Justin&Candace

Bye Bye Blogger!!!

2009-09-23T12:38:00.000-05:00

http://justinandcandace.shutterfly.com/ is now where I will blog! See you there!

TOMS shoes.

2009-08-01T23:04:00.002-05:00

My TOMS are coming!!!!
Check it out!
www.tomsshoes.com

My Neice and I

2009-07-27T07:28:00.001-05:00

Addilyn and Aunt Candace

this little girl is PRECIOUS!!!

xoxo - Candace

Back to Work!

2009-07-20T07:44:00.002-05:00

My Summer is officially over... I am back at work today! Hopefully I can squeeze in some fun things before the kids come back! It was a wonderful summer, full of family, friends, and relaxing!

New Life Worship Conference 2009

2009-06-26T21:09:00.003-05:00

Justin and I along with 6 others from our worship team at church went this past week to Colorado Springs, Colorado! New Life Church had a Worship Conference. We learned so much and had some amazing times of focused worship on God. We got led into worship by Glenn Packiam, Ross Parsley, New Life Worship, Gateway, and Chris Tomlin! It was a blessing! We also got a couple hours to explore Seven Falls!

Here are a couple photos from the conference!

xoxo - Candace

Date NIGHTS ROCK!!!

2009-06-20T12:22:00.003-05:00

Saying I love my husband is an understatement.... he is the most amazing man in the world and i realize it more and more everyday! One of his most genius ideas was to take me out on Date Night every Wednesday!

This last Wednesday we went and saw UP! (In digital 3-D, we were very impressed) This movie is AWESOME, I encourage everyone to go see it! Be ready for unexpected tears though =)

Blessed with Friendship...

2009-05-28T19:25:00.003-05:00

By far the best thing about Kansas City is the amazing friends God has placed in our lives.

Last Day of School

2009-05-27T12:32:00.002-05:00

Well... I did it. My first year of working at a school and I LOVED it! I hope I can stay working at a school for a very long time!
As the entire staff waved goodbye to the students leaving on the busses... smiling and waving back, I literally choked back tears as I thought back to all the trying times I had been through with so many of them! They have all grown up so much, I love being able to have an impact on kids... don't you?
-xoxo-
candace evans

Job: A Messy Faith

2009-05-26T07:06:00.006-05:00

So this summer Justin and I have the privilege of leading a small group on Job. We are having a wonderful time of fellowship and spiritual conversation and deepening of our faith with this awesome group of people. Below are some photos from our commitment time as a group. Instead of just signing a piece of paper I got a little right-brained on them. Justin and I handed out random utensils and object and made our group paint with those... to symbolise that life is messy, we can't always paint our life perfectly with a fine paint brush, also all the canvas's were placed together to symbolize our group and how things (paint) that affect us also affect those around us. We are all in the messy life together =)

"It's not about me, It's not about now"

-Max Lucado

xoxo-Candace

Summer is right around the corner!

2009-05-18T10:46:00.002-05:00

Justin and I are more excited for this summer than ever because he has NO school and I have NO WORK! This being my first year working at a school, summer has truly become summer again. Justin will be working at Lifeway Bookstore but we have managed to get in a couple fun trips planned, one to Frisco to celebrate Justin's sister Jaci graduation, one to Colorado for the NEW LIFE worship conference, and one for a float trip with some good friends of ours. We are very excited and feel blessed to be able to spend so much time together this summer!

xoxo-Candace

taylor

2009-05-07T16:29:00.000-05:00

my taylor... 3 years old.

best dog in the whole world.

Princess Breakfast

2009-05-07T16:23:00.003-05:00

I organized a Princess Breakfast at my church for all our precious girls. They had a wonderful breakfast and learned all about how they are a Princess of the King of Kings! =)

Grill Time

2009-04-09T12:20:00.004-05:00

Justin and I have found a new love of a few things!

The first being our grill.

The second thing is twitter:

Check us out on twitter! our names are JustinEvans13 and CandaceEvans

xoxo- candace

Spring Break 2009

2009-03-23T13:02:00.003-05:00

some of the best friends a girl could ask for!

me and Justin at a park in Oklahoma with my parents

at IKEA in Frisco with Craig and Wendi!

climbing on the metal longhorns in Frisco

Picnic in Yukon, OK with parents and TAYLOR!!!

