Jewells of Thought

The past week has been a myriad of emotions when I think of the death of Charlie Kirk and my Grandma’s 99th birthday. The profound sadness I was engulfed in especially last Wednesday and Thursday was punctured when I got the message that Ericka Kirk was speaking to the World on Friday night. Only 2 days after she became a widow.

All three of these different events showcase God’s love, mercy and bigger plan for the lives of these individuals. What separates these Christians, but most importantly what connects these amazing people in my eyes and my perspective on their influence in my life this week. The Christian Life personified at different seasons of life.

When Charlie was doing what he loved to do, talking to students the gunman took him away from us, this Country much too soon. Yet as I have heard many times over during the past week, the Lord had overwhelmingly allowed him to accomplish so much in that short time, as a young American entrepreneur and Christian man. His life is a blueprint for what God can do in one’s life when they are fully plugged in to God at a young age.

Friday the 12th was also my Grandma’s 99th Birthday. She was born during the Great Depression years and still she hates to leave her apartment where she pays for food to eat somewhere else when the meal is already paid for. She is still so very pragmatic and doesn’t want to waste food or money she remembers all too well what she endured as a young girl. Her faith because of what her family lived through had a strong belief in God and being servants of their Churches ministries whenever they could. I have seen Great Grandpa Arla’s name over and over in the newspaper about his duties in the church here and there and about my Great Grandma Doris. I have these digital newspapers printed out and saved to look back at them when I need to later on. It’s comforting to see it in black and white from a couple generations removed from my generation.

Grandma Betty has always been a fixture of a strong Christian Mother and Woman for us to be guided from for our own families. I have heard her say a million times while growing up and before we would leave after visiting with her at her home. She would say I pray for you and we knew she meant that it wasn’t just words. Grandma put her words into action and I think we could sense her prayers in our lives.

Charlie would say the same thing to his friends and family. Only he would send texts to them and say he had been praying for them. This has been noted time after time on Fox when I hear his friends talk about him. When I think of active Christians, Grandma and Charlie are very impressive to me. There are still church ladies at my Grandparents church I am currently attending who still think of her fondly as a woman who had it all together and was an effective woman and Christian here in this community, their church community. I have had the blessing of being around the women who got to be around my Grandma during her years of raising my aunts and my Dad. It’s something special, I never expected to have this time together with them or Grandma at church like this as an adult.

Grandma has had a lifetime of giving herself in many church ministries including as a leader of women. Her example was shown to her by my Great-Grandparents who were amazing parents and Grandparents. I am still blessed by their leadership in our family and what it has instilled through the generations. Charlie at a young age has done this same thing at a much quicker pace through his Turning Point USA and entrepreneurial spirit and changed generations of young hearts for years to come in such a few short years because he also listened to the calling from his Lord, like Grandma did.

He is now a martyr for standing true to God’s calling for his life. He also chose well for himself, his wife, Erika, is a strong, God-fearing woman. God guided him so well to find his other half, I watched them both share their sides of how they met. It’s beautiful and a wonderful story she will always have to remember and cherish. I have to say I got goosebumps from listening to her first message to the world after her husband’s death. It came from a grieving widow who was poised and graceful, who knew how to deliver a powerful statement. She was amazing for her children for Charlie and for those who loved Charlie.

Like she said for Charlie, we are going to show the world the power that prayer has. Already in death 62,000 and counting requests have been made for new Turning Point chapters… I mean can we get an Amen! He gained in death, double the numbers of what they were the day he died. That is God working and Charlie’s hard work coming to fruition.

Just imagine with this momentum and Erika at the helm what will happen next. Celebrate God’s goodness in these amazing Christians He has given you and me in our lives to show us what can be done. The impossible is possible with God in it.