06/10/2026
Proverbs: Do These Things
You may have noticed there hasn’t been a newsletter since last November. To be honest, I just simply didn’t have it in me.
And here’s why…
On Wednesday, December 10, 2025 around 9:00 p.m. my brother, Kenneth Caleb Johnson, died suddenly at the age of 44 on my dad’s kitchen floor from a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in his leg broke loose and travelled to his lungs). I raced to my dad’s house after he called me saying the EMTs were trying to revive Ken because he stopped breathing. Instant in prayer, I pleaded with Yahuah our Elohim (God) to restart his heart. I dropped to my knees where I continued in prayer just outside the kitchen where the EMTs continued chest compressions for another 10 minutes. “Father, please restart his heart.” I called out to Ken, “Come on Ken! Come on Ken!”
Even after the EMT called time of death, I continued to pray. Now kneeling beside my brother, “Come on Ken, come back to us.” I added, “Ken, come forth!!”
We buried Ken on Tuesday, December 16th.
God didn’t restart his heart. Ken didn’t come back to us. And I was angry.
The day my brother died was the hardest day of my life. The day we buried him was the second.
The aftermath snowballed into months of chaos and grief. My dad, having held his son while he took his last breath, could no longer stay at his house. So, he went to California to be with my other brother. I spent a month cleaning out his house, wondering where he’s going to live when he gets back. I worried about my mom, calling her every day to check on her. I can only imagine that losing a child would be the most painful experience in life.
In cleaning out my dad’s house, I was given the honor of going through all Ken’s things and giving them to the right people. Whether it was his mom, or dad, or his kids, family and friends, I did my best to make sure his belongings were in the hands in which they were meant to be.
I also kept a few things for myself. A cool pair of socks, a hat, a mug… And a Bible. In fact, my brother had so many Bibles that I was able to give my mom, dad, and each of his 6 kids one, and still had Bibles left. So, I kept two. One of which was The Scriptures Version that he bought because I recommended it to him.
In one of Ken’s Bibles, he had scraps of paper for bookmarks. Two had something written on them. The first one I found in Psalm 66 and it said, “The way is straight, very narrow; That leads to Life. (Get that).” And the second one, found in Proverbs 2 & 3 said, “Proverbs- Do these things.” I’ll pass that advice on to whoever will hear it- Proverbs- do these things.
Ken kept things simple.
And so will I: Grief sucks.
It will sucker punch you over and over and when you least expect it. If you’ve lost a loved one, know this- there is no right or wrong way to grieve and there’s no timeline.
Grief also has a way of revealing. It reveals those who care and, unfortunately, those who don’t. It reveals the depth of love for the one lost. It reveals a sense of priority. This one is the one I allowed to be a firm life lesson. What is important? It certainly isn’t things. Everything my brother owned got dispersed to others. None of it went with him.
So, what is important? People. People are what’s important. Because they could be gone tomorrow. Hug your loved ones a little longer. Pause when your neighbor waves, “Hi.” Listen when that acquaintance just wants to talk. Who knows, maybe you are the only one who will listen.
And while my heart became softer toward my fellow man, realizing they are what matters, my heart put Yah on the back burner. “Why did Ken die?” “Why didn’t You restart his heart?” As I stated, I was angry.
My head knew the answer. It’s not complicated. Ken died because he didn’t get his swollen feet (caused by being sedentary and poor diet) checked at the doctor, even though the mom of his kids told him to do so. The result- a pulmonary embolism. Why didn’t Yah heed my prayers and revive him? Because Yahuah will not override someone else’s (Ken’s) freewill.
So, my head knew, knows, this. But my heart. Well, it took a while to catch up. I didn’t talk to my Elohim for four months. Then, one day while vacuuming my office, tears streaming down my cheeks, I paused and said six words, “Please tell Ken I miss him.” That’s it, that’s all I said. (Side note- scripture is very clear- we are not to communicate with the dead. That’s why I didn’t attempt to just tell him myself).
Yah is faithful! Two days later, I had the most vivid, real dream that Ken said to me, “I miss you, Becky.” I haven’t gone by Becky since I was a kid. But, Ken never got the memo and still called me that. Do I believe that was actually Ken. No. But, I do believe Yah gave me that dream to give me peace.
I’ve been at peace ever since.
And, I started talking to Yah again.
I hated hearing, “Well, he’s in a better place,” at the funeral. No! His place is here, with his mom & dad, his kids, his family and friends! Well, six months to the day of his death, I’m writing this newsletter (June 10, 2026) and, yes, he’s in a better place. I just wish it wasn’t so soon. I miss him. I miss his quirkiness and his grin. I miss the way he called me Becky.
I miss the follow-up conversation we won’t get to have on this side of eternity. He stopped by for a visit about 3 weeks before he died. I was on the couch so he sat across from me. “So, dad tells me you’re a flat-earther?” “I am!” I replied and told him a little bit about it. To which he responded, “Well, that definitely seems worth looking into.” He left shortly after and said, “I’ll see ya, Becky.” I said, “I’ll see ya round, Ken.”
While I am ever so thankful for the last visit I had with Ken, oh how I wish we could’ve had that follow-up conversation, cause he was interested! His very last google search on his phone history was, “Flat Earth Theory.” Note: there may or may not (but probably will!) be a newsletter on biblical cosmology
I know I’ll see him again someday. And he may or may not say, “You were right, Becky. Check out the Firmament.”
Not everyone can say that they’ll see their loved ones again someday.
Which leads me to the most important thing of all- a relationship with the Almighty Creator through His son, Yahusha Ha’Mashiach (the Messiah). There are those who will not enter into His kingdom. There are those to whom He will say, “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness." If that’s currently you, it’s not too late to repent (turn from lawlessness) and believe on Yahusha (whom the world calls Jesus). Call out to Yahuah (Our Creator God) now, because you could be gone tomorrow. Do this and hear instead, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
In His Service,
Rebecca Hamilton, Founder/ Executive Director
For Every Great Battle, There is a Great Victory!!
