This week has been an emotional roller coaster for me. My little sister got married July 1. Then one of my best friends from my youth group growing up died tragically July 2. I flew back to Arkansas from Ohio July 4 and drove up to Missouri July 5 for Matt's funeral.

Matt, 25, had a wife, Jenna — today is Matt and Jenna's 4-year anniversary. Matt and Jenna had a 16-month-old baby boy, Levi.

I hadn't seen or spoken to Matt for about three years. It was one of those things. He met Jenna, left Harding and moved to Missouri. I stayed at Harding. I never thought the last time I saw my brother would be the last time I saw my brother.

As I was standing in the visitation line waiting to speak to Matt's parents I kept having flashbacks of growing up. I kept seeing our youth group hanging out at Matt's house for devos and game nights. I kept seeing Matt making fun of me because that's what he did. I saw Matt leading singing at church, youth rallies and at camp. I saw him standing in his tux at his sister's wedding in Calcutta, Ohio. I remembered him calling me my senior year of high school as if he was a Harding recruiter trying to convince me to come to Harding. I remembered him giving me the tour of campus, taking me to church, taking me to the Big Ragoo in Searcy and Sonic for my first-ever Sonic experience.

I remembered trying to cheer him up after he wrecked his brand new Mitsubishi Eclipse when he pulled it out of the dealership over Christmas break in 2000. I remember his last Sunday night at church before he moved to Searcy. As we stood there hugging he kept saying, "We will always be friends. We will always be friends."

I thought about the night I was baptized in 1997 and Matt giving me a big hug afterward. I thought about the day in New Cumberland, W. Va., when Matt and I had the most spiritual conversation at that time in my young life. We talked about how much we love God, and despite all of our mess-ups, we only wanted to serve Him.

I saw his mom yesterday and just started sobbing. His mom sat me down and told me that I would have been proud of the man Matt became over the past few years. She also said that she told Matt's dad that she wasn't dreading the day they buried Matt because it was Matt's day. It was the day Matt moved on to his home in glory. She said the reason we live is to die.

Sitting there at the funeral I had a few moments of regret. I regret that I didn't stay in contact with Matt. I regret that Matt and I ended our friendship on a rather bad note. But then I thought about how much I still love my brother. Regardless of everything, Matt was a brother to me. He is the reason I am at Harding today. He is one of the reasons I stayed faithful to Christ throughout high school.

So here's to Matt. With life comes death. With death comes glory.

Thank you Matt for being such a big part of who I am today. Congratulations on finishing your journey. Thank you for teaching me lessons as my big brother. And thank you again for teaching me incredible lessons through your death and your parents' faith in you and God.