It’s been a tough week! Normally on my morning walks with my dog Cooper I have my headphones in, and I listen to a variety of podcasts. But the last few mornings I’ve walked in silence. I’ve been doing a lot of self-reflection in the midst of my feelings of anger, and general confusion. I have also had serious doubts about who is running the show in Heaven! Because at this point it is very apparent that God doesn’t have a clue what he is doing.
All of this is due to the call that I received from my wife this past Tuesday night. I was a mile from home when I answered the call and she told me that my friend and former co-worker, Richard Logan, had killed his wife, one of his children, and then himself. Richard and I worked together at a church in Texas and during our time together I knew him to be a funny, fun, outgoing guy who loved people and the Lord. Richard left the church staff and went on to bigger things as he founded a para church ministry called Attack Poverty This ministry has done so much good in the Richmond/Sugar Land, Texas area and reaching even into Africa with a message of hope. Richard’s impact has been felt by thousands of people.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without his wife Diana. Diana was a beautiful soul with a radiant smile and a gentle spirit. Anne, another friend of mine, described Diana in this way:
“Diana was every bit of the definition of lovely. She celebrated with me
and grieved with me through my losses. It’s hard to imagine our community
without her. What a hero she was as she kept her family, supported her husband,
was a faithful friend, an example of Christ to others, nurtured children and so
much more. I could only imagine to be half the woman you were.”
As a lover of people Diana influenced the lives of countless women through Bible studies, teas, and simply being a good neighbor. She was also a preschool teacher who modeled to young children what it meant to be a follower of Jesus.
For reasons still unknown Richard also took the life of his son, Aaron, a fun, engaging fifth grader who had his whole life in front of him. The Logan’s adopted Aaron, and I remember how happy they were when they could call Aaron their own.
Thankfully, Ambrielle, the Logan’s 22-year-old daughter survived an attack by Richard. But will now have to navigate the rest of her life without her parents and little brother. Please keep Ambrielle in your prayers. This year was supposed to be the year that she graduated from college and embark on her own career path. I can’t imagine the pain and confusion and loss that she must be feeling.
Monday, I will be in Texas to grieve with an entire community gathering to say goodbye to three quarters of the Logan family. Hopefully, in doing that, I will be encouraged by others and restore my faith in a God who I know desperately loves all of us. Right now, though nothing seems to make sense.