National Siblings Day

National Siblings Day is today: Friday, April 10. Someone at some point will likely ask me how long it took me to write what’s below. That’s easy…about 50 years.

I have many friends that I love. I have countless people that have walked with me—and I with them—through this life. But I only have two blood brothers. So with this being National Siblings Day, this is for my brothers Ed and Scott…

The world has often said, “You don’t get to choose your family.” That’s true. But I’d choose them anyway.

Sometimes people see our family from afar and remark how amazing it must be to be as close as we are. When we are together on a stage singing in harmony, it’s a pretty cool picture of family. But that’s just a picture. A snapshot of a moment. Life is lived off the stage. Love is learned off the stage. And we’ve lived and learned together for a long, long time.

Make no mistake, my brothers and I are close and love each other deeply, but it has taken years of walking the broken road of life to get there. We’ve hurt each other and been hurt by each other. But we forgive. And we keep walking the broken road. And we keep loving each other. A wise man once wrote:

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”¹

A brother is born for adversity. While we have incredible parents and had an amazing childhood by any standard, we’ve had our share of adversity. We spent several years not being as close, but broken roads have a beautiful way of inviting family to come fill in the cracks together. It’s a decision to do so.

The folks who made National Siblings Day possible in our family.

Ten years ago, in the depths of depression, I had a heart attack. Ed and Scott dropped everything and flew four hundred miles to my rescue. I’ll never forget one particular moment with them in the hospital when, in an instant, I came leaping out of that deep depression that had gripped me for the better part of five years. Call me for coffee if you want that amazing story. Then they took me back home with them and made sure I unplugged for a few weeks while they watered my parched soul as only brothers can. That season truly changed my life forever.

Ed, I love your incredible giftedness. From the scenes growing up when you’d tap out rhythms with the silverware and glasses at the kitchen table to the moment when you grabbed my guitar and showed me the note I was missing while playing Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” (before you even played guitar!), I’ve known for decades that you are an “Eivets Rednow”-level musical genius. Your open heart is the canvas God has been painting a masterpiece through, and it’s been an honor to watch the Master at work in and through you.

Scott, you are the most well-rounded person I know and have a holy mix of passion, musicianship, business acumen, and deep faith—among many other things. I love the way you love your wife and your five girls. You love your friends very well, and live life with people in a wild and free way that is so compelling. I have loved watching God do amazing things in and through you for all these years. Even though we are 17 years apart, it’s never felt like that when we are together.

Lastly, I love laughing with the two of you. You have given me a cheerful heart that puts a smile on my face. (Pro. 15:13)

Ed and Scott, you are God’s great gift to me. I’d choose you anyway. Anyday. But especially today.

Happy Siblings Day. And Good Friday. This is a special day indeed.

I love you.

All this said, if you want to know what my brothers are up to these days, you can click here, here, or here. But this is my new favorite. And as an added bonus for reading all the way to here, here’s a video of my dad playing Johnny B. Goode with Scott’s old band in 2007.

¹ Proverbs 17:17