What a fun and relaxing break!

xoxo-Candace

Welcome to the World, Addilyn Kaye Abell

2009-03-12T10:04:00.003-05:00

Addilyn Kaye Abell

Parents: Derrick and Anna Abell

Is today the day?

2009-03-11T11:08:00.003-05:00

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of my brother Derrick and his wonderful wife Anna's baby! They have decided to be in that rare 10% that doesn't find out the sex of the baby until delivery... so basically we are all on pins and needles waiting to find out if its Addilynn or Caleb! I will post photos as soon as I get some! =) We are thinking tonight is the night! Please keep Anna in your prayers and thoughts!

We will Overcome.

2009-03-10T14:51:00.002-05:00

First Baptist Church in Maryville, some of our dearest friends are on staff there. This is the church that was involved in the church shooting this week. My heart breaks for all those involved... Please keep them in your prayers and thoughts...
Gwen Lawson was in the santuary when the unthinkable happened... please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as well as her husband Tim.
Here is Gwens retelling of her experience.
Yesterday was undeniably the hardest day I've faced. But God's strength is enough to pick me up and keep me going. This morning as I was preparing to leave home, the Holy Spirit prompted me to look up Psalm 28. Verses 8 and 9 tell us that God is the strength of his people, he is our salvation, and he will carry us forever!This is certianly a time when I need God to pick me up and carry me. I'm not normally in the 8:15 service, but this past Sunday I went so that I could get back to the craft fair where I had a booth for the weekend. Tim went to teach our Sunday School class in the preschool wing but none of our kids showed up. He took a beeper so our Preschool Director could page him if more children showed up and he came to join me in the service. About 3 minutes into Pastor Fred's sermon, Tim got paged and had to leave the service. Less than 5 minutes later the gunman dressed in all black walked quickly down the center aisle. I was sitting in about the fourth pew on the center aisle. I saw him and thought, "Is he going up to give a testimony? He's not really dressed appropriately to be speaking on stage." Before I could finish my thought, he started shooting. The first shot hit Pastor Fred's Bible, causing little shreds of white paper to fly everywhere. I thought it was some kind of drama so I just sat there. I was so close I could have been there in 2 steps. Pastor Fred ran and jumped off the right side of our stage (it's elevated about 4 or 5 feet) and when he landed, the gunman stood over him and just shot. I remember so vividly seeing the orange explosion at the end of the barrell with each shot. Two men came running up from the sanctuary and tackled the guy. At that point I realized that this all was real and I had to get Eli and Tim. I started to panic and ran to the preschool wing and into the nursery. Our pastor's 8th grade daughter was holding Eli. I grabbed him from her arms and ran out. I ran down to where Tim was and asked him if it was real. He asked what I was talking about and I started screaming that there has been a shooting. Tim ran out of the preschool wing as I chased him and begged for him to stay with me. I was afraid there were other shooters and that he would be killed, too. When I saw he wasn't going to stop, I fell to the ground and screamed. Someone took Eli from me (I don't remember who) and I just laid on the floor and cried. These memories have been running through my mind over and over. Last night was rough. I couldn't fall asleep- all I could see was the man standing over Pastor Fred shooting over and over and over. I wish I could have done something when he was within my reach. I have been replaying it all and wishing I would have taken action, but Tim is good to remind me that I couldn't have done anything. God is good to comfort me and He has already begun the healing process. I'm still working through the initial shock of everything and I pray that somehow, God will be glorified.Last night we had a worship and prayer service and I experienced the most incredible worship ever. When I got home from the police station yesterday (I had to go be video taped), I got in the shower and asked the Lord, "What now, God? What now?" The only thing that came to me was, "I'll praise you in this storm." Yes, this is a storm- a very real and strong storm- but I will choose to praise. I don't understand what happened. I don't understand why it happened. I DO understand that God is present and He will prevail! Today has been confusing. Tim went to church at about 7:30 and not too much later, I packed up Eli and walked up there, too. I didn't want to be alone. As I was standing in the church office, they walked through with the defibrilater and I lost it all over again. I spent the afternoon with Angie (our Children's Pastor's wife) and she had wonderful encouraging words to share. I know that God is the strength of His people- our church body- and that he will carry us through this tough time. Please continue to pray for Pastor Fred's family, for our staff (they're working very hard), for our church family, and for all of us who saw this horrible scene.

