Book excerpt: Mountains have been revered for eons. These tall, extraordinary rock monuments were built by God so we might admire his craft and climb closer to him. This book is a detailed study of the role mountains have played throughout the Bible-from Mount Ararat, where Noah's Ark rested until the floodwaters receded; to Calvary, where Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. These are some of the most sacred places in the Judeo-Christian tradition and deserve to be honored as such. In addition to reviewing the literal mountains mentioned in the Bible, this work discusses the figurative mountains in our society-challenges such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, unemployment, domestic abuse, and poverty. Author Christine Davis Easterling argues that we may better understand how to scale the figurative mountains in our lives by seeing how Jesus conquered the literal ones. A mountain can be daunting when you're standing at its base, looking up. But with Jesus's guidance, you will find that no mountain is too tall to overcome. And reaching the tops of your personal mountains will bring you closer to the Lord.