You Are Always Good
God's timing is so interesting and so perfect.
In Jan of 2018 the Lord brought the Hamilton family, who runs Majesty Music, into my life.
Majesty Music was started by Ron and Shelly Hamilton and is now run by their daughter and son in law, Adam and Megan Morgan.
Ron and Shelly have 5 kids, all grown.
Their oldest child, Jonathan, had mental illness due to an unforeseen reaction to an acne medication that his dermatologist put him on called backtrum.
Jonathan struggled with skitsofrenia for 15 years and had been on multiple medications and in mental institutions at least 3 times.
Jonathan was an amazing musician like the rest of his family. Due to the side effects of the meds Jonathan went off his meds, unbeknownst to Ron and Shelly, and on Mother's day 2013, Jonathan Hamilton tragically took his life. Before Jonathan passed away, he wrote about 23 melodies that Majesty Music is slowly publishing. One of those melodies is called "You Are Always Good."
Jonathan Hamiton wrote the melody and their pastor friend, Chris Anderson, wrote the lyrics as Jonathan's testimony.
"Looking back I can see your fingerprints upon my life, always seeking my best.
There were times when your way would make no sense but as you said, you have never left.
You are always good, you are only good. You are always good to me. Though my eyes can't see help my heart believe, you are always only good.
Looking in I can see my frailty my sin is great and my strength is so small, still you stay and your mercy shelters me, you hold my hand and you hear my call.
You are always good, you are only good. You are always good to me. Though my eyes can't see help my heart believe, you are always only good.
Looking up I can see your sympathy I doubt myself but I'm sure of your love, lavish grace was poured at Calvary securing me for my home above.
You are always good, you are only good. You are always good to me. Though my eyes can't see help my heart believe, you are always only good."
Here is Shelly Hamilton telling Jonathan's story.
The song "You Are Always Good" is special to my family because we've been through a similar situation with a very close family friend named Jayme.
It's so interesting to me that I would hear this song 2 months before our Jayme would pass away.
God’s timing is so amazing.
I heard this song in Jan of 2018 and Jayme passed away in March of 2018.
When Jayme passed away I felt that not only is this song Jonathan Hamilton's testimony, but it's also our Jayme's testimony.
Jayme's testimony.
Jayme Gabrisch-April 13, 1979-March 9, 2018
This is the story of Jayme. She was basically an adopted (by heart) member of our family. When I was a baby mom was a teacher.
My Aunt Renee (Mom's sister in law and dad's brother's wife) was also a teacher.
They both taught at Covenant Christian School here in Orange.
Jayme was in Renee's class and her sister April was in mom's class. Jayme had mental issues from a very young age from childhood abuse. She was eventually diagnosed with multiple personalities.
She lived with us for 9 months when I was 2 years old. When I was older she moved to new York and we lost contact with her. Years later she called us because she was having some major medical issues and needed help. We got back in contact with her and mom basically became her surrogate mother.
Mom helped her with a lot of things and took her to all her doctor and therapy appointments. There were so many times when Jayme should have died. She overdosed many times due to her mental illness.
She was a drug addict. When we first got back in touch with Jayme years ago she was not a Christian. Actually, she was afraid of Christians because of how they treated her and their views on mental illness.
I'll talk more about this in a minute.
Slowly but surely, by watching mom's example, and by finding the right medications and a good Christian counselor, Jayme eventually became a Christian. Mom prayed all the time and asked God not to let Jayme die until she was a Christian. I think it was the day before Jayme passed away that she was witnessing to people at the grocery store. Jayme did eventually pass away from what we believe to be an accidental overdose. We knew this would happen eventually. God definitely had His hand on Jayme's life, and He didn't let her die until she became a Christian.
Jonathan's story is close to home for our family because it's similar to our Jayme's story.
There were several times when Jonathan should have died but didn't until it was God's time for him to go home. Just like Jayme, he overdosed several times. They had both been in multiple mental institutions.
Both Jonathan and Jayme were amazing musicians. God had His hand on Both of their lives. Both of them tried to commit suicide several times and should have died but didn't, because it wasn't their right time yet.
I can only imagine the good times that Jayme and Jonathan are having together in heaven. They may not have understood here on earth why God allowed them to go through what they did, but in heaven I'm sure it all makes sense.
I believe that God uses trials to connect people together. People connect better when they've been through similar circumstances.
I've heard both Ron and Shelly speak openly and publicly about Jonathan's mental illness. I'm so thankful for their willingness to be open about such a sensitive topic. They are truly a breath of fresh air.
The majority of christians have what I believe, is a wrong mindset about mental illnesses and medications and this topic in general.
I'll be talking more about this subject in a later blog post.
Most Christians believe mental illnesses is all due to lack of faith. I don't believe that. In both Jonathan's and Jayme's story this is clearly not the case. Thank you Ron and Shelly for being so open with Jonathan's story and for bringing awareness to this subject. It's comforting for families like ours to hear another Christian family bring awareness to this subject. It's so needed, especially in churches. Thank you for allowing God to use your lives and your tragedies to minister to others. Thank you for letting others know that they're not alone and that God is always only good.
Thank you for making the Bible real in my life and pointing me to scripture that can be the master of our minds.