I appreciate Sarah Bessey’s voice, work, and wisdom so much. In a sea of voices loudly proclaiming either/or options, she gently calls us back to a wide open space with room for nuance and a continual invitation for growth and resurrection. This is a wonderful companion for folks who are newly wandering in the wilderness of the unknown in their spiritual lives.

Sarah Bessey’s Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith is a deeply personal, thought-provoking exploration of faith, doubt, and spiritual transformation. As one who has spent some time in "the wilderness" of faith, I found this book to be a companion for those navigating the complexities of spiritual evolution. She paints the wilderness as a place of both danger and beauty, where old beliefs are stripped away to make room for deeper truths. This book helped me during my own wilderness journey of deconstruction and reconstruction. I'd become a great fan of Rachel Held Evans, and Bessey writes in a manner that is reminiscent of hers.
Like the author, my faith shifted because of personal growth, cultural changes, and personal challenges. Each chapter feels like a conversation with an empathetic friend who understands the struggles and joys of an ever evolving faith.
One of the book’s strengths is its inclusivity. Bessey acknowledges the diverse reasons people may find themselves in the wilderness, whether it be spiritual abuse, disillusionment with institutional religion, or personal trauma. She validates these experiences without prescribing a single path forward, allowing readers to find their own way with grace and compassion.
As a Black woman in ministry, Bessey’s reflections resonated with me. Her acknowledgment of the burdens imposed by systemic injustice, spiritual exclusion, and cultural dissonance spoke directly to not only my lived experience but what so many others in my community have dealt with. The wilderness she describes feels familiar—a place where the intersections of race, gender, and faith often collide. From spiritual abuse to disillusionment, her words make room for healing.
Sarah Bessey’s wisdom, vulnerability, and empathy make Field Notes for the Wilderness a valuable companion for those seeking to deepen their spiritual lives while they struggle with doubt and uncertainty. It i. It is an invitation to embrace the wilderness as a sacred space for intimacy with the divine.
Whether you are deconstructing, reconstructing, or simply seeking a deeper connection with God, this book, which is not a book of answers but one that gives space to ask questions, offers the encouragement and tools needed to go forward with courage and hope.

Field Notes for the Wilderness is an exceptional read that resonated deeply with me on both a personal and spiritual level. In this beautifully crafted work, the author offers more than just words; they provide a mirror reflecting the wilderness moments we all face throughout our lives and faith journeys. Whether we are in a season of doubt, struggle, or growth, we all encounter those times when we feel lost or unsure. This book made me realize that these wilderness moments are not just obstacles, but opportunities for reflection and transformation.

As a pastor, I found the book particularly helpful in evaluating where I am on my own journey, both personally and professionally. The wisdom shared in these pages helped me reflect on my growth, challenges, and the current season of life I'm navigating. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, but this book prompted me to pause and consider where I stand, and where I need to go next.

The tone of the writing is comforting yet challenging. It felt like having a conversation with a friend or older sister who knows exactly what you need to hear — someone who can both offer encouragement and gently push you toward growth. At times, I felt a sense of comfort as I read, while other moments truly challenged me to look deeper within myself and evaluate my path forward.

This book is a true 5-star read. It not only provides valuable insights but does so in a way that feels personal and approachable. If you're looking for a book that will speak to your heart, challenge your thinking, and guide you through your own wilderness moments, Field Notes for the Wilderness is a must-read.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've always enjoyed Sarah's writings. It's open and inclusive. This book reads almost like conversations with a wise, spiritual mother. It was a balm for this disillusioned and out of place in church.

This book has Big Sister energy. Reading Field Notes for the Wilderness is like sitting down with your big sister to talk about life. It's like spreading out all the things you're struggling with and Sarah hands you a cup of tea, nods, and says, "Yeah I've been there." She lays out her own evolving faith and invites you (the reader) to discern and adopt the practices that have guided her. She's not giving you a road map, a prescription, or an outline. She's passing along the things that can help. Inviting you to "take what you need", so to speak. With a warm cup of tea in your hands Sarah hears all the doubts, the struggles, and the pain and she says, "you cannot escape Gods love." The wilderness is not a wandering, it's a sacred space to grow. Sarah's description says she set out to write, "A nurturing and hopeful collection of practices to help an emerging generation of Christians reconnect to their faith, find inner healing, and build spiritual community" and I believe she did just that.

