Dear Ministry Partners,
“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow Of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be. Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning New mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.” Our seminary class song has proven true all through the ministry that God has allowed me to have! When I think back over the years, it takes my breath away. It leaves me with anticipation as to what God is yet to do!
I was shocked to look back and see that the last ministry letter was in October, last year. This year has been filled with joys and challenges. The RV park Bible Study turned out very well this season. There was good attendance and much participation. We had opportunity to preach at the park and there were four professions of faith. We have kept a fairly busy schedule of preaching at local churches. We have had thirteen services to this point.
I need to share the praises and problems in order to contextualize this report. My health has been a challenge this year. There has been a “symptomatic relapse” of the 1986 encephalitis episode which removed me from the pulpit for almost three months. In the original event, I was told that there was no medicine that could help. Just rest and aspirin. Now in 2019, Ruth went on the internet and found that there is medicine. I am slowly getting better. There will be 180 days of treatment. The relapse is characterized by extreme fatigue, headaches and mental fog. I found out that the virus never left me since 1986 and I have been struggling with mild forms of it. The praise is that since the original event in 1986 it has never kept me from fulfilling my pastoral responsibilities or out of the pulpit. On Saturday, April 27 the fatigue was so severe that I couldn’t stand up. On April 28 God performed a genuine miracle. At Berean Baptist Church of Okahumpka, FL. God gave me the strength and focus of a 30 year old! In the evening service I wanted to share with the folks the miracle that God had done. Spontaneously the church left their pews, gathered around Ruth and myself and prayed for us. I have never had an experience like that in all of my ministry. I have slowly been getting better ever since. IS GOD AWESOME OR WHAT! Through all of this, God has enabled us to stay busy for Him.
God’s grace has been extended to us in the sale of the RV and of the truck. These are minor miracles in themselves. The house is finally complete. Ruth and I believe that none of these things would have happened without the prayer support of each of you. THANK YOU!!! Thank God for Pastor Terry Weaver and his people. God be praised!
Pray that God will continue to open avenues of ministry for us. We have some openings for the rest of the year.
Dave & Ruth Hamilton
Have Bible Will Travel