Hello from Madagascar! I love getting the chance to sit down and write and just talk about what the Lord has been showing me through my times here. My prayer is that you don’t only hear my heart in these posts, but more importantly, you hear His. Thanks for your prayers and support!

People are constantly telling me how proud they are of me for going across the world and ministering. I get people telling me how awesome I am and complimenting me on what I’m doing here. And honestly, I get it. I have told people that I’m proud of them and have looked up to people in ministry all my life.

But can I just be honest for a second?

I really don’t think that I’m anything special.

I guess because the only reason that I’m here is because I chose to be obedient to what God had for me. I didn’t put on a super-Christian cape when I got on the plane. I am still just Kristen…a normal girl who chooses to obey a really big God.

My obedience just happens to be in a different geographical location than most. And that makes me no more special than you.

Yes, you.

You- the person who straightens up the chairs after your church service. We’re the same.

You- the Pastor who comes home tired after a long day of ministering to people. We’re the same.

You- the lady telling people about Jesus at your 9-5 job. We’re the same.

You- the student who is standing up for truth in the classroom. We’re the same.

And the list could go on and on of people who are choosing to be obedient to the call of Christ. It’s not about location. It’s all about obedience.

And that’s the beauty of it all.

We can be on opposite sides of the world, working for the same Kingdom.

So I want to encourage you today to be obedient in the place that God has you.

If you are a Pastor, lead well.

If you are a parent, love well.

If you are an employee, serve well.

If you are a student, learn well.

And as we stay obedient, we can lead others to the love of Christ… together. And that’s a beautiful thing!

-Kristen

As we get closer to Easter, I cannot help but think about the death and resurrection of our Lord. He came down as a baby, lived a sinless life, was put to death for sins he did not commit, and then was raised to life three days later. This story of redemption is one that will never be forgotten and is a debt that we can never repay.

But the neat thing about this story is that it does not just stop there. After Jesus was raised from the dead and right before He went back into Heaven, He gave a command to his disciples.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

You see, the story isn’t over yet.

There is still a commandment. There is still a commission. There is still a task to be done.

And that is exactly where we come in. Jesus fulfilled His mission, as He said “It is finished” on the cross, but ours is still going!

And so today, I want to challenge you to continue the story. Go and make disciples. Go and baptize. Go and teach.

And just like He promised, He will be with us always!

Hello! I haven’t posted in a while, so I thought that I would take a few minutes to update you on my life here in Madagascar!

My mom, brother, and Tristan were here for a week. I had a blast! I’m so thankful that they got to come and see a little bit of my world. Saying goodbye definitely wasn’t easy though. I will see them again in a few months!

A lot of people ask me how Madagascar is, so instead of doing a normal “devotion” blog, I thought it would be fun to share a few fun facts and stories with you. Hopefully you will find it semi-interesting! 😉

– I mentioned in a FB status how I got distracted by a cow during a service at a Malagasy church. There obviously isn’t air condition, so the doors stay open. Hearing the cow chew his grass was too much of a distraction for this city girl! But seeing cows in the street is totally normal here. We have had to stop the car and let the cows cross. The other day, a car in front of us got hit by a cow who crossed the road.

-Speaking of this, there are tons of chickens who cross the road. Don’t ask me why! 😉 But what is neat is that everyone in the area knows whose chicken it belongs to and stealing another person’s chicken is definitely frowned upon. I have heard stories of people getting killed because they stole someone’s chicken(s).

– A white person is called a “Vaza” and it is used quite frequently especially when walking down the street. I hear it almost on a daily basis, mainly by some guy trying to get my attention or a Malagasy coworker greeting me.

– Being white, Malagasies assume I am French. My lack of French and my accent probably give it away pretty quickly that I am definitely not! I really wish I would have taken the language in high school!

– Cramming 30+ people into a “bus” (van) is totally normal. Getting up close and personal is a daily thing for people needing transportation I take it twice a week and it cost 300-400 ariary for each ride. This is about 10-13 cents in USD.

– It’s also very much a “walking” culture. I’ve actually grown to like the fact that I can walk from school to the grocery store or wherever without it being unsafe. People are everywhere!

– Rice, rice, and more rice! Malagasies eat rice for every meal. If they don’t have it, they don’t feel like they have eaten properly!

– The flooding here in Madagascar has devastated many people. It’s common to drive into town and see tents lined up on the side of the road because people’s homes are too flooded to live in. In order to get to their homes, they have to go by boat. It’s hard to imagine, but it’s reality for so many people.

– I will never complain about traffic in the States ever again. Potholes make driving somewhere a long, drawn out process! It has taken us 2 1/2 hours to get to our church during the week. On a Sunday, when less people are out, it takes about 40 min. It’s pretty crazy how 40 minutes begins to feel like a short drive! But with driving here, I have decided that the rule is, if there is even a small gap, take it. And if there’s not, make one. lol. The same thing applies to parking spaces. Just find a place!

