By Starr Munro
Riverbend News
Meet the couple behind the gospel radio station along the Suwannee River, James and Debbie Hamilton. DND Ministry is based out of Mayo, Fla., and their station is “Where Music Stirs Faith.” This exceptional source of wholesome music does not make money and ratings their main focus. They instead use their time, resources and energy into ensuring God and the gospel of His word is the main message of 97.1. At this station they keep Him in the light and not kept hidden in the shadows like some stations who only play gospel music in the earliest hours of the day when most people are still sleeping.
When people hear that they play 24/7 gospel music, sometimes their reaction is what keeps this amazing station going by typically taking out of their own pockets. But in today's world, supporting media like theirs can make a difference in small communities attitudes and minds, because music has a power unlike any other. The station has been around since 2014, when is was gifted to Ms. Debbie as a birthday present and they've been helping to keep the Spirit in their community ever since.
James “Deke” Hamilton was born in Mt. Dora, Fla., on Sept. 4, 1960 and attended Mt. Zion Methodist Church in Zellwood, Fla., as a young man. He was in his school's band where his love of music was instilled in him. His mother, Katie Hamilton, served as a positive influence in his formative years who assisted in making him into the man he is today; a man who serves God with no reservations at all, but does so with a lot of passion. Before their journey together in life and music, Deke had a career in truck driving before being injured in an accident and finding a new path in gospel singing.
Debbie “Sister Dee” Hamilton, was born in Mayo, Fla., on Feb. 1, 1959 and attended Bethel of Mt Sinai Holiness Church in Mayo, Fla., as a young woman. She was in the youth choir at church where her love of music was instilled in her. Her grandmother, Rochell Jackson, and two pastors in her life, Minnie Colson and Carolyn Demps, all served as positive influences in her formative years who assisted in making her into the woman she is today, a woman who serves God with no reservations at all but does so with a lot of passion. Before their journey together in life and music, Sister Dee had a 26 year long career in Law Enforcement Corrections and served as a Jail Administration Captain before finding a new path in singing and songwriting.
Sister Dee moved to Tangerine, Fla., in 1986 where she met Deke and after moving to Mayo in 1988, they married in August of 1989. Dee and Deke have three biological sons together, Jimmie, Eric and Timothy as well as having raised three other children of God: Rodney, Eric and Erika, as well as having a whole bundle of Godchildren. They became national recording artists in 2008 and their favorite singers are “anyone who sings with the anointing and has a positive message,” but a great source of inspiration are the legendary Johnson II Singers of Valdosta, Ga., “who have been singing God's praises for over 50 years.”
God provides and God has provided Lafayette and its surrounding counties with a wonderful music station found in DND Ministry Inc. 97.1 Where Music Stirs Faith (W.M.S.F), that praises the Lord 24/7, and lends no air time to messages not worthy of His glory. DND Ministry has been blessed to have found themselves in an area where the local communities believe in their message of faith and love and in doing the kind of work that shares that faith and love they have for God with others. True to most people living along the Suwannee River, 97.1 W.M.S.F has suffered from extensive water damage due to flooding in their community. They still are on the air but a lot of equipment has been lost. Sound boards, mixers, computers and more, have been ruined. But, God provides. The communities in the area were provided by God and faith abounds when citizens reach out to the station and donate what they can to a ministry service every town in the world should have.