When I first did the Loved, Chosen & Free worksheet in May 2020, I discovered a sobering truth: my whole life had been shame-based. The realisation stung, but it was also an unveiling of what the Lord longed to heal. Since then, I have done the same worksheet four times. Some of my issues have shifted into the "not so much" column, showing areas of movement and grace. Yet overall, shame still lingers as a heavy undercurrent. For a time, that deeply concerned me.

During a prayer ministry with Sandra in October, last year, I shared my worry. With her usual wisdom and gentleness, she reminded me that shame takes a long time to untangle. Its roots run deep, often entwined in places of identity. She reassured me that as long as I see even small signs of improvement, I need not fear. Healing is not a race. It is a steady journey led by the Holy Spirit, one tender unveiling at a time.

Shame is a thief. It does not speak with reason or truth, for it does not dwell in logic but in the amygdala, the seat of survival and fear. It paralyses perception, whispers "you are a mistake," and persuades us to hide what we dislike. Our bodies often carry their weight — the gut, the tense shoulders, the face turned away from the mirror. Yet guilt says, "I made a mistake," while shame declares, "I am a mistake." That lie can feel crippling.

Sandra’s encouragement freed me to see that even slow progress is real progress. Every time I sit with Jesus, every time I confess the lie and choose His truth, a little more light enters the hidden places.

Shame is such a major stronghold that Sandra has done a 7-lesson teaching series called UNashamed on it. It wasn’t until I offered it in my encounter groups that I finally plucked up the courage to watch the lessons and work through it myself.

The truth is, shame does not define me. My Core Values reflect my truest self in Christ — faith, love, compassion, courage, creativity, and service. These are the pillars of who I am becoming, the prophetic counter-story to what shame once claimed.

💡Reflection Prompt

• What lies of shame still whisper in your heart? 🤔

• How might God’s truth and your core values rewrite that story? 🤔

You are not defined by shame. You are defined by the One who calls you His own, who clothes you in righteousness, and who restores the broken pieces of your story into beauty. One step at a time, light is winning.

🎨Creative Prompt

Paint or sketch a two-sided map: one side showing where shame once held you captive, the other side filled with your God-given values as radiant truths.

🙌Prayer

Jesus, You see the roots of shame buried deep within me. Thank You for leading me step by step into freedom. Replace every lie with Your truth, every shadow with Your light. Teach me to walk in the identity You have given me — loved, chosen, and free.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.