Towers

September 11, 2001.
New York City, Washington DC, Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Evil landed a heavy blow.
But it didn’t win.

America rose to the challenge and as Toby Keith so eloquently sang, “Put a boot in their ass.”

I remember sitting on the floor, the TV on in the background, watching my four-year-old rebuild the towers with her Legos.

September 10, 2025
Utah Valley University
Evil took Charlie Kirk away from his wife and two babies with a bullet.
But it didn’t win.

I’ve seen video of Charlie, sitting in the open, willing to debate differing opinions and ideas with all comers. He spoke with respect, intelligence, and facts while being faced with those who argued with emotion, and sometimes foul language and rage.

It is said that cussing is a product of a weak mind, uncontrolled, unable to articulate thoughts and passions, especially in the face of opposition, reasonable or otherwise.

Charlie Kirk had a knack for connecting with the person in front of him, wanting to learn as much as educate, to see all sides of an issue and encourage those around him to think, do their own research, form their own opinions and be able to discuss those opinions in a civil manner, and if necessary, agreeing to disagree. But always respectful of everyone’s right to hold and express their own positions.

Political leanings aside, evil used the exchange of very difficult ideas to fuel the hatred which ultimately cost him his earthly life, and a wife her husband, and two children their daddy.

He relied on his faith, his family, and then his visions of what he thought America should be. He knew there was a cost, but he rose to the challenge and spoke anyway.

It pains me to know there are hearts so entangled with evil that they feel their particular issue is worth taking a man’s life, then celebrating the horrible deed.

I pray for those hearts, though difficult, that they may see the value of a life created in God’s Holy image, outside of the realms of politics. And I pray that the anger and disgust I feel each time I see this kind of news, be replaced with Gods love, His compassion and a faith not lukewarm.

Even today, confusion and anxiety consumed my thoughts, and I had lost the strength to fight it. Evil landed a heavy blow and reveled in it.

Then the Lord spoke:
Trust Me.
Focus on the truth, My truth.
All else is just someone’s version, or distortion of it.
Follow Me.

And evil did not win, again.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it. Matthew 16:24-25

Charlie believed it.
And showed us how.
Well done, my friend.
Well done.

Rest now in the loving arms of Jesus.