Words, words, words. So many to think about. On September 10th, Charlie Kirk completed his earthly assignment. God allowed this in His sovereignty, and Charlie’s earthly mission, though he left mid-conversation, was finished. All of this has caused me to think more than usual about words.

For me, September glistens with many good words. 1) Fiction words, inviting me to read about the speed that paint dries, because that’s how much I enjoyed each sentence. 2) Conversational words, hitting the mark of true fellowship, inviting talk of soldiering on and discussing Common Grace like BLTs and Divine Grace like hope. 3) True words proclaimed unapologetically, inviting real and costly spiritual battle.

All words have power and impact, like light and darkness. A man who digs up evil shoots words like a scorching fire, pleasant words land pure, whispers go down like dainty morsels, indulgent but sickening. Flattering words can lead to where the dead are. Look no further than beautiful Proverbs to see this collection of examples.

As much as I love a witty, humorous line or an unusual pairing in descriptive prose in my fiction — the best of the best, the source of all goodness in truth, is God’s Word. I’m thrilled to hear accounts of unusual amounts of Bible requests across our blistered country. And the question of the hour — I’m sure — what does this Book say about death, and would it be worth standing alone for God’s Word, or even dying for what it contains?

A few years ago, my husband stood by upside down canoes on a lake shoreline and preached on these verses:

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:26

Ever since, I’ve thought a lot about the distinction between “Me and My words.” Jesus is pretty popular, or at least the idea of Him. Jesus is love, and who doesn’t love love? But HIS WORDS are another storyline; they are not popular with our culture. And believing and proclaiming them puts you on a straight and narrow road, flanked with a concentration camp for Corrie ten Boom, or a bullet for Charlie Kirk, or maybe a reputation dashed for us. Jesus’ good words can lead somewhere that seems bad.

But when the glory of the Father comes fully, we’ll be so surrounded in glory, and rewarded with being face to face with the Living Word Himself. Believing and obeying His commandments will be worth every sacrifice, so we should be joyfully busy about what He commissioned, “teaching them to follow all that I commanded you.”

For me, this month, reading His Words felt like receiving a robust wardrobe for every rattling plot twist. A balm for every sore. A drink for every deep root, a stronghold for every branch. Grounding for every unraveling media chase. Encouragement for every grief. Exhortation for every lack of purpose. I wish I could type them all out here — Psalm 131, Luke 6, Psalm 37, Matthew 28, Psalm 103 (always Psalm 103).

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

There’s been heaviness and sorrow present everywhere, but I think a growing joy and triumph because He’s worthy, and He can not/will not share His glory with another. These kinds of reverberating trials (like tragic deaths) showcase that He’s in the business of making beauty from ashes.

If you’ve been troubled, then no matter how dusty your Bible, consider opening it and asking the King of Kings to reveal Himself, and then give you courage to not be ashamed of any of His teachings.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16

Imagine when the Lord comes in His full, radiant glory, we having counted and perhaps paid the cost, but all the momentary affliction folds away into surpassing glory … forever.

And remember the words He promised:

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”