11 | Faith Journeys: Navigating Faith Crises and Understanding Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development

In today’s episode, you’ll learn how faith is one of the greatest tools we have to improve the quality of life. You’ll better understand how to navigate your own faith crisis, or have more compassion for loved ones going through the same things. We’ll explore James Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development and what it means. You’ll better understand how questions are healthy and normal and that they will help you find greater strength as you approach them in helpful ways. 

 

“A childhood experience introduced me to the idea that some choices are good but others are better. I lived for two years on a farm. We rarely went to town. Our Christmas shopping was done in the Sears, Roebuck catalog. I spent hours poring over its pages. For the rural families of that day, catalog pages were like the shopping mall or the Internet of our time.

Something about some displays of merchandise in the catalog fixed itself in my mind. There were three degrees of quality: good, better, and best. For example, some men’s shoes were labeled good ($1.84), some better ($2.98), and some best ($3.45).

As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all.” -Dallin H. Oaks Good, Better, Best

 

“Asking inspired questions leads to knowledge. It leads to revelation. It leads to greater faith. And it leads to peace. Not asking questions, on the other hand, closes off revelation, growth, learning, progression, and the ministering of the Holy Ghost.”
― Sheri Dew, Worth the Wrestle

 

“I told her, "Bring your scriptures… and every question you have. Questions are good. Let's see what the Lord will teach us together."

 

...During one of our study sessions together, as she threw a steady stream of questions at me, I asked her if she was asking questions against a backdrop of faith or one of doubt. "In other words, are you saying, 'Here's something I don't understand, so the gospel must not be true.' or are you willing to say, 'Here's something I don't understand, but I wonder what the Lord or His prophets will teach us about this?'

 

Are your questions asked with the assumption that there are answers? Are you willing to trust the Lord and give Him the benefit of the doubt?”

― Sheri Dew, Worth the Wrestle

“Are you willing to engage in the wrestle? In an ongoing spiritual wrestle? If we want to grow spiritually, the Lord expects us to ask questions and seek answers.

We live in a sound-bite world where "tweets," "likes," "posts," and "shares" have become the way we keep informed and share ideas. We are accustomed to expecting instant answers. But the most compelling questions in our lives rarely have quick, easy, Google answers. That is because receiving revelation and gaining knowledge, particularly divine knowledge, takes time.

It takes a wrestle.”
― Sheri Dew, Worth the Wrestle

“Winning wrestlers learn to leverage their strength to subdue, overpower, and defeat their opponents.

Spiritual wrestling leverages the strength of true doctrine to overpower our weaknesses, our wavering faith, and our lack of knowledge. Spiritual wrestlers are seekers. They are men and women of faith who want to understand more than they presently do and who are serious about increasing the light and knowledge in their lives.”
― Sheri Dew, Worth the Wrestle

https://firstbaptistwboro.org/stages-of-faith

 

I’ll share insights from professional experiences with clients, personal experiences, and from Sheri Dew, Dallin H. Oaks, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, James Fowler, and more. 

 

You’ll leave with an assurance that your 1% efforts towards increasing your spirituality in the way that resonates with you is enough, because it’s forward momentum. You’ll be better able to let go of “shoulds” and look inward to determine the best path for you personally and practice ownership and openness to discover what that is. 

 

I hope this episode strengthens you and helps you remember that you’re not alone, weird, or a misfit, but completely normal. Most of us will experience a meandering faith journey and it will look different than we expected, and there are things you can do to experience greater faith. Tune in for more episodes on faith in the future. 

 

Best of luck in your journey,

 

Kendra

 

ALL LINKS → https://linktr.ee/fulfillmenttherapy 

Website → https://fulfillmenttherapy.org

Contact → hello@fulfillmenttherapy.org

Instagram → @fulfillmenttherapy 

Facebook Community → http://bit.ly/fulfillmenttherapy 

Facebook Group → Private FB Group 

Schedule 1:1 Coaching → https://fulfillmenttherapy.org/1-on-1-coaching 

Chat → 1-986-910-5172 *text questions & topic requests

 

If you're ready for accelerated transformation, I'm launching Igniting Life on August 20th. This is a 12 week mental health and wellness reset for individuals who are ready for change in clear, step-by-step ways with necessary weekly accountability. If you’re ready to ignite your life and really start loving life again, this is the course for you. I guarantee that the investment you make will be returned tenfold with effective therapeutic techniques, strategies, and tools from an invested, trustworthy source. Your compound growth is waiting for you to make a commitment. It’s like I would tell my personal training clients: every dollar you spend on self growth is statistically proven to save you in future mental and physical health costs. So truly, sign up now or you’ll pay for it many times over in the future, but without the positive benefits. You truly won’t regret investing in my mental health and wellness. I never have–even when some courses were less beneficial because they showed me what else I needed to look for. I’ll show you all those things and more. I promise to go above and beyond. Guaranteed.