by Raylee Evans | Feb 13, 2024 | Featured, Life Advice
I read a quote the other day that said, “What if the Lord allows us to experience human failure in heartbreak so that we can better understand His vast love for us?”
Thinking back on my past heartbreak experiences, through different seasons of life, I can confidently say that is the truth! The Lord has allowed me to walk through hard relationships, meet people who I thought was, “the one” and get my heart broken time after time. I was the girl growing up that said, “the first person I date, I want to be the one I marry!” Butttt…the Lord had other plans. Several failed relationships later, I am here, overwhelmingly thankful that was not the case.
I am now the girl that “loves” breakups. Sounds crazy, trust me, I know! But hear me out. The greatest lessons I have learned about my personal relationship with the Father was taught through times of heartbreak. The seasons where I experienced the most growth, refinement, and change, were seasons after that failed relationship with “the one.” The times when I have seen my closest friends flourish were the times after she finally broke up with the guy our friend group knew was not good for her. I love breakups.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).” This verse has often been used to comfort me during times of heartache. However, after I read the quote mentioned earlier, this verse has a whole new meaning.
Perhaps the Lord is near to the brokenhearted because He first allowed us to experience human failure of love to better understand His.
Perhaps the Lord is near to the brokenhearted because we must first be broken to be made new in Him.
Perhaps the Lord is near to the brokenhearted because His heart breaks with us.
Perhaps the Lord is near to the brokenhearted because He is refining our character, our definition of love, and our purpose to better align with His word.
This time last year, I went through a hard breakup. It is wild to be at a place where I can talk about it as part of my testimony and share the beautiful lessons the Lord allowed me to learn through that time. Total transparency though, this is not easy. This relationship was everything from “That’s the Way I Loved You” to “All too Well” (Swifities, you know the references) Over the years of us together, the Lord made it more and more clear that we were not for each other, so we broke up.
At the beginning of 2023, I would have never put on my “resolutions” list for me to go through yet another failed relationship. I thought 2023 was going to be the year I got married, graduated, and settled down. That is what I dreamt for myself.
However, as we know the Lord has plans of His own and man, am I thankful for that!
Instead of those things happening, the Lord took a situation that was destined for heartache, depression, and failure – and completely flipped my world upside down to be the best year of my life. Just to give you a glimpse…I went through heartbreak, got the opportunity to be an LO ambassador (wooohooo!!!), went to Thailand, called into missions, moved out of my childhood home into “the cottage” with my best friends, changed my major from Public Relations to a missions degree, and so much more.
When I say I am thankful that it is His plan and not my own, I mean it!
I share this with you only to say, none of that would have been possible without the first thing on that list; “heartbreak.”
It was not the relationship itself keeping me from experiencing these things, it was my lack of keeping my priorities in line to truly see what all the Lord had in store for me. The opportunities were there all along, I just needed to fix my heart, mind, and soul on Him to see them. I was too focused on the relationship I was in and not my relationship with the Father, everything was clouded and blurred. I was letting a human relationship that was inevitably going to fail me, define love for me and was not relying on God’s perfect, unfailing love.
It is evident when it is not from God. I mean how confusing would it be if God gave us peace about every relationship we got into? When we finally meet the one He has set apart for us, it will all make sense. We will have an undeniable peace that this is the one that will be an addition to my walk with the Lord. We will see how that person is better for us and for the greater good of His kingdom. It will be peace upon peace, no convincing necessary.
But sometimes, unfortunately, it takes going through the first thing on that list, to truly know it when we see it. Because of heartbreak, I better know the character and love of God.
I have seen human love fail me, and that is ok! It is part of it. But because of His word, His love letter written from His heart to ours, we know His love will never fail us.
Psalm 73:26,” My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
So, friend, this Valentine’s season, whether you are single, dating, heartbroken, engaged, or miss independent – I hope you can look back on the heartache and be thankful. Be thankful that the Lord allowed you to experience human failure so that you could better know His love for you. Be thankful it took a few failed relationships so that you could better recognize true love when it came into your life. Be thankful you have learned to guard your heart. Be thankful that you have gone through tough times so that way you can better relate and help others. Be thankful that each time you have gotten your heartbroken, the Lord has used that to redefine your definition of love to align with what it says in His word.
Because of heartache, we better know His love.
So, when I say I love breakups, it is because I have seen the Lord turn it around for good, time and time again!
Hey hey LO fam! My name is Raylee Evans and it is a joy to be here with you! I am a Senior Public Relations major at Lee University, which happens to be right in my hometown, Cleveland, TN! I am the second oldest of six in my family, which makes life so fun – never a dull moment! You can either find me on the pickleball courts, drinking coffee, or planning a last-minute trip. I currently work at Ever After Bridal as a bridal consultant, give campus tours at Lee to upcoming students, and I also have a little photography business on the side as well. I am a multi-passionate gal with a lotta dreams, 27 to be exact! My biggest prayer is that whatever dream I am pursing, that I am spreading His love, His joy, and His truth with everyone I come into contact with. Again, it is a joy to be here so thanks for being apart of one of those 27 dreams!
by Raylee Evans | Aug 10, 2023 | Life Advice
A few weeks ago, I had the greatest opportunity to go on my first missions trip to Thailand. I will never be the same after what the Lord has allowed me to experience and learn from that place!
While there, my team and I got to be a part of a church dedication. We were on the tallest mountain in Thailand, in a village the furthest away from civilization called the Huey Wai Village. While here, we got to witness the dedication of a church that was built by the generous funds raised by people affiliated with the group we went with, Far Flung Tin Can.
