Sticks and Stones: Rising from loss, abuse, and rejection into the fullness of who God created you to be.

✨ Sticks and Stones — by Sonya Ehmke Nortier

Some wounds are unseen, yet they shape a lifetime.

When Sonya was seven years old, her life shattered. She lost both parents, was separated from her brothers, and found herself in the care of relatives where trust was broken and innocence stolen. What followed was a lifetime shaped by loss, rejection, silencing, and the long shadow of trauma.

But this is not only a story about pain.
It is a story about a God who never lets go.

Sticks and Stones is Sonya’s deeply personal memoir — a journey through the valleys of emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and identity loss into the mountaintops of faith, healing, and restoration. Woven with scripture, therapeutic reflection, and raw honesty, these pages speak to the silent battles so many carry.

Through her story, you will:

• Discover how the lies we believe can shape our worth — and how truth can set us free.

• Walk alongside a survivor learning to reclaim her identity in Christ.

• See how even in the darkest chapters, God’s grace is present, guiding toward wholeness.

This is not a neat, polished “after” picture. Sonya writes from the middle of the journey — from surrendering her shame, to embracing God’s promises, to learning that scars can become testimonies.

Inside, you will find:

• A candid look at the impact of emotional and verbal abuse.

• The courage it takes to name sexual abuse and break the silence.

• Moments of spiritual awakening that change the direction of a life.

• An unshakable belief that with Him, there is always a way forward.

“To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes…” — Isaiah 61:3

Whether you are walking through your own valley, supporting a loved one, or seeking to understand the hidden weight many carry, Sticks and Stones offers hope. It reminds you that healing is possible, that you are not alone, and that God can redeem what was meant to destroy you.

If you’ve ever felt silenced, shamed, or forgotten — this book is for you.

About the Author
Sonya Ehmke Nortier is a wife, mother, grandmother, a twice cancer survivor, who obtained her BA degree in Pastoral Counselling at the age of 58. Still wishing to pursue her Honours degree. She is passionate about helping others find healing in Christ and believes that no story is too broken for God to restore.