From Tragedy to Trust: a Mother’s Story

On June 16, 2011, Courtney Wilkes was brutally murdered while on vacation with her family in Seagrove Beach, Florida. She was 15-years-old. For her mother, Toni, it was the beginning of a long and agonizing spiritual journey. Courtney’s death revealed Toni’s misconceptions about herself and about God, which created the conditions for a perfect storm inside her heart. Toni’s journal became the outlet for her grief, her anger, and her questions for God. Even as a pastor’s daughter, she journaled the very real and raw emotions that many believers experience when tragedy strikes. As a result, Toni describes her crisis of faith with unbelievable candor. Her journey from tragedy to trust offers hope to others who are traveling the road of heartbreak and despair.