Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.

(4/5 stars) This is the second Kat Armstrong study that I read, the first being Valleys: Finding Courage, Conviction, and Confidence in Life's Low Points. You can find my review of that one here, and I'll say I felt pretty similarly about this book. Because I read an ARC, I just read it through myself, but I really think this study is better suited to reading, discussing, and processing with community. I'll copy my last review to say:

What I liked: I was initially drawn to this series because of the gorgeous cover art! The format of this study was helpful. Each chapter on a specific valley in the Bible was split into four sections: providing context, reading and comprehending the passage, diving deeper into understanding the passage, and then thinking through how the passage applies to our world today. The format was easy to process and I thought the discussion questions were thoughtful without being too leading. I think this study would be really accessible, even if you weren't already familiar with the stories presented.

What I wish they'd changed: I'm not sure I would change much except that this felt occasionally corny (e.g., the illustration with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Rolling Stone magazine) which isn't a bad thing, just a thing lol

“Making God's faithfulness the bedrock of your faith.”

This is my fourth Kat Armstrong study and I enjoyed it just as much as its siblings.

The book takes the reader through five Rocky Situations (see what I did there?) found in the Bible, and discusses how these foundational encounters with God can teach and encourage us in our current lives.

Each day, you read a portion of scripture and delve more into context, meaning, and application.

I loved so much about it.

First off, the artwork is stunning. Not the most important aspect, but so beautiful.

I loved that the scriptures appeared in the text.

I loved that the daily homework wasn’t overwhelming. We all love Sister Beth, but we don’t always have hours a day to devote to study.

I loved that there are more in this series. It’s like finishing an excellent novel and knowing you get to spend more time with your favourite characters.

I didn’t really dislike anything, but I’d have liked more cultural context, and I think I would have preferred going through this in community, instead of by myself.

I’m very much looking forward to more from this teacher.

8/10

Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for this tender ARC.

This book is a fascinating read that enhances your comprehension of the broader narrative in the Bible. I appreciate how this book takes readers on a similar journey to other resources like videos, podcasts, and content from the Bible Project.

Both books complement each other, with Sticks focusing on seeking godly wisdom and making choices that honor God, while Stones offers reminders of God's faithful activity in the lives of his people. The structure of each passage - Context, Seeing, Understanding, and Responding - encourages active reading and applying God's Word to one's life on a deeper level, almost like a workbook.

Sticks covers passages like Genesis 2-3, Exodus 3, Isaiah 1, 6, 11, 53, John 15, and Revelation 22, which offer guidance on choosing wisely, noticing when God is trying to get our attention, branching out from our family trees, staying connected to Jesus, and reframing our perspectives.

Meanwhile, Stones explores how rocks and stones appear in various stories throughout the Bible, such as Jacob's connection to God, Moses' enduring covenant with a stubborn people, Joshua's building of an altar of worship, Jesus' resurrection, and the church's purpose as living stones.

Overall, it this is a a thought-provoking and enlightening read that I highly recommend to everyone. For yourself, your small group or your church. The publisher also provides study guides that accompany the book.