Dream Brave

Dream Brave with Wai Jia, as she addresses the self-doubt and fear we all have to unlock the audacious faith we need to live out our God-given dreams, big or small. More encouragement on Instagram @drwaijiatam and YouTube @Kitedreams. Purchase Wai Jia’s latest book Dream Brave, available where books are sold.

What You Find in the Dark (An Interview with Aubrey Sampson) 07/02/2025

What You Find in the Dark (An Interview with Aubrey Sampson) So many of us associate darkness with death and pain. But what if I told you, that though darkness is gloom, it is also a womb? That if you walk through grief, you will find a garden? In this episode, Dr. Wai Jia interviews author and pastor Aubrey Sampson, who’s not only lived through but has written a number of books on grief, lament and joy. Aubrey has lived through autoimmune disease, being a mother to a baby who had to go through spinal cord surgery, and the loss of her best friend, among other griefs. In her latest book, “What We Find in the Dark” she offers raw, real, and fought-for spiritual wisdom and practical insights for loss, grief, and doubt. Tune in as we unpack what lament is, and why it is absolutely crucial in our relationship with God. You can connect with Aubrey on her website, , and on social media . Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/37200990

How God Promotes Us Through Pain and Perplexity (An Interview with Bob Sorge) 06/19/2025

How God Promotes Us Through Pain and Perplexity (An Interview with Bob Sorge) What do you do when life never goes back to normal? When a routine surgery left Bob Sorge with a lifelong vocal injury, everything changed. Once a powerful speaker and worship leader, he suddenly couldn’t do the work he loved or live life the way he had planned. In this vulnerable conversation, Bob shares his journey through decades of chronic pain, unanswered questions, and the transformation that God orchestrates through suffering. This story will move you, ground you, and remind you that even when life doesn’t go back to normal, it can still move forward. Bob’s voice may be faint and raspy, but don’t let that fool you. There’s thunder in his words. This one takes more intentional listening. But if you can lean in, you’ll hear a rare kind of wisdom—the kind forged in fire, silence, and decades of wrestling with God. /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/37037520

What Cancer Couldn't Kill: The Long Way Home (An Interview with Marianne Tan) 06/04/2025

What Cancer Couldn't Kill: The Long Way Home (An Interview with Marianne Tan) What if the worst news of your life becomes the turning point for your greatest healing? Diagnosed with cancer at just 27, Marianne had no family support, no insurance, and a past full of pain. But what followed was a flood of miracles—reconciliation, redemption, and a peace she never imagined. In this raw and honest episode, Marianne opens up about growing up in dysfunction, her battle with cancer, how faith reframed her suffering, and the miraculous reunion with her estranged father—who, without her knowing, had just returned to Christ. We talk about trauma, cancer, breaking up, healing, forgiveness, and what it really means to be seen and loved. ⚠️ Warning: Because of how this story delves into suicide, discretion is advised. Marianne is now pursuing her Master’s in counseling to help others heal. If you'd like to sow into her journey, email us at . This episode is part of Treasures of Darkness—a season exploring how God meets us in our pain and reveals beauty in the broken places. 🎧 Listen. Be moved. And remember: Your story isn’t over. — Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/36797650

Can You Just Sit With Me? (An Interview with Natasha Smith) 05/19/2025

Can You Just Sit With Me? (An Interview with Natasha Smith) In this powerful episode, Dr. Wai Jia sits down with Natasha Smith, grief educator and author of Can You Just Sit With Me? Healthy Grieving for the Losses of Life, to explore what it means to grieve well. Natasha has experienced multiple heartbreaking losses—miscarriage, stillbirth, divorce, giving up her first baby for adoption, the loss of her two older sisters and dad to cancer, the murder of her nephew, and the loss of a prestigious engineering career to homeschool her 4 kids. Through it all, she discovered that every loss deserves space and grace to grieve. Together, Dr. Wai Jia and Natasha discuss: Why invisible grief is real and valid How to create safe spaces in community Practical tools to process grief: talking it out, writing it out, and moving it out How grief can manifest physically, and how to release it The myth that Christians can't grieve and still be a witness of faith The comfort of God's presence in our grieving If you've ever struggled with shame around grief, or wondered how to support someone who's hurting, this heartfelt conversation will remind you: you are seen, you are not alone, and God is sitting with you. /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/36559420