Even with the craziness of traffic, being away from my family, and not having a Casa Ole… it’s all worth it. I look at this place and talk with these people, and I see such beauty. I have so much fun getting to know them and seeing their hearts. They are such givers and their worship is nothing short of amazing. I love seeing them walk down the streets on Sunday morning with their best clothes on, ready to give their best to God. It’s a place where people are so open and ready to receive the gospel.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support!

Hello from Madagascar! It has been a busy, but fun few weeks here. I am so thankful for this journey and I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate the prayers, notes of encouragement, and love that I have felt from across the world! I have amazing friends and family.

One of the things that I’m doing here is teaching 3 days a week at an English Christian School. I teach the reading classes and also the devotion times for 1st-4th grade. And then on Fridays, I will do chapel for pre-k, 1st-4th grade, and 5th-8th grade.

But this week, I taught on Noah. It’s a story that we’ve all heard a million times. God tells Noah to build a big boat. The animals come in. It starts to rain. Everyone else drowns. Noah’s family is saved. God puts a rainbow in the sky. (That’s the cliff note version!)

But there is one verse that sticks out to me every time: Genesis 6:22 “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”

Everything!

First off, building a huge ark in his backyard was a huge step of faith. And then, God had given him precise measurements and the type of wood to use. And to stay that long in a boat with that many stinky animals? That’s some crazy obedience right there.

And sometimes, what God calls people to do does sound crazy. In fact, we see it time and time again in the Bible.

Hey Noah, build a boat. I’m about to flood the earth. I know…it’s never rained, but just trust me!

Joshua, I want you to walk around the walls. They will fall. Don’t worry!

Abraham, You know that son of yours? The only one that you have? Go up to a mountain to sacrifice him to me.

Hey Peter! Come on out and walk on the water. I know that there is a storm. Just keep your eyes on me.

Story after story of “crazy” obedience. In fact, “crazy” just seems like “normal” in the Bible.

And yet, we want to live our kind of “normal” lives. We stick to our comfort zones and sometimes obey God, but only if it makes sense.

But what about if “normal” for us isn’t the “normal” that God wants?

What if “normal” would be stepping out in obedience to pray for someone and seeing them healed? What if “normal” would be obeying God when He asks us to leave our comfortable life and step out into the unknown? What if “normal” was really our “crazy”?

I’m praying that God redefines “normal” in our lives. I’m praying that as we step out in obedience, we will see the goodness of God in such an amazing way. We will see lives transformed, people healed, and souls brought into a relationship with Him!

And just like Noah, we can do everything that God commands of us!

First off, it should be known that I am usually a terrible decision maker. Not like I make bad decisions, It just takes me forever to get to the decision I’m making! My mom has joked that it would take an hour for me to pick out deodorant at the store. Decisions just stress me out!

I guess the big part of it has always been that I’m scared of missing out on God’s will. I would always try to spiritualize it, saying that it’s a good thing. I mean, it’s the will of God we are talking about here! It’s nothing to play around with.

But am I really that spiritual? Probably not.

When it came down to deciding on what I would do for Madagascar, the Lord really began to teach me that it wasn’t about the decision, it was simply about walking with Him. I didn’t have to know what was coming up in a week, month, year, or whenever, I just needed to walk with Him that day. It was seriously the most freeing experience.

Knowing that I didn’t have to know.

Walking with the Lord is a step by step, day by day process. It’s trusting Him in the small things and the big things. It’s realizing that sometimes I don’t know where we are headed and that’s totally okay.

Because who I am with is more important than where I am going.

And the same is for you too. No matter what decisions you are facing, just walk with Him.  He will guide you in each step and you will see His goodness the whole way.

Micah 6:8- “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

-Kristen

P.S. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. God has been so good. I have bought both sets of plane tickets and am working on my budget for living expenses while I am there. T-shirts are still available. You can go to the June archives and purchase/donate if you would like. Thank you again for investing in me as I walk with the Lord!

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Ever felt underqualifed? Like what God was calling you to do was way over your head and you had no idea how in the world you were going to accomplish it?

Yep. Me too. But then I read this scripture in 2 Corinthians 12, and I realize that maybe, just maybe, God chose me because I COULDN’T do it. Maybe, he looked down at this 26 year old girl from Texas and said, I want to use her, despite of her. I want to make it so obvious that it’s ME working in her that only I could get the glory. And so…He did.

And here I am. And here you are. Messed up people who just get called into God’s perfect plan.

