{{contact.first_name}},
I write to you in the early morning from a hotel room in Utah, not far from the tragic events yesterday. I did not sleep well, and am bringing before the Lord the many thoughts and feelings swirling in my heart and mind.
One of my primary thoughts is that many of you are starting your school day unsure of how to help your students understand the world they are living in. On this anniversary of the unspeakable horrors of 9/11, we are now faced with trying to make sense of the senseless assassination of Charlie Kirk. And of course, teaching in public school and the limitations we face makes it all the more difficult to guide our students in truth and love.
I remember tabling at Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA Conference a couple years ago in Phoenix, and being encouraged by how much he talked about his faith in Christ. I have always admired how he interacts respectfully with those he disagrees with. He has publicly stated that he does what he does (i.e. touring college campuses engaging in public debate) because he knows that violence starts when dialogue stops. Tragically, we just witnessed an awful exception to this truism.
I think part of the reason this is hitting me hard is because my wife and I also have a young daughter (4) and son (2), just slightly older than his and with almost the identical age gap between then. I cannot fathom how his lovely wife is going to help them understand the loss of their father, who clearly loved them dearly. Just this week, my son has clung to me in tears as I simply tried to leave for work in the morning. I can't imagine his world if I never came home. Let's commit to pray for Erika Kirk and her children as they journey with Jesus in grief. He is faithful to walk with them in compassion and healing.
Let me remind you in this critical national moment that every day you heroically walk into a school and love students, modeling for them how to treat each other even when we disagree, you are part of the solution. With your character, your attitude, your tender heart, your upholding of godly standards, and your faithfulness, you are pointing them to Christ. I pray that especially today, you would also have the chance to testify with your words—remember you can legally share about your beliefs if asked.
What to say to our students? Much of the answer to that is going to depend on their grade level and other factors that you know much better than me. But I will suggest that it's an opportunity to talk about the critical importance of free speech, and how we all lose when voices are silenced by violence, even if we disagree with them.
For me, Charlie Kirk will always be a hero for how he spoke passionately about Jesus, defended the unborn, and stood up for the victims of gender ideology. Recalling those few days in Phoenix, I didn't agree with everything that was said from the stage, and obviously Charlie Kirk was not a perfect man, but his courage is a model for all of us. I pray that we would follow his example by boldly praying and working for revival in this nation.
I am praying for you today as you step into your classroom, office, gym, or bus—or wherever you teach, mentor, and lead your precious students—that you would do so in the knowledge that "neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
Blessings,