Half a Donut and a Whole Lot of Faith: My MIL’s Legacy of Resilience (An Interview with Susanna Tam) 05/05/2025

Half a Donut and a Whole Lot of Faith: My MIL’s Legacy of Resilience (An Interview with Susanna Tam) What do you do when your child is diagnosed with terminal cancer in a new country...and you can only afford to share half a donut for lunch? When Dr. Wai Jia's mother-in-law Susanna immigrated from Hong Kong to Canada, she had no idea her 10-year-old son (now Dr. Wai Jia's husband) would be diagnosed with liver cancer…or that he’d survive a transplant, complete an Ironman, and later raise a family in Africa. In this deeply moving episode, Susanna shares in her disarmingly light and joyful way: Her journey from street kid to resilient matriarch Why she never pitied herself, even during the darkest nights How her childlike joy, simple faith, and radical generosity have shaped generations The secret she learned that carried her through: “Don’t over-worry. Prepare and let God do the rest.” Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/36289205

Treasures in the Dark 04/17/2025

Treasures in the Dark What if your darkest seasons weren’t detours, but sacred spaces where God meets you most deeply? In this opening episode of Season 2 called "Treasures of Darkness," Dr. Wai Jia Tam shares raw and vulnerable reflections from her personal journey through physical pain, emotional exhaustion, and spiritual wrestling. From ICU beds to unexpected encounters in the wild, she explores the profound truth that God does not abandon us in the dark—and that often, it’s in the valleys that He reveals His deepest treasures of hope. This season, Wai Jia also sits down with a series of extraordinary guests—ordinary Christians who have walked through unimaginable trials. From caregivers and cancer survivors to those who have faced profound loss, burnout, and restoration, their stories will stir your heart and remind you that you are not alone. If you're navigating grief, transition, or a season of silence, this podcast is for you. Season 2 invites you to discover the beauty, depth, and redemption that can be found in the darkness—if only we have the courage to look. Listen now to Treasures of Darkness. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/36001205

Sabbath & Rest: How To Sabbath Audaciously (An Interview with Hern Shung) 04/03/2025

Sabbath & Rest: How To Sabbath Audaciously (An Interview with Hern Shung) Have you felt worn out or breathless in trying to pursue your goals? Have you ever wished you could just go away with Jesus and find rest for your soul? Does Sabbath seem like an impossibility? If those are the questions you've asked, you’ll enjoy this episode. In this episode, Dr. Wai Jia sat down with Ang Hern Shung, Pastoral Overseer at Trinity Methodist Church in Singapore, who talks candidly about his burnout and what he learnt from his recent Sabbatical. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/35982825

Why God’s Rest Unlocks the Miraculous 03/21/2025

Why God’s Rest Unlocks the Miraculous Does rest seem like an impossible demand from God? In your busy life, do you find yourself squeezing in errands to run, people to meet and things to do when you know you wished you could rest? How can rest be part of our journeys of dreaming brave when our big dreams demand so much of us? In this episode, Dr. Wai Jia shares why rest is the key to our fruitfulness and abiding in God. And why rest, is the ultimate gift from God. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/35622880

Stepping Out in Faith When You Feel Unqualified (An Interview with Becca David) 03/06/2025

Stepping Out in Faith When You Feel Unqualified (An Interview with Becca David) Have you ever felt you’re unqualified or ill-equipped for what God is calling you to? Do you ever feel someone else could do a better job, or think: What can God possibly do with someone like me? If those are the questions you've asked, this episode is for you. In this episode, Dr. Wai Jia speaks with Becca David, a hairstylist from Massachusetts, about how God freed her from feeling unworthy and uneducated, and turned her past sexual trauma into a purposeful ministry serving strippers in her local strip club. Becca works as a hairstylist as her full time vocation. Her ministry and passion however, is to serve women who have been sexually exploited and trafficked specifically at local strip clubs in her community. The passion she has to walk alongside these women comes from the way the Lord gently pursued and regenerated her in the darkest seasons of her life. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/35430125