But thankfully, we are not alone. The Bible is full of people who were seemingly underqualifed. Mary? She wasn’t married yet.  Moses? He had a stuttering problem. Joash? He was just a kid. Rahab? She was a prostitute. Saul? He was a murderer.

Yet, God chose them. Mary birthed Jesus, Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt. Joash became a king. Rahab saved lives. Saul became Paul and was a powerhouse for the Lord.

And what about us? Well, our story just isn’t finished yet!

 

“Look at the nations and watch– and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5

First off, I just wanted to say thank you! Your prayers and encouragement mean so much to me. I really am so thankful and ready to be “utterly amazed” at what God does in my life and in the lives of those in Madagascar.

I have had a lot of questions about my trip, so I thought that it would be great to answer some of them on here. (Even though I’m always up for talking about the trip in real life!)

What will I be doing while I’m there?
A little bit of everything! I will be working with the children’s ministry of Living Word- Madagascar on Sundays. There will also be opportunities for me to speak at Malagasy churches during my time there. For 3 days a week, I will be teaching at an English school. If you have ever heard of YWAM, it’s a ministry of theirs. And probably my favorite part: the Wellness Center. Every Monday, people living in poverty come to get fed and hear the word of God. It’s such a neat ministry. 🙂

How much will it cost? Am I close to my goal?
My goal for the trip is $10,000. This will cover plane tickets, expenses while I am there such as housing, transportation, ministry, food, phone/internet, etc., and insurance back in states. I have raised about $3500 so far. It’s nice to be a 1/3 of the way through, but I am still trusting that God will continue to provide the rest!

What about my job at Cornerstone?
Nothing has been decided about this yet. We are praying for God’s will to be done in both the children’s ministry and secretary positions that I hold. I know that God is directing Cornerstone just like He is directing me. I love this church and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the future!

What animals are in Madagascar?
Well, I have yet to find the talking zebra, lion, and giraffe from the movie unfortunately! It’s actually nothing like the movie! There are lemurs (and cool lizards), but you’ll have to go to other parts of Africa to get the big stuff!

How can you donate?
You can go to June archives on my blog and find the link for paypal to donate or buy a shirt! If you would like your donation to be tax-deductible, you can give to Cornerstone Church or Humble First. Just include “Kristen Evans-Madagascar” in the memo. Every little bit helps and you are making a difference!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m open to talk and let you know what is going on in my life. It’s been such a neat journey and I’m excited about the opportunities that I have already been given to share my heart for missions!

All for Him,
Kristen

P.S. I will be speaking at Old River A/G on August 13th at 7PM if you are in the area and don’t have a home church! 🙂

Lately I have been thinking about the goodness of God. I was reading in Hebrews and came across this verse:

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19

I love this. No matter where we are or what is going on in our lives, we can have an unwavering hope in a God who is good.

Take time to reflect on that today…
When your kids are driving you crazy.
When your marriage isn’t what you thought it would be.
When your bills stack up and your bank account runs low.
When your fear begins to outweigh your faith.
Whenever. Wherever.

He is our anchor. He is our hope.
Trust Him!

All for Him,
Kristen

P.S. I’m so thankful for the responses that I’ve received from my last two blogs. Whether you have donated, bought a shirt, prayed, or encouraged me, please know that you are appreciated. I still have a ways to go, but I have hope…why? Because He is good! 🙂

I remember the faces of the children begging in the streets.

I remember the smiles of the people hearing the good news of Christ.

I remember the generosity of the Christians who had nothing, yet possessed everything.

And I remember the exact moment that I knew I wasn’t going home the same.

I was riding in the car looking out the window at the beautiful (yet extremely crowded!) city of Antananarivo, Madagascar. It was then I begin questioning how I could go home to my nice apartment, plenty of food, and all of the other blessings that I knew I didn’t deserve. And it was then I realized that I really didn’t want to. Madagascar had my heart!

So I came home to my “real life” and began praying about what The Lord wanted from me and I realized pretty quickly that I wasn’t done with Madagascar quite yet! So, because of this, I have decided to spend some extended time there, doing missions work and working with Living Word Church- Madagascar! I will be leaving in January and returning in June for this trip and will be seeking The Lord for what long-term opportunities that He has for me, whether it’s there or back here in America. It is a step of faith, but one that I have complete confidence in knowing that The Lord will be with me through it all.

I will be posting more later, but I wanted you to know where my life is headed and for you to hear my heart! My request is that you pray for me!

-Pray for doors to be opened that need to be opened and doors to shut that need to be shut.

-Pray for finances to come through. The Lord has never failed me and I don’t believe that He is going to start now!

-Pray that my heart is prepared for whatever He has for me. (Even if this means 6 months without Mexican food!)

Thanks so much for walking through this journey with me! It’s going to be a wild ride, but I am confident in the God who is leading me through it!