"Noel Forlini Burt takes us on a spiritually rich journey informed by her expertise in both the Old Testament and spiritual formation. She has drunk deeply from the Scriptures themselves as well as from the insights of the desert fathers and mothers and others who have written profoundly about wilderness experiences and their important role in our spiritual formation. Her discussion of attachment theory and our need for attachment to God enriches the rest. This biblically and spiritually rich book is a must-read for all who walk in the desert or are called to minister to those in the wilderness."

Roy E. Ciampa, professor emeritus at Samford University

"Noel Forlini Burt stands in a long line of biblical scholars who take for granted modernity's historical-critical framework but find that existential and theological questions press beyond the boundaries this system erects. God in the Desert elegantly weaves together biblical studies, biography, and theology to invite readers to narrate their experiences of wilderness with the words of Scripture. Wilderness, in this case, is beheld as a space in which physical geography doubles as spiritual geography, a harsh and difficult world that is nevertheless providentially ordered, and a place Christians stand, with the saints, before the face of the Word made flesh."

David Ney, associate professor of church history at Trinity Anglican Seminary and author of The Quest to Save the Old Testament

"I loved this book. I often talk to people who ask, 'Why did this happen to me?' or 'Why did God let that happen?' Noel Forlini Burt beautifully guides us through the lives of biblical figures who face wilderness experiences and similar questions. With wisdom, scholarship, an understanding of attachment patterns, and narratives of 'not enough,' the author opens pathways that slowly lead to a healing trust in the God who sees you!"

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, author of The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Invitations from God, and Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram

"In this beautifully written book, Noel Forlini Burt engages in conversation with a wide range of voices, both ancient and modern, as she invites the reader into a rich and compelling reflection on Scripture. Her work, however, is not simply a rehearsal of a biblical theme. More profoundly, it is an invitation to the wilderness, the 'place where we learn that God is the one before whom we are all laid bare.' In this moment when Christianity has been so culturally co-opted, we need a book that calls us back to the places of deep faithful formation. This is that book."

W. Dennis Tucker, Jr., professor of Christian scriptures at Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary