Taya Kyle encountered a real-life nightmare on Feb. 2, 2013, when her husband, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, and his friend, Chad Littlefield, were murdered at a Texas gun range by a former Marine they attempted to help. The loving mom of two and wife has bravely shared her family’s story and worked to inspire others to navigate and process their pain. Her latest project, Prayers for Bears: Bailey the Grateful Bear, is a children’s book that reflects her family’s story.
Kyle told CBN News, explaining how she has had to focus on gratitude over the years to navigate such profound loss, “We’re about 11 years out of Chris’s murder, just over 11 years. When he first was killed, I remember talking to a friend of mine, saying, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to afford our house.’” However, her friend assured her she would always have a roof over her head and food to eat. That encouraging friend reminded Kyle that some people love and care about their families.
In the end, this advice was proven true despite the difficulties the family faced. That reminder has helped Kyle and her children, Colton, 19, and McKenna, 18, refocus on thankfulness. Kyle said, “My kids and I pick that up, and we pray that, even to this day. [We pray], ‘Thank you, God, for the roof over our head and the food to eat it.’” She continued, “Those are blessings. And even if it doesn’t negate that bad things are happening when you’re grateful, I think that’s an important point.” Remembering the good and bad can coexist — difficulties and times of gratitude can coincide — is something Kyle now seeks to instill in readers and fans.
She, of course, knows a great deal about finding hope amid struggles, as she and her children had to deal with the very public loss of her husband, a revered sniper known for his incredible skills. The process of journeying through loss was “messy,” Kyle admitted. She said, “The great news is that I believe God prepares us for the things that are going to happen to us later. He just does it really lovingly and really gently, so we can’t predict the bad thing that’s coming.”
Kyle said she now sees how the Lord equipped her and her family well before Chris was killed. She recalled how she began clinging deeper to her faith while Chris was still in the military and deployed, relying on God to navigate fear, find joy, and cope with loss. As for forgiveness, she admitted it took some time to get there, particularly when it came to the man who killed her husband. Over time, there, too, she found healing. “I don’t forgive the act,” Kyle said. “I forgive the person as a child of God falling to temptation repeatedly until it got to a different place of character.”
As for Kyle’s current work, in addition to Prayers for Bears: Bailey the Grateful Bear, she continues to run the Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation, an organization that helps restore and sustain the marriages of first responders, military members, veterans, and others. Kyle said these families face “unique challenges,” so the foundation offers programs to help them navigate.