Please pray for the Lawsons and all at FBM. Pray that God will be real in there lives and that through Christ they will overcome.

God...

2009-02-19T14:49:00.002-06:00

"God whispers to us in our pleasures,

speaks in our conscience,

but shouts in our pains;

it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

—C.S. Lewis

Let this be true in my life.

xoxo - candace

Circle S Ranch

2009-02-15T19:20:00.003-06:00

Lisbys' and Evans at Circle S Ranch

Me and my wonderful husband

Jake and Kim with Ranch/Inn in background

advantage of going with others... they can play camera man =)

Circle S Ranch

Justin and I went on a romantic get-a-way this weekend... our first trip in 3 years of marriage that wasnt to visit parents (which we love doing) but this was a great way for us to relax and enjoy each others company. We also had the pleasure of going with some of our greatest friends, the Lisbys. www.circlesranch.com

Song Writing.

2009-02-12T09:17:00.003-06:00

Justin has started a new program at our church, Song Writing... we have a lot of talented people at our church and we have had several request to start a program like this!

I thought I would try my hand at it and have found it very rewarding! My good friend Samantha and I got together and wrote a song, Justin has written the melody to it and its beautiful! God has truly blessed this project!

here is a sample of some lyrics!

Found
You brought us out of captivity
You broke away our chains
Sufficient are Your promises
Your words remain unchanged

When we pray, you always hear
When we seek, it's You we find
When we search with all our hearts

You will be found

Today is beautiful.

2009-02-06T11:34:00.002-06:00

Today in Kansas City it is 60 degrees... I opened the windows in the school office... even though it keeps making all the doors slam from the pressure =o) It reminds me of spring time in Texas. Oh Texas how is your weather so awesome!?!

I am starting my mentoring program today. I am pretty excited. She invited me to go to her class picnic with her!

xoxo - candace
or for Keri xoxo - gossip girl =)

Sorry I have ignored you blog!

2009-02-05T10:21:00.003-06:00

Hello Blogging World... I have started to miss you!
I am back... hopefully for good. I figured if I am harrassing my husband about not blogging then I better blog myself. Here are some photos to catch you up on what we have been doing here in the bitterly cold Midwest! =)

Justin started playing indoor soccer again with a team of guys from our church and there friends. this is why I never have any photos of my awesome husband.. he hates my camera.. i am about to give up all together. =)this is why we need to have some babies.. they wont hid there faces!

We had an awesome superbowl party with a lot of great friends!
although we were more excited about The Office episode after the superbowl!

Justin sang at a Disciple Now in Chillochothe, MO... yes it is a hick town =) He did a wonderful job! I was able to go down for one session to cell cd's. I was so excited to see him lead

xoxo - Candace

how not to be religious

2009-01-08T14:04:00.003-06:00

I want a relationship with Jesus Christ... I do not want to be religious.

How is this accomplished while being very involved in a church...?

Thoughts... comments?

xoxo - Candace

It's the most wonderful time of the of the year!

2009-01-05T09:53:00.008-06:00

Our Family - Christmas 2008

We even got to visit old friends in SAN ANTONIO!!

We had a wonderful break and are refreshed and ready for whatever 2009 throws at us!

xoxo - candace

Christmas Break!

2008-12-19T07:01:00.002-06:00

christmas break is here!!!

Justin and I are very excited that we get to see our familys over the next two weeks.

Merry Christmas to everyone and a blessed New Years!!!

Giving Thanks 2008

2008-12-02T13:25:00.003-06:00

i am thankful.

Concert shot =)

2008-12-02T13:20:00.003-06:00

100 studio hours... countless busy days.... people getting saved = priceless

Concert Saturday night!

2008-11-14T07:53:00.002-06:00

Photoshoots and Friends...

2008-11-08T15:18:00.002-06:00

I am having a lot of fun with my photoshoots lately! Even more fun when they are of friends!

Here are some shots from my photoshoot this am. It was fun, esp. when the train came!

Operation Christmas Child

2008-11-04T21:50:00.004-06:00

Just do it.

