Growing Down: God's Grace, in Spite of Myself

by Sarah Horner Wetzel, Joni Eareckson Tada (Foreword)

As a lifelong Christian, Sarah Wetzel tried everything she knew to grow holier and happier. But as a young mom laboring alongside her missionary husband high in the Andes Mountains, she came to the painful realization that her spiritual “fruit basket” was still empty and her faith was dying on the vine. Where is the peace, love, and joy? she wondered. Where are the souls won for Christ? Why am I entertaining sinful thoughts?

Sarah railed against God and tried to become an agnostic.

But at critical times, God seemed to deposit precisely the right book into Sarah’s hands. She gleaned wisdom from Scripture and from the timeless biographies of heroes and heroines of the faith, including Keith Green, Isobel Kuhn, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Catherine Marshall, and came to understand God’s upside-down-and-backward plan for her spiritual growth:

“He wants me to see the truth about myself, not to depress me, only to show me the truth about Jesus. The longer I live, the more of my sin I see, and the greater is my love and appreciation for Jesus. Little by little, I am growing down.” –Sarah Wetzel

In Growing Down, you’ll travel across three continents and span the dog-eared pages of Sarah’s beloved books, to discover that it is only when we adopt a continuous posture of repentance that we experience the heart-changing sweetness of Jesus’ compassion, and transformation by his grace.

Genres: Christian

144 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2013

Reviews

[Julie Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this little book about the author’s experiences with learning to continually repent of her faults and dwell in God’s grace. I liked the way she framed her chapters; each chapter she would highlight someone’s book that made a significant impact on her life.

I thought one of the chapters was a bit weird. It described a two-year long struggle she had with not wanting her daughter to date/marry an African man that she (the author) and her husband worked with in Ethiopia. She says he was a wonderful Christian man and she deeply respected and admired him, but in her own words, “There was no way I wanted my daughter to marry an African.” 🤔 This is coming from a woman who was serving as a missionary to an African country.. anyways, she does come to realize her racism and repents of it, thankfully.

[Judith Brans - Donker · Rating 3 out of 5]

It made me curious about the other missionaries / Christians she described, but it kind of felt like there was too little about her own story.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I saw this recommended by a blogger friend, but in all honestly I think it was put in front of my face by God saying "read this!" Often we are asked, "what woman would you like to sit and have coffee with?" I can honestly say, Sarah Horner Wetzel now. It is not that our lives are similar, they are very different (probably couldn't be more different), but I can relate to many of the struggles she so eloquently laid out and put voice to. I have been desiring (praying) to hear from someone that is just a bit older than me, saying "hey you will survive and God can handle even this." God was telling me, I am not alone in this season of life and you are not the only one who has ever felt like you were in a desert.

This book was good, convicting, frustrating, refreshing, and pricked my heart. I am still digesting it all, I may need to read it again.

[Katherine Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this little book! What a simple yet absolutely profound message: that growing up in our Christian faith means being willing to grow down in repentance—repentance in the biblical sense, a true turning around.

Through a skillful weaving of stories and reflections from books that have shaped her, the author introduces us to a host of Christian writers who likewise invite us to grow up in faith by growing down in repentance. Each morning, I looked forward to reading another chapter—it felt like sitting down with a trusted friend to learn, laugh, and lament together.

I also came away with a super-practical tool—what Sarah calls “discipling my own heart”—which I’ve already applied several times myself and experienced real breakthrough.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the author's honest look at some hard questions that most Christians are afraid to address, let alone missionaries. Sarah Wetzel has lived through tough circumstances and yet has grown up in Christ (down in the world's eyes), which as the tag line says, it all comes down to "God's grace in spite of myself". This is a short read but packed with gospel truth drawn from the author's own experiences, both on and off the mission field.

I'd recommend this book to anyone needing an example of how to live a grace-filled life in the midst of the harsh realities of this world.

[Nicole Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real and honest and down-to-earth. I loved the way Sarah referred to authors who had inspired her along the way, and the way she sets out the steps she went through (and goes through) in certain circumstances, to align herself with God's will and be restored. An easy, enjoyable read, though challenging, and extremely worthwhile. I highly recommend this book :)

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd time through and just as good as the first!