Field Notes for the Wilderness by Sarah Bessey is a truly transformative read, providing a guiding light for anyone navigating the unpredictable terrain of life’s spiritual and emotional challenges. This book is an inspiring companion, especially for those who find themselves in the midst of an evolving faith or feel out of place in traditional spiritual spaces.

Bessey’s writing is both personal and profound, offering a unique perspective that doesn’t prescribe a rigid path but rather invites readers to explore their own journeys with grace and honesty. The author’s reflections are deeply encouraging, urging readers to embrace the wilderness as a sacred space where growth, healing, and belonging can be found, even in the midst of uncertainty.

Through her own story, Bessey exemplifies how to navigate life’s complexities with patience and faith. She encourages us to slow down, reimagine our struggles as opportunities for transformation, and to trust that we are never truly lost in the wilderness. The richness of her words and the depth of her insights make this book a must-read for anyone seeking hope and encouragement.

This is a wonderful field guide for those of us experiencing wilderness, whether it’s where you want to be or you were pushed there (or a bit of both).

These letters from Sarah are a hug through the wilderness and evolving faith—even, and maybe especially, if you’re evolving pretty far away from where you started. Companionship, ideas for moving forward and toward, helpful imagining for what this season means both now and for your future self… truly a gift from her.

I’ve both cried and come away hopeful. Two practices stood out to me for what I need now, and I know I will revisit Sarah’s words as a guide often.

I got an ARC from NetGalley and can’t wait to read it again when the book is officially published.

I thought this book came with lots of wisdom and guidance. I enjoyed it and feel like I definitely got something out of it. However, toward the end, I started getting bored and I just kinda felt like it was something I had already read once before? So I skimmed through the last few chapters and called it good. I love the cover of this book. I enjoyed the way Sarah Bessey writes. I just think it might have been better for me if it had ended a couple chapters earlier.

While I encourage questions of all kinds, I wouldn't recommend Sarah Bessey's way for finding answers. I try to be open and read from all spectrums of the faith and this was obviously a work that I'm not the intended audience. A slow read and more for progressives trying to figure out deconstruction/reconstruction or finding truth faith.

I received this digital copy from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for my review.

FIELD NOTES FOR THE WILDERNESS: PRACTICES FOR AN EVOLVING FAITH by Sarah Bessy is a timely read. Bessey offers a guide for anyone who may be deconstructing their faith (both given the polarization of that term as of late and to offer what she finds as a more precise understanding, Bessey prefers to couch it in terms of an evolving faith).

Bessey is quick to state that the wilderness believers may find themselves in, often after trauma or grief, cannot be navigated in just one way; her experience need not be yours. However, she offers gentle guidance and support from one who has found herself in the wilderness.

With an emphasis on giving kindness to yourself and others, she reminds us that we need to "journey toward" and not just practice being against things. She encourages us to seek out the good fruit around us as a guide to future joy.

I found this a welcome read from one who has had to process her own sadness and loss after finding the churches and/or leaders who may have shaped your faith and beliefs have now become unrecognizable in their alignments. Instead of stepping away entirely from faith, Bessey offers an example of centering on what we know to be true and meaningful and discovering what may be ahead of us.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Sarah Bessey is a preeminent voice in the wilderness of evolving faith. In Field Notes for the Wilderness, she explores the movement from the faith of one’s childhood into something that is wholly one’s own, I recommend this book to anyone experience a deconstructed faith journey or who feels lost in their faith.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing a copy of this book for my review,

Full disclosure: I received a free e-galley from NetGalley and Convergent books. My opinions are my own.

Sarah Bessey continues to write just what her audience needs at the right time. Her struggles, as well as, others', are pointed out in this wonderful book, with churches and their leaders.

