Crafted & Called

There’s something so beautiful about this time of year. As I drive to work, I can finally see the colors of fall beginning to break through. The sun rises and spills light over the trees, and the leaves seem to glitter with every shade of gold, red, and orange. It’s such a simple thing, but it fills me with joy and excitement for cozy season.

Last Sunday, I made my husband his favorite fall soup—hamburger (or cheeseburger) soup—and this coming weekend I’m already planning our next one: cheesy potato and ham soup with sourdough bread. I can’t wait. Tonight I’m also planning on making homemade chocolate chip cookies while working on some ministry things and just enjoying time with my husband. It’s these little rhythms that bring me comfort, especially in weeks like this.

Because honestly, this past week has been heavy. For those in the body of Christ, the news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination on September 10th still feels surreal. My heart is grieving. I find myself thinking, this can’t be true—he has to still be here. Charlie was a brother in Christ who loved Jesus deeply, who loved this country, and who carried such a heart for reaching the next generation.

As my husband and I talked about it, we both felt the weight of what happened. Charlie walked with an anointing and authority that made the enemy see him as a threat. Even though the enemy tried to silence his voice, his legacy lives on. What the enemy meant for evil, God is already turning for good. Churches are filling. People who once claimed atheism are rethinking. Hearts are softening toward the Lord. Revival is here.

And even now, I find myself asking: what can I be doing to continue to amplify Charlie’s voice and what he stood for? Scripture says to “occupy,” and I don’t fully know what all the Lord has in store for my husband and me. I once heard a preacher say, “If you knew prematurely what the Lord has for you, you might run away. That is why He is slow to reveal His plans.” That sticks with me, because I know I want to be a culture shifter. Sometimes I even wonder, How can I be more involved in government? Maybe not at the capacity Charlie was—but who knows? For now, I know I can use my voice right where I am, in my town, in my community.

I also find it interesting that Charlie went to the campuses of America to reach this generation. My husband and I once did campus ministry in China to reach the college students there. Who knows? Maybe there’s something in that. Maybe God is already weaving pieces of the story together in ways I can’t yet see.

I feel honored that my husband and I get to be part of this move of God. And I continue to pray—for Erika and her sweet children, that the Lord would protect them and hold their hearts close in this time of grieving. I pray that God continues to use us, and the body of Christ, to step boldly into the work He’s calling us to.

So as I settle into cozy season—with soups, bread, cookies, and quiet evenings with my husband—I’m holding both joy and grief together. The beauty of the leaves reminds me that even in seasons of loss, God is still making all things new.

-Roxie ❤