Brother Joe never had a lot, he became a man of God

Started preaching at the church down by mile marker 17

He works his days, he works his nights

Spends his time saving lives

When the day ends, he goes home to his beautiful family

Sweet, sweet Valerie, well, she's the whole reason

He ever found God in the first place

He thinks back to the first date

He was nervous, jumbling his words

Sweating when he tried to flirt

He'd just never seen a woman in the world as beautiful as her

She told him all about Jesus and the love He had to give

Few years have passed now, and they're thinking 'bout some kids

They popped out a couple few

They sit up in the front pew

Every Sunday morning when he's in the pulpit

Spreading gospel to the room

Preacher man, he's so in love

With God, his woman, his three sons

And every morning when he wakes

He thanks the good Lord up above

This life he lives is more than enough, sometimes things get tough

But he does it for his Valerie who pulled him from the rough, yeah

It was Sunday night, he was back in his office

He was writing down talking points for the sermon next week

He was writing 'bout forgiveness and rollin' with the punches

"If you catch one on the chin, you just gotta turn the other cheek"

Phone started ringing

He was busy singing some old gospel hymn he learned

From his sweet, sweet Valerie

He checked who was calling

He knew somethin' was off when

He saw the sheriff's office on the caller ID

He picked up the call and his heart started dropping

He don't get this way often, but he's grittin' his teeth

Someone broke into the parsonage, the neighbors heard the poppin'

Before the lady finished, he was down on his knees

She told him they caught him

Two broken locks and three little bodies and his sweet, sweet Valerie

Well, the preacher man, he's got a gun, he don't wanna hurt no one

But he believed that Jesus needed him to leave a bullet in a man's head

He knows that come the risen sun, it'll all be said and done

He ain't gonna make it right tonight if he don't paint the walls red

He puts the steel to his own head

Two words is all he said

Tears streaming down his cheeks as he let out a, "Jesus wept"

"What the hell was all this for?"

Lifeless body hits the floor

Soul is headed home sweet home

To his three boys and his sweet, sweet Valerie

Oh, his sweet Valerie, oh

Brother Joe never had a lot, he became a man of God

Started preaching at the church down by mile marker 17