Recommended for public libraries and academic libraries.

Every time I read a book from Sarah Bessey, it feels like I’m reading something by an older sister, ahead of me in the faith, grappling with the same questions and uncertainties I do. I’m so thankful for the ways in which she puts those questions, doubts and other ideas into words.

A great book for anyone who is feeling lost or cold towards their Christian faith. The spiritual wilderness is real and Sarah provides a shoulder to lean on. No easy answers or “drive through” breakthroughs. But you have a companion in Sarah who is full of wisdom and insights.

Early in my journey of reconstructing my faith, I found voices in the wilderness to guide me. Rachel Held Evans. Jeff Chu. Kate Bowler. And Sarah Bessey. All spoke to the lost, confused, and floundering soul that needed to hear she wasn't alone, and somehow Sarah Bessey was the one who felt the most approachable. I have read and rejoiced in all of her work, but Field Notes for the Wilderness is something special.

Field Notes contains some of what her followers have been requesting for a long time. Do you stay or do you move on? What do you keep and what do you throw away? How exactly do you work out what you believe now? Make no mistake, Bessey doesn't have the answers, but she has processes. A self-confessed "expert at faithfully stumbling forward," Bessey shares multiple principles to use when living with an evolving faith like cultivating hope when it feels impossible, telling yourself the truth and learning to lament when you need to, going slowly on purpose cause it can be hard to wait for answers, and giving yourself permission to be happy. And most importantly, she's there to remind you that you can't escape God's love and that it is more beautiful, more expansive, and more beautiful than you ever knew.

So thankful for this book and for Sarah.

This is a book for so many of us.

"It’s hard to leave a faith that has raised us. Maybe it’s even harder to stay."

Sarah Bessey is the voice for those of us that know we believe, but not how we used to. Books like this need to be more prevalent and I'm so thankful for Bessey.

As a long-time reader of Bessey's words (many years as an email subscriber + I own nearly all her books), I have a hard time knowing how to review this title. In some ways, it summarizes much of Bessey's writings over the year.. It encourages curiosity, offers compassion, and provides a few tools. And yet... it felt like something was missing... like the book was 70-75% of the way there. Another reviewer wrote "I was waiting for just...a bit *more.* I didn't really feel like any point was groundbreaking." I'd agree with those words. Was it a Sarah Bessey title? Yes. You can hear her voice throughout. But it just wasn't quite there for me.

This was such a wonderful book, by a sensitive, kind, and needed author of this time. Sarah writes with such care and interest into everyone that she knows will be reading this book and I found it such a great book for those who are trying to figure out where they are in the wilderness.

The book was easy to read and felt like it was written by a friend.

Field Notes for the Wilderness is another beautifully written, honest, encouraging book by Sarah Bessey. She discusses how hard it is to leave behind the faith that we were raised in, and how to find a new, more honest version of faith. And she does it in such a compassionate and understanding way because she's been there too. She says, "Yes, I've changed. And I still belong. Yes, I have questions. And I still belong. Yes, I used to think one thing and now I live something different. And I still belong. Yes, my relationship with religion is best described as 'it's complicated' right now. And I still belong. Yes, I'm hurting and wounded and I have hurt and I have wounded. And I still belong. Yes, I am filled with doubt and disbelief and wonder at the same time. And I still belong. Yes, I don't know what I think about really any of this. And I still belong. Yes, I'm trying to figure out what it means to love God and love people well. And I still belong. Yes, I'm anxious and scared. Yes, I'm sad and I'm lonesome. And I still belong." What encouraging and compassionate words! Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I've been following and reading Sarah Bessey for years now as someone I deeply respect and trust in the wilderness that is deconstructing and evolving faith, and her latest book has just cemented the fact that she has absolutely earned that. Sarah is not preachy, she's not giving you a list of steps to follow. She's mentoring, guiding, holding your hand as we all walk through this life. This was a book to savor, to read slowly, to take what you need and sit with. And it's one I will be coming back to over and over again to get more out of it.