Learn More About Shattered Trust
 

I wrote Shattered Trust because my son’s story demanded it. When he died by suicide, I needed to understand the trauma he suffered at age seven and the silence that followed him for twenty‑eight years. That search opened a door I never expected — one that revealed how widespread child sexual abuse is, even in churches people assume are safe.

As I began talking about what happened to my son, friends and fellow Seventh‑day Adventist members quietly shared their own experiences. I hadn’t set out to examine the church, but the more I listened, the more I realized how much people didn’t know — and how much they needed to.

The truth is simple and devastating: one out of every 3 to 5 girls and one out of every 5 to 7 boys are sexually abused before age eighteen. No congregation is exempt. Many parents and leaders don’t recognize the signs, don’t know how to talk to children, and don’t know how to respond when a child finally speaks.

I couldn’t find a single Adventist‑specific book on this topic at the Adventist Book Center. So I wrote one. This book explains what child sexual abuse is, how it happens, how to talk to children at every age, how to respond when it’s disclosed, and what churches can do to protect the vulnerable.

It also deals honestly with the spiritual struggle that comes with this kind of trauma. I wrestled with God. I asked hard questions. Scripture became the place where I found the words I needed — and the words I believe other parents need too.

I’ve also created a companion workbook with simple recall questions, discussion prompts, and reflection exercises to help families and churches process what they’ve learned and start the conversations that matter.

Writing this book has been gut‑wrenching. Reading it may be difficult. But I feel an urgency I cannot ignore: our children are at risk, and silence is part of the problem.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more. I’ll share updates here as the publication moves forward.