DEAR MOM,DAD,JOSH,FAMILY, AND FRIENDS, I AM VERY SORRY I HAD TO LEAVE YOU-THE FATHER APPARENTLY WANTED ME TO BE WITH HIM AND HAVE FINISHED WHAT HE PLANNED FOR MY TIME ON EARTH. I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU HOW VERY MUCH I LOVED YOU. I SO WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE COMING TIME TO HOLD YOU UP AND SUPPORT YOU IN WHAT LITTLE WAYS I COULD. NOW JUST LOOK THE THE LORD TO TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS I NO LONGER CAN. HE IS MUCH BETTER AT IT THAN I COULD HAVE BEEN ANYWAYS. TO MOM AND DAD, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPRESS THE LOVE I FEEL FOR YOU-MY HEART IS JUST TOO OVERWHELMED AND IT IS JUST TOO MUCH TO EVEN TRY TO SHARE. YOU GAVE ME LIFE, AND THOUGH WE WALKED THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES WHEN I WASN`T EASY TO GET ALONG WITH, YOU ENCOURAGED ME ALONG LIFE`S PATH. PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR MAKING LIFE SO DIFFICULT FOR YOU. BUT AS I BECAME A MAN, I CAME TO REALIZE THAT ALL THE THINGS YOU DID FOR ME AND TAUGHT ME WAS TO SHOW ME HOW TO BECOME A BETTER MAN AND TO TAKE MY PLACE IN LIFE, YOU BOTH WERE THE ABSOLUTE BEST, AND THE FATHER WITH SURELY BLESS YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND CARE OF BOTH ME AND JOSH.. DURING MY TIME IN THE ARMY, YOU SUPPORTED ME WITH YOUR PRAYER AND LOVE, AND KEPT LEADING ME TO THE FATHER AND SHOWING ME BY YOUR EXAMPLE THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND HOW IMPORTANT HE IS TO MY VERY BEING. ACCEPTING HIS LOVE AND SALVATION WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT HE IS TO MY LIFE-FOR WITHOUT HIM I WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTHING...AND NOW AM EVERTHING! I LOVED BEING A SOLDIER. IT TAUGHT ME DISCIPLINE,STRENGTH AND COURAGE THAT MADE ME STRONGER THAN I THOUGHT I COULD BE. IT ALSO TAUGHT ME TO TRUST IN THE LORD FOR EVERY MOMENT OF MY LIFE, AND I KNEW HE WOULD SEE ME THROUGH MY TOURS IN IRAQ. TO TRY TO EXPRESS MY HEART TO EVERYONE-MY BROTHER JOSH,THE DUCKWORTHS, JOHNSONS, AND DEAR FRIENDS I DON`T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN... AS I STAND HERE LOOKING INTO THE FACE OF MY PRECIOUS SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST- HEAR THE SOUNDS OF HEAVEN, GREET FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES I SEE AROUND ME- THE PEACE, THE ABSOLUTE PRECIOUS PEACE THAT I FEEL IS SO INCREDIBLE AND HARD TO DESCRIBE. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WILL HAVE TO EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WHEN JESUS TOOK MY HAND AND WE STEPPED ACROSS THE THRESHOLD OF LIFE TO DTERNITY, THE PAIN WAS GONE, AND I STOOD AND WALKED WITH JESUS ACROSS THE LUSH GREEN FIELDS TOWARD THE CITY OF GOD. THE COLORS HERE ARE SO BRIGHT AND ALIVE, THE MUSIC SO PURE AND BEAUTIFUL, AND EVERYWHERE THE SOULD OF "HOLY,HOLY HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY" COMES FROM EVERYWHERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING MY LOVE ONES AND FRIENDS. I KNOW THIS TIME WILL BE HARD FOR YOU, BUT PLEASE REMEMBER THAT I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY DEARLY AND THE HEART-FELT WORDS I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS I CANNOT-THEY ARE TOO MUCH FOR ME TO EVEN COME CLOSE TO SAYING. ALL I CAN DO IS ASK THE FATHER TO HELP YOU THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME, BE WITH YOU IN THE DAYS TO COME, GIVE YOU COURAGE AND STRENGTH TO CARRY ON. WHAT A REUNION WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ONE DAY, AND UNTIL THEN, PRESS ON-DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD, AND KNOW THAT I AM REJOICING IN THE PRESENCE OF MY LORD! LOVE ON EACH OTHER FOR ME. FOR THIS MOMENT IN TIME...I WISH YOU WELL, AND WILL WAIT FOR YOU. WITH ALL OF MY ABSOLUTE LOVE, JONATHAN