Meet Christine Norvell
​​Training Teachers, Encouraging Believers

Christine Norvell believes the humanities reveal universal truths about faith, relationships, and the human experience because Jesus Christ is at the center of them all.

A veteran educator, she speaks regularly at regional and national Christian education conferences and most recently served as a tutor, humanities teacher, and administrator for a classical Christian school.

"I turn my ear to a proverb.
I explain my riddle with a lyre."
Psalm 49:4

How an ancient tree gives us hope in times of transition

For Christians, references to the sycomore fig tree in the Bible are one way to see ourselves and our lives in Christ. A symbol of adaptation and regeneration, the tree is a picture of enduring fruitfulness. Tracing its origins, life cycle, and rich biblical context, Norvell draws themes of change from Scripture, her own life, and other common trees.

Like the tree, we may not be some rare or colorful or stunning botanic gem, but what if
we could see ourselves as this ancient tree where every single part holds value? In times
of transition, God can place us anywhere. In times of hardship, our roots can adapt and lengthen to embrace where God has us as He adds to our stories.

In The Sycomore Fig Tree, Christine Norvell gives readers insights and hope. Her work is an honest account of a life in transition and growing in the grace of God.

The Lord Jesus invites us to look to nature to see God at work in us and in his world. In this volume, Norvell takes up that very task, weaving together personal narrative, historical and botanical research, and beautiful imagery to help us learn from the sycomore fig tree. Whether you have a green thumb or not, this book will no doubt educate and invite you into a richer, fuller reflection on this simple tree that is surprisingly important to God.”
--William R. Osborne, Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies and M. Graham Clark Chair of Christian Nurture,
College of the Ozarks and author of Trees and Kings (PSU Press)

Because the writers of Scripture lived in an agrarian world, their pages abound with images of vines, trees, gardens, and fruit. In The Sycomore Fig Tree, Christine Norvell masterfully weaves together botany, history, and personal stories to show how these agricultural metaphors reveal God's nurturing work in our lives. This insightful book will deepen readers' confidence in the God who faithfully cultivates human flourishing.”
—Sandra Glahn, seminary professor, Dallas Theological Seminary,
and multi-published author

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