There are no words to bring her back. There are no numbers to count the weight of her loss. There is no measure of her impact. There is only grief mingled with hope, tears rolling down a face set like flint towards Jesus.

Rachel Held Evans left this life and entered into the next yesterday. Too soon. Too young. I echo my friend Shawn Smucker when I say, “Please give her back! We shall keep asking You!”

I never met Rachel, yet her words have been light in many a dark season. I never heard her speak in person, yet her voice is as real to me as my dearest friend. In her life, and death, she was and is a relentless force of encouragement to press on, to be a Woman of Valor for the sake of others.

Rachel’s impact will pour out on the pages and websites over the coming days, months and years. Her desire to see women rise up into their worth and value combined with her passionate exhortation to the church to be the best version of itself will bear immeasurable fruit, and her legacy will be

Thank you, sweet Sister. Thank you for giving me, and so many others, the courage to speak and write and argue. Thank you for forging a way, for making space at the table and providing companionship on the journey. We are your legacy and we will not forget you.

Rest well, Woman of Valor.