Dear Prayer Team,
I apologize for not keeping you informed these past five weeks. So much has been happening. I am still in western NY attending to the needs of my dad in the hospital, taking care of my mom, and guiding our Lamplighter staff long distance. My dad's progress has been quite miraculous, but there is still a long way to go. I have learned one thing that is certain in life: that life is very uncertain. The Lord is teaching me to trust Him, not just every hour, but every second of the day.
I recently read A Modern Mystic, a story about a missionary who talked to God every second of the day, asking for guidance on how he should think, speak, and act. This concept has greatly challenged me.
Praises:
While in the midst of caring for my dad and mom, I continue to travel to conferences. During these times my wife Debbie has taken the responsibility of their care. Since my last prayer update, I have had the opportunity to speak in MA, HI, MI, and FL, as well as spending a week completing my last doctoral course in Denver. As you can see, this has been an extremely busy winter, and your prayers are so appreciated. I am not a young buck anymore but I love what I do! I praise the Lord for the great responses from each of the conferences. I wish you could have been there. At the Michigan conference, God's presence was evident; many parents rededicated their lives to Christ. The letters we have received from these conferences have confirmed that God has chosen Lamplighter to be an extension of His arm and to serve Him in such a time as this.
Concerning Prayer:
With this privilege comes great responsibility. Please pray that we will be found faithful and that I will effectively communicate God's truths to bring redemption to many broken lives.
Presently we have three very skilled men who have expressed interest in working with Lamplighter. One gentleman for whom I have already requested prayer is a world-class dramatic audio producer. He was one of the key developers of Adventures in Odyssey and Radio Theatre. The second individual has a background in printing and could bring a new dimension to Lamplighter, which would allow us to keep our inventory lower, thus increasing cash flow to accomplish our goals. The third person has had a revived passion to serve the Lord after reading one of our books, Ishmael. He desires to work as our marketing director. This position is critical for Lamplighter in order to pursue new opportunities via radio broadcasting, and to contact churches, missionaries, schools, distributors and donors.
Lastly, a husband and wife have also expressed an interest in our marketing position. Please pray us as we try to discern the will of the Lord.
Concerning outreach:
I feel that we have only scratched the surface. I believe that every church in America should have a set of Lamplighter books. It would be great if these same churches sent a set of books to each of their missionary families. We have many letters from missionaries about the incredible impact these stories have had on their children. Our most recent letter came from the director and children from an Indian reservation, saying that they were in tears when they received our Legacy Collection as a gift from Lamplighter. God be praised for thankful people!
Concerning my doctoral research:
Please pray that first and foremost it will glorify the Lord and will become an instrument of redemption for families and individuals. Please pray that I will be guided by the Lord to study a subject that will bring the most help to God's people and Lamplighter Ministries.
This weekend I will return to Florida to speak at a church in Lake City. Please pray that I will humbly but powerfully proclaim God's great truth, bringing redemption to many and glory to God.
In two weeks I will meet with a consultant in Florida (again!), then on to California to speak at a men's conference.
Thank you for your prayers...you are a vital link for us,
Mark Hamby