Recent Photoshoots.

2008-11-02T21:37:00.005-06:00

I had the pleasure of doing 2 photoshoots this weekend. Here are a few of my favorite shots!

This first one, an engagement happened that the girl had no idea about!

the next photoshoot was with the wonderful Dixon family! They are such a blessing to us.

You can check out all the photos from both of these shoots and

www.zenfolio.com/evanslifephotography

xoxo-Candace

More Painting!!!

2008-10-28T20:20:00.004-05:00

new bedroom color... it used to be RED

stairs in entryway... also used to be RED

downstairs hallway... used to be nasty yellowish white

Kitchen wall with new stick on verse from my MOM!

The tree across the street from me! Just wanted to share...

Hope you enjoyed the photos showing the new paint in our house... I have been wanting to get rid of the blood red color on our walls for a while =) thanks to my daddy for helping me!

xoxo-Candace

Operation Rake n' Leaves

2008-10-25T22:22:00.004-05:00

Here are some photos from our children's service project! It was a beautiful day!

WE are MOVING!

2008-10-23T10:34:00.002-05:00

well... just moving upstairs. Justin and I have decided to make our main floor bedroom the study and to move our bedroom up to the BIG bedroom upstairs! Justin and I had talked about doing it this weekend, but when i got home yesterday from work... Justin had moved EVERYTHING... i am talking mattresses...bed frame... bookcases... desk. EVERYTHING! I dont even know how... he must be really strong =) I will post pictures soon!!! It was weird to wake up upstairs this morning!

Everlasting God

2008-10-22T09:36:00.002-05:00

May these words be true for you.

One thing I know that I have found

Through all the troubles that surround

You are the Rock that never fails,

You never fail

One thing I know that I believe

Through every blessing I receive

You are the only One that stays,

You always stay

You never change,

You're still the same

You are the Everlasting God

You will remain after the day is gone

and the things of earth have passed

Everlasting God.

New Life Worship

Perfect Love....

2008-10-21T09:44:00.003-05:00

I am overwhelmed daily at how perfect Justin is for me. I respect him so much and I learn so much from him. Whenever I am feeling bad about anything in my life, I find so much comfort in the fact that at the end of the day, I still have Justin by my side.

But as much as I am smitten with Justin, the love I feel for him cannot compare to the Love of Christ, but unlike Justins love, everyone is eligible for the Love of Christ. It is there... just ask.

I pray that everyone is able to experience what I am talking about.

If you have any questions. Feel free to ask me!

RESOUND - Fellowship of Grace Concert

2008-10-20T10:26:00.004-05:00

RESOUND - FOG Band CD Release Concert

Date:Saturday, November 15, 2008
Time:7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:Gano Hall - William Jewell Campus
City/Town:Liberty, MO

Purchase Tickets at:

http://www.c3missions.org/events-news/events/cd-release-111508/

Fun Fall Weekend!

2008-10-13T07:58:00.004-05:00

This weekend was very fun! I got to do a lot of things...

I took photos for a 1 year birthday party,

Our church went to an apple orchard... rode buggys, roasted marshmellows, ride a hay ride with friends, and I got to play with my favorite little boy Aubrey,

Casey, Candace, and Jenny

Overall... quite a fun weekend.

Gladfest 2008

2008-10-06T20:16:00.006-05:00

Fellowship of Grace at Gladfest!

My handsome hubby Justin doing what he loves... worshipping

Little groupies from our church!

The worship team

Fall 2008 is here!

2008-10-01T11:54:00.008-05:00

Fall 2008 - is HERE!
The leaves are changing colors here in Kansas City... it is beautiful!
Justin & I decided to go crazy and drive to Dallas and back in 2 days! Justin's little sister Jaclyn was in the Southwestern Ballroom Dance Comp. (she won the whole thing!) We were very proud of her!Justin's dad also had the big 50 birthday this weekend! It was such a great time to see them.

