EquipHer Vol. 33: "The Breaking Point"نموونە

Day 2 — The Stages of Leadership Faith

There are seasons when our faith feels alive—where God’s voice seems clear and direction flows easily—and there are other seasons where everything feels quiet, uncertain, or even painful. Yet, each season is sacred. Each one serves a purpose.

Coach Sheree Cain-Jones has spent years helping women walk through seasons of confusion, breakthrough, and renewal. Through that journey, she recognized a pattern—a rhythm that many of us experience as our faith matures—which is not a formula or a fixed path, but a framework to help us understand how God is shaping us in each stage.

Stage 1: Awareness
When you start noticing God in the ordinary – the meeting that turned into an answer, the conversation that shifted perspective, the moment of peace that came without explanation.

Stage 2: Discipleship
The season of learning. You start to read and study His Word, grow in wisdom, and align your habits and leadership with His truth. You build the foundation of your life in Christ

Stage 3: Production
The learning turns into action and you begin to lead, collaborate, and create. The vision God has planted in your heart begins to take shape.

Stage 4: The Wall
Without warning, we often hit a wall, road block, or hurdle. The momentum fades and doubt creeps in, but this is where your trust deepens. God uses it to purify your motives and rebuild what was never meant to stand.

Stage 5: Transformation
You rediscover peace and purpose and your work and worship begin to merge. You no longer chase results; you cultivate alignment.

Stage 6: Love
Love becomes the foundation from which every decision flows – how you treat people, set boundaries, and define success.

When you are rooted in God’s love, pressure loses its power. You are no longer driven by fear of failure or need for validation, but instead, you move with firm confidence, knowing that you are fully accepted. This is the maturity of faith – where your work becomes worship, your leadership becomes service, and your goals align with God’s heart.

Love is not the reward at the end of the journey; it is the atmosphere that sustains you through every season. Once you truly receive it, you begin to lead differently – you give grace freely, release control more easily, and rest without guilt.

These six stages are not linear. We do not move from one stage to the next in a straight line, but through it all, “we all … are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV).

Which stage do you recognize yourself in right now? Whatever the stage, remember this: “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28, NIV).

Prayer

Lord, thank You for reminding me that I am not behind – I am becoming. When I feel stuck, help me remember that You are still working, even in silence. Show me where I am in this journey of faith, and teach me what You are forming in me right now. When I reach the wall, give me grace to pause instead of quit. When I produce, remind me to stay close to Your presence. And when I lead, help me lead from love, not from pressure. I trust the process because I trust You. Amen.