(I was cleaning out my inbox and found the following excerpt from an email that I sent on Sunday, Jan. 25. I thought it was worth posting here, because although it’s painful to re-read, it is evident to me that God was already at work, healing and providing for us in our moments of need.)

In the span of two days, I have broken the news to my two nephews that their Daddy is gone, written my own brother’s obituary, helped with funeral arrangements and cried out to my Creator from the aching crevasses of my heart.

And yet — God is good … ALL the time. In the midst of the visitors and plans and decisions and phone calls, I have had few precious moments to myself, but God remains faithful to help me put one foot in front of the other. He has graced me with rest and answered my prayers for empty dreams.

My nephews are being well cared for and loved on, and although this is still all so very confusing to them, they are holding up well. My mom is surrounded by family and church friends, and she is doing much, much better than when I first saw her Friday night in the ER, where she was in shock from hearing the news of my brother’s accidental shooting.

Please continue to keep all of us in prayer. Tell your loved ones just that … “I love you” … and give them an extra hug today.