In February 2008, Alicia Crawley got the phone call every parent dreads: two of her children had been in a car accident. Her son, Jonathan, was fine, but by the time Alicia arrived at the scene minutes later, her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lauren, had died. In the days that followed, Alicia, who until then had had a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ, was plunged into the dark pit of grief, unable even to feel God's presence. His seeming silence left her spiritually paralyzed.

Alicia barely recognized herself or her life, but she kept going to God's word, seeking comfort,...