according to the advice. We even spent $30,000 to $40,000 on fengshui consultations, items and ornaments.

But now I see it was deception — the enemy’s way of pulling me deeper into spiritual bondage. At that point, I didn’t know Jesus. I didn’t know the truth.

Crash and burn

Then came the lowest point of my life.

Between 2021 to 2023 was when I started going out more after work. I was drinking and gambling, and eventually, I cheated on my wife while she was pregnant with our second child.

When she found out, everything fell apart. She wanted a divorce and told me I wouldn’t see my son again. I was devastated.

I was kicked out of the house and, honestly, I thought about ending my life.

That evening, I sat alone crying uncontrollably. I looked up and said, “If anyone in Heaven is real, please help me.”

Just then, I saw a beautiful sunset. It was the very thing just stopped me from doing anything reckless.

Looking back, I believe it was God intervening to save my life.

Brand new start

Miraculously, my wife allowed me to come back. But things were rocky. There were constant quarrels and deep pain. We tried counselling, read books… but nothing helped.

Then I remembered my wife’s friend, who had always invited us to church. We had always said no because of family commitments.

But six years ago, we did attend a Christmas production when my wife was pregnant with our first son. As part of the production, they had feathers (depicting the angel’s wing) dropping from the ceiling.

After some time into the sermon, a feather slowly descended and landed on her baby bump. I felt something special then, but had brushed it off.

Now, desperate and broken, we decided to go back this time, to Impact Life Church.

That weekend, we happened to attend a baptism service. The moment I stepped in, I felt something… shift.

During the altar call, the pastor said, “No amount of self-help can save you. Only God can.” When I heard those words, I broke down. That was the moment we both gave our lives to Christ.

From that day on, God began to restore everything, my marriage, my home, my heart.

We threw out all our idols and fengshui items. With the help of our community, we renounced all the spiritual ties that held power over our lives.

My wife forgave me. I slowly reconnected with my boys. God started rebuilding everything I had destroyed.

As I started walking with God, I began spending more time with Him. I read my Bible (when I hated reading) went on prayer walks, journalled, and fasted.

I wasn’t perfect, I didn’t journal every day, but I tried to seek Him daily.

And one day, I felt this strong prompting in my heart: “It’s time to leave your job.”

ANDY LIM’s faith story continues in this next article, where he discusses how God led him, with no F&B experience, onto the rocky path of setting up a café that is a “surrendered space”.