We also got to see Justin's dad in action at his new ministry job at Hope Fellowship. What a blessing! That church is an amazing place, it was fun to experience it!We have been staying extra busy with ministry, jobs, and Justin's school. We have a couple exciting events coming up...
Fellowship of Grace CD Release Benefit Concert - November 15th (all proceeds of ticket sales go to C3 missions, we are going to help build an orphanage in Haitti!) All the late nights and early mornings and lack of sleep will all be worth it to help give shelter and the story of Jesus to children on the other side of the world!
Zona Rosa Christmas Tree Lighting - Last year we were the band that played before the main event... this year we are the main event... there are thousands of people that show up for this beautiful event! We hope to share the true meaning and celebration of the birth of our Savior with everyone present!
Evans Life Photography - I have had so many photoshoots lately! I am excited to grow my business!
Baby Abell - My brother Derrick and his beautiful wife Anna are expecting! There are due in March!
Justin has spent about 100 hours in the studio getting our worship teams CD ready! Here is a shot of him in action! ohhh how i love him! =)

We appreciate your prayers during this busy time and cant wait to experience it with some of you!

xoxo - Candace

Patriot Day

2008-09-11T09:39:00.003-05:00

Today I am thankful to be alive...

7 years ago something happened to our country that we just never expected.

I can remember sitting in 1st period History with Mrs. Coleman at Castle Hills... I was a sophomore in highschool... a girl that had gotten sent home for dress code came in and whispered something to my teacher who immediatly turned on the radio, it was at that moment that I felt stunned. The announcer on the radio screamed, "oh my god! They just hit the 2nd tower!" I am on the verge of tears now writing this... it was a very real day for me. I couldnt imagine being a wife or family member of someone who worked in the towers... My heart goes out to those familes still. It was that day that the word "hero" became very real to me. Watching on televison for weeks to come the fire fighters digging through the rubble... wow... seven years... doesn't feel that long ago does it?

where were you when you heard?

I am proud to be an American, I am also proud that our military went to protect us, they didnt wait to defend on our turf. They went to stop it before it came again. Thank you God.

Thank you to our troops for not letting events like 9-11 happen to us again.

x0x0-candace

i love my family

2008-08-23T22:15:00.006-05:00

Justin's wonderful mother and sister came to see us this last weekend and we had a BLAST! Jaci is a senior this year so I took her out to do some senior pics, here are some of my favorites from the photo shoot! =)

Empty and in need of a fill-up.

2008-08-09T11:00:00.004-05:00

It is Saturday morning and Justin is still asleep from his late night at the recording studio. I am walking around the house cleaning things up when I get a craving for some apple juice, so naturally i walk over to the refrigerator... when I look inside I didn't just glance for juice and then shut the door, I gave it a good look over and realized...

hummmm. I have no food in here... I then I decided to check the freezer...

And it was even worse!

(now i know my mothers are ashamed of these photos) =) Sorry!

It made me think though... When was the last time i went grocery shopping... honestly I can't remember the last time. I guess I have just been to busy... too busy to eat?

Then I think to myself....

How long has it been since you were alone with God, allowing him to renew your mind and your soul? Allowing him to fill you up with all the strength and faith that you need. Have I been too busy to notice that my faith shelves were getting empty as time goes along...

This life is hard. We are busy and if you are anything like me... I get worn out sometimes... I start to feel empty. But it isn't until you stop everything and listen to that still small voice of God that says, "Rest in me, find strength in me" that you can be renewed and ready for

another day.

This is my challenge to you and me. Every-night before you go to bed check your heart and spend some moments alone with God. Allow Him to fill you up, don't allow yourself to go on and on and not realize You are Empty.

Fill Us Lord.

Before I go to sleep pray under the stars
Search my soul and check my heart
And thank God for
Another day
Another chance to love the ones I love
To find my way
To laugh, to dance
Watch the sun come up
Another day I get to live
As if
Every breath could be the last I take
I get another day.

Antother Day - Natalie Grant

FOG Worship Team begins recording!

2008-07-26T20:59:00.005-05:00

Justin and I along with our friends from our worship team are in the process of recording a CD with a mixture of originals and popular worship music! Believe me I will let you know when the CD comes out!!! Here are some pictures from our 1st all night recording... midnight-10am.

Justin and I in the studio

Justin laying down the leads.

making our rocking choir sound!!!

xoxo - Candace

New Job

2008-07-15T08:57:00.003-05:00

Plaza Middle School

This is where my new job will be! I start on Monday! I am very excited to get started and begin my training on the schools computer system. I am very blessed to have a job like this and I am very grateful!

xoxo-Candace

Empty me... to be filled with what?

