Charlie’s First Heavenly Birthday October 14, 2025

Today would have been Charlie’s birthday. His first one spent in heaven.

Just over a month has passed since his passing, and though time keeps moving, days like this remind us that grief doesn’t follow a calendar. It lingers quietly, somewhere between memory and meaning.

There’s something tender about the phrase “heavenly birthday.” It carries both ache and peace. Ache for the conversations that will never happen, the presence that is missed, and the spaces that still feel empty. But peace too, for knowing that while we see absence, heaven sees arrival. While we mark loss, heaven marks homecoming.

It is strange how quickly everything can change. One day, someone’s voice fills our screens and their words fill the air, and the next, they are a memory we carry in silence. Yet for those who believe, death does not erase; it transforms. It turns separation into anticipation. It turns farewell into “see you soon.”

So today, as people remember Charlie, not as a headline or an argument, but as a man with conviction and impact, we hold space for both gratitude and grief. Gratitude for the life, the influence, and the voice that stirred thought and courage. Grief for the loss of someone who inspired, challenged, and led many to wrestle with truth and conviction.

Grief is complex. It does not need permission to exist. It simply arrives. But love does too. Love that continues long after the news cycle ends. Love that looks up and whispers, “God, thank You for the time, the work, and the reminder that every life carries purpose.”

Today, on his first birthday in eternity, we pause. We remember that none of us are promised tomorrow, but all of us are offered eternity through Christ.

So while hearts still ache and questions still linger, we can rest in knowing that Charlie no longer walks this earth. He walks streets of gold. His voice is not silent; it is singing.

May this day remind us to live with intention, to speak with grace, and to love without hesitation. Heaven is not just a destination. It is a promise.

Happy heavenly birthday, Charlie. You are missed, but you are not lost.