Christina Tournant, a beautiful, intelligent, and athletically talented young woman, seemed to understand everything. She graduated valedictorian from her high school in Seminole, FL and then enrolled at MIT to study science.
But there was one aspect of life she couldn’t figure out, and it cost her everything.
Christina’s family lived in the Tampa Bay area where she attended Osceola Fundamental High School. Upon graduation at the top of her class in 2014, she enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the field of biomedical research. In addition to the rigorous academics of MIT where she consistently made As, Christina also competed on the swim/dive team. By all accounts, it looked like the young blonde was at the apex of life.
But beneath the exterior, Christina batted a debilitating nervous system disorder called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS, that caused her tremendous pain, emotionally and physically. She became intensely ill in December of 2014, and her mother, Tava Wilson, even made a trip in early 2015 to bring her home.
On Thursday, March 5th, after making plans with her mother to get a pedicure and see a doctor, Christina said she was planning on spending the night with her dad. But instead of going to her father’s house, she drove to Tampa International Airport, left her car, and made her way to the top of a parking garage.
At 8:17pm, Christina sent the following text message to her mom: “I love you, mom.”
At 8:25pm, the 17-year-old’s body was found after she leapt from the roof to her death. Photos taken across her life were later discovered with messages scrawled on the backs. Written on the back of one of her and her mom, Christina simply said, “Sorry, I couldn’t keep fighting.”
In light of these kinds of stories – of which, there are too many – one has to wonder about the nature of God. How could He let this happen? Why didn’t He do something? Is He unable? Unwilling? Both? In the aftermath of such heinous events, the accusations rain down, and many are left with a withering disappointment with God, or at least, the idea of God.
In our darkest moments, however, we must remind ourselves of elemental truths revealed in God’s Word. For instance, we know that:
God loves us so much He gave the life of His Son, Jesus, for us. (John 3:16-17)
Each of us has a purpose in life. (Psalm 138:8)
We have an obligation to care for one another. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Let’s live according to these realities so that the “Christinas” of our world do not have to live in isolated pain and anguish.
Click here for the online report.
Topics Illustrated Include:
Accusation
Consequences
Death
Despair
Doubt
God (Nature of)
God’s Character
God’s Power
Health
Hopeless
Pain
Sick
Suffering
Suicide
Teens
Tragedy
Truth
(Resource cataloged by David R Smith)