2008-07-14T13:37:00.004-05:00

"Empty me of me, so I can be filled with You."

This are the key words in a song by Chris Sligh.

Lately I have been thinking about what it truly means to be a good example of Christ. What characteristics will people see in my life that makes them wonder why I am different. Then it hits me between the eyes like a churchy kids song... The Fruit of the Spirit, and I am not talking about opening the door for an old lady once a month, fruit. I mean your life bearing all the fruits... all the time.

Galatians 5:22-25 (NLT)
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:

love,

joy,

peace,

patience,

kindness,

goodness,

faithfulness,

gentleness,

and self-control.

There is no law against these things!
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit,

let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives"

You hear people say that the Bible is outdated. I don't know about you but this verse sounds pretty relevant to me! Can you imagine if everyone who has accepted Jesus into there hearts and lives actually lived bearing the fruits of the spirit? What a wonderful world this would be. Not just the world but can you imagine our families... our churches?

I encourage you to join me in looking at ourselves and asking... Am i bearing the fruit of the spirit in every part of my life, all the time?

Let it start with you.

xoxo- Candace

Prayer Request:

-Fellowship of Grace Leadership

-Backyard Bible Club/Beach Party will be next week Thursday, Friday and Saturday,pray the kids ears will be open to the word of God, and maybe even there parents!

-Our worship team will be recording Fri. July25th, pray for health and clear minds that are focused on worship.

Praise Report:

Today I was offered a full time position for Park hill School District. I accepted and I begin on Monday, the 21st.

Thank you GOD!

Justin"lost" his wallet yesterday, we thought it had been left at the movie theater, but the theater said it was gone, I went home at lunch and found it! Praise God!

Jesus, bring the rain...

2008-07-09T08:43:00.007-05:00

"Bring The Rain" - Mercy Me

I can count a million times

People asking me how I

Can praise You with all that I've gone through

The question just amazes me

Can circumstances possibly

Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed

Long before these rainy days

It's never really ever crossed my mind

To turn my back on you, oh Lord

My only shelter from the storm

But instead I draw closer through these times

So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace

Bring the chance to be free

Bring me anything that brings You glory

And I know there'll be days

When this life brings me pain

But if that's what it takes to praise You

Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of

The dark clouds that may loom above

Because You are much greater than my pain

You who made a way for me

By suffering Your destiny

---So tell me what's a little rain?---

So I pray

Holy, holy, holy

Is the Lord God Almighty

I heard this song on the radio this morning and it struck me. I LOVE this song, the words are so profound and they make so much sense.

I encourage you to read through it and see if this is true for your life? Are you willing to let Jesus "bring the rain" in order for your life to praise Him?

Have you truly given over your whole life, your future,

your will to make your life pan out a certain way.

Is your life in His hands...

no matter what?

xoxo-Candace

4th of July and family fun!

2008-07-08T11:09:00.005-05:00

Justin and I in Wamego, KS

We had fun this holiday weekend with family and friends, we also painted our main level.

Justin and I are not a fan of white walls =)

My big brother Derrick also preached his first sermon from the "pulpit" this Sunday, My grandma and aunt and uncle came in from Kansas and we had a wonderful time listening and learning from him and then followed it up with a wonderful meal!

Below are some photos from painting day and the finished product!

xoxo - Candace

I love my husband.

2008-07-03T09:30:00.004-05:00

Justin blogged about discouragement and I think it would be beneficial for everyone to read.

http://web.mac.com/justinevans13/iWeb/Worship/Blog/Blog.html

xoxo - candace

4th Weekend

2008-07-02T15:31:00.003-05:00

(this photo was taken at the cool crest mini-golf fellowship for church)

Justin and I are getting very excited to have my parents come into town for the 4th thru the 10th! I am even more excited to have a Friday off work! We plan to go to Parkville to watch the fireworks!

My spider bite is continuing to heal... I hope it heals fully, although it looks as though some of the tissue will not recover. (sad face)

Something we are most excited about is the preparation that is going into our Worship Team recording a cd! We will begin the process on the 26th of this month, pray that all of our prep goes well and that the recording goes smoothly!

