The assassination of Charlie Kirk has left me heartbroken. I grieve as an American, but most deeply as a mother. My sons—and their generation of young men—have lost a model of faith, courage, and goodness at a time when such examples are desperately needed.
Charlie was not perfect, but he was faithful. His trust in Christ was clear to anyone who heard him speak. He longed for every person he met to come to know Jesus, and he spoke of that openly. This was not a private conviction tucked away behind his political work—it was the beating heart of everything he did. If my sons learn one thing from Charlie’s life, I hope it is this: to live unashamed of the Gospel, trusting Christ in all things.
Charlie also showed us what it means to love and honor family. He valued his own family deeply, and he fought to defend the institution of the family in our culture. This was not just rhetoric for him—it was personal. I want my sons to know that family is not a burden or a secondary concern. It is the foundation of life. To cherish and protect one’s family is one of the greatest callings of a man.
He was courageous. Charlie stood firm in truth, even when it cost him. He did not soften his convictions to gain popularity. Yet his courage was never cruel; it was joined to charity. That balance—conviction without bitterness—is something our world desperately needs. And Charlie did not just live it himself, he called others to the same. Speaking especially to young men, he once said:
“You are commanded to go do something productive with your life. To go give and to produce and to risk and to then go sow into other people. That is a Biblical idea that has made the world a profoundly better place.”
This is what I want my sons to hear: life is not about comfort, but about courage. To risk, to sacrifice, to give—that is what makes a man.
Charlie’s kindness was as notable as his courage. He encouraged others, built them up, and treated people with dignity. In him, I want my sons to see that our political battles are not ultimately about power or winning arguments—they are about people. People who need both truth and love.
Finally, Charlie had a vision. He never stopped reminding us of what is good, true, and beautiful. He urged Americans to lift their eyes above the noise and remember what makes life worth living. That kind of vision is rare, and it is what gives meaning to courage, family, and kindness. I hope my sons will live with that same clarity of purpose.
As a mother, I carry a fear in this moment. I worry that the traumatic loss of a leader like Charlie could tempt some young men toward vengeance. I understand the anger. But vengeance is not the way. Charlie’s life testified to a higher road: courage with charity, truth with love. If my sons learn this lesson, they will honor him rightly.
Charlie Kirk’s death is a devastating loss. But his life left us with an inheritance: the example of a man who lived with faith in Christ, love of family, courage, kindness, and vision. This is what I want my sons to carry forward. This is what I hope their generation of men will choose: not despair, not bitterness, but strength rooted in goodness and faith.
That is how we will honor Charlie. That is how my sons—and all our sons—can take his torch and carry it forward.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
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