When I Feel I'm Not Good Enough 02/21/2025

When I Feel I'm Not Good Enough Do you often feel small and inadequate? Have you ever wondered how God could possibly do anything significant through someone as broken and flawed as you? God, why can’t I just be good enough to do something great in my lifetime? In this episode, Dr. Wai Jia share how God loves to use the weak and the lowly and why, if you’re feeling “not good enough” for His God-sized dreams for your life, that’s a good place to start. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/35325095

Turning Trauma into Truth: Leading from a Place of Being Loved (An Interview with Jeanette Salguero) 02/06/2025

Turning Trauma into Truth: Leading from a Place of Being Loved (An Interview with Jeanette Salguero) Have you ever wondered how you could do anything worthwhile for God if you yourself were neglected, abused or traumatized before? In this episode, Dr. Wai Jia sat down with Ps. Jeanette Salguero from New York City, a Puerto-Rican pastor, coach and regular advocate at the White House for Hispanic legislation, to discuss what it means to live and lead from a posture of being loved, when we’ve been beaten down before. Jeanette is a pastor at The Gathering in Orlando, FL, Vice President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, and Director of the Carrion Hispanic Leadership Institute at Southeastern University. She is a powerful voice on issues that affect Latino communities in the United States and advocates regularly at the White House. Focusing on immigration, education, and health, Jeanette was honored by the Department of Health & Human Services as one of the top 15 women in the nation for her leadership and work with vulnerable populations. She has many accolades to date, but most of all, she is a proud wife to Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero and a big mama bear to her two sons, Jon-Gabriel and Seth. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/34962575

How Can I Dream Brave When My Family Is So Broken? 01/23/2025

How Can I Dream Brave When My Family Is So Broken? Have you ever felt ashamed of your family of origin? Maybe you struggle with estrangement from your parents, siblings who have hurt or bullied you, family baggage that carries years of generational trauma and sin. You’re not alone. In this episode, Dr. Wai Jia speaks to us about how our family’s dysfunction does not exclude us from fulfilling God’s dreams for our lives. Links: Get the list of questions to ask your parents here: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/34872130

Surrender and Surprises: How Letting Go Helps Us Receive God’s Best (An Interview with Bronwyn Lea) 01/12/2025

Surrender and Surprises: How Letting Go Helps Us Receive God’s Best (An Interview with Bronwyn Lea) Have you ever felt disappointed that your dreams didn't turn out the way you expected? Is God telling me to let go of my dreams? And if so, then why does it feel so hard? If those are the questions you've asked, you've come to the right place. In this episode, I'm so excited to have Bronwyn Lea with me. Bronwyn is originally from South Africa but now lives in California with her family, where she is a pastor at her local church, and a leadership coach and editor with Propel Women. She's an author, a speaker and also a mom to three children. Bronwyn loves to welcome people into her home and she has one of the biggest hearts I know. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/34770650

Surrendering My Dreams to God 12/27/2024

Surrendering My Dreams to God Have you ever felt like you didnt know where you were headed? You know you’ve heard God’s call, but then, it’s as if He’s gone silent and you dont know whats next. What steo do you take whe there’re so many options. Hello God, are you there? In this episode, Wai Jia speaks to us about how God’s plans for our lives comes through best when we come to the place of true surrender, and how, even in our uncertainty, we can still take steps of faith forward. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/33401937

Struggle & Setbacks: What If I Wrestle with Depression? (An Interview with Dave Quak) 12/15/2024

Struggle & Setbacks: What If I Wrestle with Depression? (An Interview with Dave Quak) Do you ever feel like your mental health struggles limit you from pursuing your dreams? How can God use me to impact others if I myself am struggling? In this episode, I sat down with Dave Quak, podcast host of Sunburnt Souls and pastor of Living Temple church in Brisbane to hear his journey with bipolar disorder, how he thrives with it, and why it doesn’t hold him back. I love Dave. He’s become a good friend who’s inspired me so much. You’ll be so blessed by this. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/33401922

