9-11-2025
I have too many thoughts for this heavy morning. As I sit here in North Carolina, there’s a gray haze over the sky that mirrors my mood on this 24th anniversary of 9/11 and the day after Charlie Kirk was brutally slain. The air feels oppressive, and my spirits are low.
My heart goes out to all those who grieve this morning, whether years ago their lives were irrevocably changed, or recently they’ve suffered loss. Some of those losses come with immense grief, and some come not only with the nearly unbearable weight of grief but also an unwanted metamorphosis of everything they’ve ever known, a life-altering experience that few can grasp. If you’ve lost a child or a spouse or caretaker, you know that you have two lives now, the one before and the one after. Nothing is ever the same. It’s more than grief; it’s a colossal shift in your very existence. You never do anything the same way again.
I mourn this morning, for my husband in Heaven, for the mourners who walk my same path, for our country, and for humanity itself. I mourn for a day when we could have different viewpoints and still have civil conversations, maybe even productive debates. I mourn for the days when I could speak openly and thoughtfully about what I felt was right and not have to fear for my safety or that of my family. I mourn for the world that not only allows evil and violence to percolate…but encourages it.
We are in the middle of a storm, like ships tossed about upon the waters. One of my favorite works is ‘Ships in a Stormy Sea off a Coast’ by Backhuysen at the NC Museum of Art. I love it because it visually describes my grief. Maybe it does yours, too? Ships tossed perilously near a rocky coast which threatens destruction. But wait, there’s a catch—it’s the light. The light and promise of safety unaffected by the storm. That beautiful brightness offers sanctuary and rest. That’s God.
Psalm 46:1 reads: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
That was also the last media post that Erika Kirk, wife of Charlie, posted on social media. It’s a beacon to us all; and even to herself, though she didn’t know it at the time. We don’t know what moment is our last with someone. She didn’t know that the last time she kissed her husband goodbye was the last. I didn’t know the wave in the ER was the last time I’d see my husband conscious. The families and friends of the people starting their day on September 11, 2001 didn’t know it would be their last ‘good morning’.
We are weak, but God is strong. He is the source of our refuge and safety from life’s storms. He is the provider of our strength to withstand the brutality of this world. And, He offers very present help in our dark times of trouble.
Seek Him.