On Tuesday, August 7, our dear brother, David Hanson, got in a bad accident at work, falling approximately 30ft from a power line pole. He is in the hospital right now with many broken bones and a very serious injury to the head. We don't know the extent of his injuries yet, but we thank the Lord that He has preserved David's life. Our hearts are aching for David right now, but we have hope; Hope that the Lord will answer our petitions and restore David to full health. Our heart prayerfully goes out to his new sweet bride, Rachel, and all their family who is suffering through this difficult time. We have been on our knees in prayer and will continue meeting our loving Father on our knees in prayer on behalf of David, for Rachel, and for the family.
David first came to our church a little over a year ago. His work transferred him to CA, so when he came to our church, to him, he was just looking for a church, but to us, he was a direct answer to our prayers. For years, the elders and others in our church were praying for the Lord to send an evangelist to our assembly. In walks David Hanson :) Not only was he passionate to see the Gospel go forth to the lost, he was driven to make it happen. Within months, he was pulling aside young people on Saturday mornings to go door to door to share the Gospel in the neighborhood surrounding our chapel. By winter, together with his new girlfriend, Rachel, we started a Kids Club for the children in that neighborhood. Many seeds have been sown in the hearts of those surrounding our chapel. Please pray for them. The Lord used David to help bring about a revival in the youth in our little assembly this past year, where the youth became more devoted to Christ, more eager to pray, and more passionate to see the Gospel go forth.
Both David and Rachel have always shown forth a yearning for those who don't know God to know Him by believing in Jesus Christ (John 3:16), because their joy has always been so overflowing in the Lord Jesus Christ that they have only wanted others to know the joyful freedom of salvation that they have always known in Christ Jesus. They have always radiated a desire to see God glorified in their life more than anything else. May we who love Christ, then, glorify God's loving Name through them in this situation.
"Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Psalm 40:5
We know the family, and especially Rachel, is hurting much more deeply right now, so it's hard to imagine exactly what they must be going through, but for us, we have been learning how to trust in God through all of this. God's way may not always be the way we would have chosen, but because we have known the goodness of Him and His ways, we trust Him and trust that His way will always work together for good, (Rom 8:28), especially for His children, David and Rachel, who love Him so dearly. It is through prayer, in faith, that we trust to see God continue to do His wonderful works in David. In a prayer meeting last week some of us were asking questions about the will of God, and one of the elderly men lovingly reminded us of this truth: Our responsibility is to ceaselessly ask, implore, and plead to God in prayer, believing the Lord can answer our petition (David to be healed); but whatever outcome God will deem as best for His servants, David and Rachel, we must lovingly accept, with our hearts echoing the very heart of our beloved Savior and Friend, "Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven" Mt 6:10.
I believe David and Rachel would want us all to do this more than anything else. For in praying, we are drawn close to the dear heart of God, and what better place to be brought during this difficult time than close to the heart of God, and what greater joy will David have than knowing his situation brought others near to the heart of God.
"it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works." Psalm 73:28
Pray that God would do what He does best: make the impossible, possible.
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Oh God, You are My God (Psalm 63), by Fernando Ortega