Christian retailer and best-selling author and editor Jim Reimann died Dec. 18 following a recent diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a neurological condition. He was 63.

Reimann founded and owned The Christian Armory in Atlanta, named by CBA the 1988-1989 Store of the Year, and was chairman of the CBA board for two years. He was also COO of Family Christian Stores and facilitated the six-year expansion from 148 to 362 stores in 39 states.

He was editor of the classic works My Utmost for His Highest, Streams in the Desert, Morning by Morning and Evening by Evening, and has more than 6 million books in print. An ordained minister, he led 26 Bible-teaching tours to Israel.

Reimann was born in Chattanooga, Tenn. He graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance.

The family entered this post and an excerpt from his books Dec. 18 at JimReimann.com:

“At 4:44 a.m. on Wednesday, December 18th, 2013, Jim went to be with the Lord and to hear the words he has wanted to hear, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant!’ We know that God is completely sovereign and has a plan for all of us, indeed fulfilling His plan for Jim. He ‘ran the race’ and ‘fought the good fight.’ Our prayer over the past few weeks has consistently been for God's will so that He may be glorified through all of this. Jim is with the Lord now, but isn't it wonderful that he has already said what he would want to say to you today in his writings, Morning by Morning and Evening by Evening?”

He is survived by his wife, Pam Reimann, whom he married in 1972; children Jeremy Reimann, Aaron Reimann and Bethany Belt; and eight grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Monday, Dec. 23, at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Sandy Springs, Ga. A private interment will follow for the family. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be given to the Digging Deeper Fund to “further the good news, which was his full purpose in life.”