Some thought:

This week has been quite awful with the assassination and murder of Charlie Kirk. I had heard of him. I had listened to him speak in clips and interviews. I thought he was an intelligent, articulate, and bold man. He had the ear of the young 15-25 year old men. He stood for Christ each chance he was able. He was a husband and a father. He was one of the few that would stand and have conversations and debate out in the open with others.

In my initial post about it I said:

If you have ever known and loved someone who was murdered….
you know how this hurts and how it changes you.
RIP Charlie, praying for your family, the country, and those who loved you.

Here is why: When I was 19, I had left California. I was following the lead of a God I hadn’t met yet. Looking for something better than what I was dealing with. By faith, I boarded a bus with a suitcase, a backpack and 20 bucks. When I got to the last of the rest stops, I used a pay phone to call my mom and tell her that I was ok. The words from the other end coming back punched me in the gut.

She said that one of my best friends, Shannon, was murdered.

Shannon had been dating this guy. She got pregnant and they had a boy. The boyfriend was abusive and controlling. She left him. He shot at her and his son in the street. Thinking he had killed her and their son, he turned the gun on himself. Shannon had successfully shielded her son. She died of her injuries, and her son lives on. That kind of news changes you. Makes you see your littleness in the world. Makes you understand life is fleeting and we really have no idea when we will go and leave behind others. She was bright, kindhearted, and giving. I remember her.

No doubt, Charlie’s mark on the world will be remembered.

At the beginning of this year the Lord gave me this statement for the year:

Turn toward the light and brightness of things
and let every “dark and ugly” thing pass on by.

And He gave certain things to focus in on – here’s a little screen shot if you want to see:

With this in mind – and what has been happening in our country. It is in turmoil! Because we are not walking wisely, our words are corrupting, our affections are worldly, and our trust is misplaced. But 2025, is still set to be a year of “double grace.” That is a divine invitation: to repent, to lift our arms in surrender, and to behold God’s saving work in new ways.

If individuals and the church respond by building with gold, silver, and precious stones (eternal things), there is hope for renewal. I believe God is going to bring revival!

But if we build with wood, hay, and stubble. It will all burn away in the end and be for nothing.

A missed love:

Sept 13th was Beth’s birthday (My hubby’s momma) … he’s baking away, doing his thing, making peach pie. He didn’t realize it but as he is doing what he would always do – make her a pie and she would come over. I said, “hey babe, do you know what today it?” He says, “What’s today?” I said, “Today is Sept 13th.” He looks at me a moment and realizes. I said… yah and your making pie.

He breaks down crying and remembering. Shes been gone in December – 3 years.

I said, “See, even when you don’t put two and two together right away, your spirit did.”

So we had peach pie to remember and celebrate her.

We miss and love you, Beth! Until we meet again! ~

Thanks for Listening,

Starla