You may feel stuck… but what if this is actually growth?
When I was a child, I struggled in school. My two older brothers made straight A’s, but I had a hard time. Reading and comprehension didn’t come easily. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I was diagnosed with dyslexia. By then, I had already figured out how to get by—and with God’s grace, I graduated.
Because academics didn’t come naturally, I leaned into relationships and social skills. I remember a vivid moment in Bible college. My brother Tom, his girlfriend Jane (now wife), and I all studied hard for a test. We knew the material. But when the grades came back, they both received A’s—I got a D. I was devastated. I cried. I knew the answers—I just couldn’t process the written test the same way.
Even now, I still wrestle with fear when reading Scripture aloud during a sermon. That fear has tried to hold me back more than once.
But I take comfort in Moses’ story. When God called him, Moses responded, “I am not eloquent… I am slow of speech and of tongue” (Exodus 4:10, NKJV). God didn’t rebuke him—He reassured him. If God could use Moses with his limitations, He can use us too.
Over the years, I discovered that I’m more comfortable writing than speaking. I even wrote a book, Stewarding Your Best Life, and now I write articles to strengthen others in their walk with God. His strength truly is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Everyone Grows at a Different Pace
Not everyone learns the same way. Some things come easily to others, but that doesn’t mean you’re behind. We’re all growing—but we’re growing differently. That’s why Scripture tells us:
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up…” —1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Judge not, that you be not judged.” —Matthew 7:1
Dyslexia taught me this personally. I don’t catch subtle hints. I take things literally. When people say, “You knew what I meant,” I often didn’t. I only knew what they said. It’s not rudeness—it’s wiring. God made me this way. And He equips each of us uniquely for the call on our life (Hebrews 13:21).
The Stages of Spiritual Growth
The rhythm of the Kingdom is this: bottom to top… and then back to the bottom again. But each time, at a higher level.
My mom wrote a book, God’s Tests Are Positive, that outlines the stages of growth in life—and it mirrors our spiritual journey so well.
- Baby Stage – You cry, and someone comes. No one expects maturity. Everything is done for you.
- Toddler Stage – Now you’re being trained. Throwing tantrums and making messes are no longer excused. Not rejection—it’s preparation.
- Kindergarten – You start learning how to sit still, listen, and pay attention.
- Elementary School – Tests are introduced. You take them, pass them, and advance. You’re taught the basics—like math. Then math gets harder. Same subject, different depth.
By 5th grade, you’re the top of the class. You feel confident, capable. But then comes…
- Middle School – And you’re back at the bottom. The rhythm resets. You learn to navigate more complexity—new social dynamics, new academic demands. Same subjects, but deeper content.
Then you rise again—until you’re the leader of the school—an 8th grader. Top dog.
- High School – But guess what? Freshman again. Bottom rung. New environment. New pressure. But also, new opportunity. Each level requires more of you, even if you’re covering familiar ground. Algebra becomes calculus. Reading becomes critical thinking. What used to stretch you now feels basic.
And when you graduate?
- College or Career – You start again. Freshman. Entry-level. Bottom of a new system. But this isn’t failure—it’s growth. It’s the rhythm of development. Bottom to top, over and over again. But every time, you’re going higher.
This is why the same lessons will revisit you in new ways. Because you’re not just repeating—you’re being refined. Trained. Elevated.
“Study to show yourself approved unto God…” —2 Timothy 2:15
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child… but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” —1 Corinthians 13:11
Be Encouraged—You’re Still Growing
No matter where you are—just starting, in transition, or leading—you’re still being transformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). And that process often looks like being humbled… again.
If you’re struggling, you’re not disqualified. God provides help. He sends people. He uses tools. I rely on my team and technology to help me communicate. And there’s no shame in that. Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17).
Don’t let fear, shame, or comparison keep you from stepping into what God has called you to do. You may feel like you’re at the bottom—but you’re not stuck. You’re growing. You’re advancing to the next level.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…” —2 Corinthians 3:18
This is the rhythm of Kingdom growth. From bottom to top… and higher every time.