The village was packed with people in their traditional outfits. They were with friends, family, and even people from other villages that traveled in to celebrate this day.
I got to witness people from a different culture, desperate for just a glimpse of the Gospel.
This taught me a lot and I would love to share those lessons with you!
1. We overcomplicate the Gospel so much.
At this church dedication, it was so simple.
There were no fog machines, “welcome home” signs, or loud music.
It was just the people coming together with a genuine love and desire for the Lord.
It was so pure, so rich, and so evident in this room. I have never experienced something so sweet.
This is the blueprint. If we think about it, this was the example the first church set for us. It was people coming together desperate for the Gospel, worshipping and fellowshipping as one body of Christ despite language barriers or cultures.
Further than that, they were only concerned about Jesus.
Often times, we get caught up in all the theatrics of what we think makes church, church. And lose sight of what our relationship with the Father is designed to look like.
Jesus just wants your heart, friend.
In Matthew 6:33-34 it says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
All we have to do is keep our eyes on things above, seek first HIS kingdom, and HIS righteousness and everything else will fall into place!
The only thing that matters in this life, and I mean the ONLY thing that truly matters, is your relationship with Christ.
We do not have to overcomplicate our relationships, friendships, and community.
We do not have to overcomplicate our calling, jobs, and passions.
We do not have to overcomplicate our prayers, sermons, or platforms.
Jesus simply wants your heart – your heart humbly, desperately seeking HIM first.
2. The great commission is to all of us, not just missionaries.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
As followers of Christ, we each have the command on our life to, “GO!”
Now, my “GO” might look different from yours. We all have different callings on our life, different passions, and careers to pursue. The Lord has given us our own personal vocation to step into, so that we can live out the great commission within that.
That starts with a heart posture to “GO” and a mindset to seek spreading the Gospel no matter where you are. To start each day praying for moments to witness to others and to be to be constantly searching for opportunities to share the Good News.
By doing this you can…
GO on your campus.
GO at your local coffee shop.
GO within your family.
It does not always look like going into the ends of the earth, but for some of us it will. Sometimes it simply looks like having a renewed mindset to abide by the commandment to “GO” each and every day.
It can also look like giving regularly to your church and devoting your prayers to the unreached (we will touch more on that in a sec!)
The church we got to dedicate was funded by people who gave to their church and supported Far Flung Tin Can.
These people generously gave and did so in faith that their money would go to support a project bigger than themselves. A project for the first ever church built in this village. A village these people have never even been to. They gave in faith that that the Lord would take their funds and turn them into something to greatly impact the kingdom and that would change lives forever – and He did.
We can “GO” with our mindset, heart posture, funds, and prayers.
Give God your “GO” and see what He will do with it!
3. Your prayers can change the World.
I read a quote a few years ago and it said, “If God answered all of your prayers, would it change the world or would it change your world?”
This completely wrecked me and changed the way I prayed for a season. I wish I could say that it changed the way I prayed forever, but to be totally transparent with you, over the years I have resorted back to my selfish prayers.
My prayers look pretty much the same. Praying for the day, the people in my life, and whatever there is to be concerned about.
I want peace, patience, and joy. I want to do well in my classes, know what I am going to do after graduation, and have time to work out. I want to rest, spend time with my family, and get married.
I want, I want, and I want some more…
What would happen if what I wanted went further than what is in reach of me, and my prayers stretched to the ends of the earth?
Do not get me wrong, it is more than ok to pray for personal things. The Lord cares for the desires of our hearts – from the smallest to the biggest of things!
But along with praying for these things…
Let us not neglect the power of prayer.
Let us not put God in a box.
Let us not forget that our prayers truly could change the world.
This was evident in Thailand as I saw prayers being answered by projects fulfilled, ministries growing, and hearts touched by the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 11:1 we find the definition of faith which is, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
We have to have faith that prayer is not just words, rather is direct communication to the Father. Our faith is things HOPED for that we cannot see, that has not happened yet, and that we are trusting will come into fruition.
James 2:17 says, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
Our faith is nothing without works, it is DEAD! How we coincide faith and works is actively devoting ourselves to prayers bigger than ourselves each and every day, HOPING that they will ultimately change the world.
We can begin to pray for unreached people groups, poverty, politics, lost religions, and the oppressed. We can pray for people we do not even know to come to the Lord. Pray for the safety of those on mission overseas. Pray that the Lord blesses our funds to do the unthinkable.
We can “GO!” with our prayers if we just give it all to the Lord!
It really is simple; at the end of the day, He just desires our heart.
Our heart desperate for the Him.
Our heart committed to the great commission.
Our heart devoted to prayers that will change the World.
Thank you, friend, for reading these lessons taken from Thailand!
Hey hey LO fam! My name is Raylee Evans and it is a joy to be here with you! I am a Senior Public Relations major at Lee University, which happens to be right in my hometown, Cleveland, TN! I am the second oldest of six in my family, which makes life so fun – never a dull moment! You can either find me on the pickleball courts, drinking coffee, or planning a last-minute trip. I currently work at Ever After Bridal as a bridal consultant, give campus tours at Lee to upcoming students, and I also have a little photography business on the side as well. I am a multi-passionate gal with a lotta dreams, 27 to be exact! My biggest prayer is that whatever dream I am pursing, that I am spreading His love, His joy, and His truth with everyone I come into contact with. Again, it is a joy to be here so thanks for being apart of one of those 27 dreams!