When I’ve Lost Hope 12/01/2024

When I’ve Lost Hope Are you struggling with pain, heartbreak or setback? Ever felt like you’re carrying too much baggage or have gone through too much to ever be useful enough for God? In this episode, Wai Jia takes us into Joseph’s life and shares her own struggles with mental health, to show us how God uses our pit and prison experiences to prepare us for the palace. If you feel like you’re struggling to hold onto hope, this episode is for you. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/33366157

Naysayers and Mentors: What if they don’t agree with my dreams? (An Interview with Jason Min) 11/17/2024

Naysayers and Mentors: What if they don’t agree with my dreams? (An Interview with Jason Min) Have you faced opposition from your loved ones when you share your dreams with them? How do you discern good advice from the naysayers? In this episode, I sat down with Pastor Jason Min from Citizens Church to hear his remarkable story of confronting and managing parental expectations when his brother and him chose unexpected career paths. As a Korean-American at the intersection of eastern cultural expectations meeting western individualism, Jason gave great insights on navigating expectations and criticism, and what to do when those we love don’t support or agree with the dreams we feel God calling us to pursue. You’re going to love this episode. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/33366102

Discerning God’s Voice When Others Say No 11/03/2024

Discerning God’s Voice When Others Say No Have you ever felt lost amidst the many well-intentioned voices that advise you on your next steps? What if those voices don’t align with what you’re sensing God speak to you about His dreams for your life? When is it all right to choose not to yield to authority? In this episode, Wai Jia speaks to us about the principles that can guide us in hearing God’s voice, especially when they run counter to what our loved ones are saying. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/33365982

When Counting the Cost Feels Too Hard: An Interview with Cliff Tam 09/06/2024

When Counting the Cost Feels Too Hard: An Interview with Cliff Tam In the pursuit of your God-given dreams, have you ever felt like the sacrifice you had to make felt too great? Do you ever feel like backing out because the possibility of failure just seems too high? If those are the questions you've asked, this episode is for you. In this episode, Wai Jia sat down with her cancer-surviving, IronMan triathlete, stay-at-home-dad Canadian missionary husband, Cliff, to talk about what it means to count the cost for Jesus. This is a tear-jerking episode you don’t want to miss. Cliff is a cancer survivor and a liver transplant recipient turned Iron Man triathlete. He is founder of The Ordinary Dad ministry, which ministers to stay-home-dads in Singapore, and the leader of his family, whom he leads courageously to follow God’s call around the world. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/32937602

When the Risk of Pursuing My Dream Feels Too Great 09/06/2024

When the Risk of Pursuing My Dream Feels Too Great Have you ever felt paralyzed by fear because stepping out into the unknown feels like too great of a risk? After all, we can still do good within our comfort zones. In this episode, Wai Jia shares with us why risk is a crucial part of our learning to walk by faith. If you’re holding back because you’ve counted the cost and it feels too hard, this episode is for you. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/32937572

What If My Faith Feels Too Small? 09/06/2024

What If My Faith Feels Too Small? Have you ever felt like your faith was too small or weak? Ever felt ashamed or guilty for feeling doubtful if your plans would work out? Friend, you’re not alone. In this episode, Wai Jia unravels the mystery of why Jesus rebukes His disciples for having “little faith,” then promptly says that a mustard-seed sized faith would be sufficient. If you feel like you’re falling short on faith, this episode is for you. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer here: /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/32937407

Your Dreams Matter, Because You Do 09/09/2024

Your Dreams Matter, Because You Do Have you ever wondered if your dreams matter? After all, why pursue them if they seem far-fetched or the cost seems too high? In the first episode of Dream Brave with Wai Jia shares with us why our dreams matter, by recollecting a little dream that changed her life forever. If you’re tempted to squash a dream in your heart because it seems too whimsical, too silly, or just too much, this episode is for you. Links: Order your copy of DREAM BRAVE at your favorite retailer : /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/31624407

Trailer 09/09/2024

Trailer /episode/index/show/f5d26b9c-0df2-4e15-ac73-8f842f9db342/id/32965492

Dream Brave

TOPICS