We love yall!

xoxo -Candace

Future and a Hope

2008-06-27T09:11:00.001-05:00

Jeremiah. 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

What does this verse mean to us as believers? “He knows the plans He has for us”… That is an obvious statement if you believe like me that God knit you together in your mothers womb… that He is the alpha and omega… the beginning and the end… he knows our future because he has already experienced it… nothing happens in our lives that is a surprise to God. It is a comforting fact to me that the Almighty Savior of the Universe has my life charted out in his hands… because that is exactly where I want to be.But what about the 2nd part of the verse that people love to cling to? The part where prospering is talked about… what does it truly mean to prosper?

pros·per : to succeed in an enterprise or activity; especially :

to achieve economic success
2: to become strong and flourishing; to cause to succeed or thrive.

Do we really think God is talking about achieving economic success in our lives… I am going to go out on a limb and say He isn’t. So what does this verse mean by prosper…. I like to translate prosper to thrive… I think God wants us to thrive in everything we do in our lives. He wants our households to be thriving, he wants us to be thriving in our ministries at church… he wants us to be a thriving person… always growing and grasping for more…(not more money and success) but more of a life worth living for Christ. There are so many pastors today who take this verse and say “Love God and he will prosper you!” Everyone who hears this allows there eyes to glaze over with the view of the corner office with the beautiful view of downtown and as they turn to there gold laden desk they open a drawer and money starts pouring out all over the floor. This is not what this verse is saying. As Christians we should honestly rather thrive as who we are in Christ then have any amount of earthly money. This remind me of the verse,

Matthew 6:20 “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”

This is the kind of treasure I want! “Plans to give you a hope and a future” I am going to step out on another limb and say the future being talked about is not when we are 50… or 70… or even 90. Let’s dare ourselves to look outside the realm of this earthly body. Christ came to this earth to die on a cross to save us from ALL of our sins so that one day, we who accept the gift can live eternally with Him. Christ came to be our hope and our future. Our time here on this earth is meant to be spent learning how to give love away just as Christ did, so that maybe just maybe we can begin to understand the depths of Christ love for us.

Thrive in everything you do, and if you have received Christ love… start giving it away, so that others might also have a hope for there future.

Xoxo-Candace

Justin's Blog

2008-06-26T22:33:00.003-05:00

After a "deep" discussion that Justin and I had, we feel like its time to share what's on our hearts with YOU! The blogging world. Justin has set up his own blog through his .mac site, http://web.mac.com/justinevans13/iweb/worship/home.html

and I will continue to blog here!

Enjoy!

xoxo - Candace

Spider Bite Photos =)

2008-06-25T10:51:00.005-05:00

These are photos taken with my Envy Camera Phone, sorry for the quality.

(the bite is on my thigh)

this photo is at about 8 hours after the bite happened...

This is the one week anniversary of my spider bite... at the moment the area of redness is going down but the reddest area around the black/dead spot is very very hard. ouch!

this photo was taken one week later.

Please keep it in your prayers! Thankfully the constant pain is pretty much gone, an occasional shooting pain from the dead spot is the only pain I am feeling! Thank God!

---Thank you for your prayers---

xoxo - Candace

Spider

2008-06-23T11:53:00.003-05:00

As most of you know I have been dealing with a severe spider bite on my leg. I cannot really tell if it is getting better or worse but your prayers are very appreciated. I will keep you updated. Also!!!! Here is the good news! Justins dad, Larry flew up to see us for the whole WEEK! We have already had such fun with him, I am sad to be at work, but the evenings will be fun!

xoxo-Candace

Willowcreek Arts Conference 2008

2008-06-14T22:13:00.007-05:00

Willowcreek Arts Conference 2008 Photos... article to come later.

this is our group outside of the massive church

5 of us got to sing in a choir with people all over the world.

We sang God of this City (video coming soon)

FOG group during an amazing time of worship

Brandon, Michael, Jenny & Dung, Casey, Justin & I

The FOG group

the goofy version of the previous photo =)

$97 to fill up! It was at $4.25 a gallon in Chicago!

Fellowship of Grace group... ready to learn!

US! ( I am so glad I got to go)

the beautiful stage... they change it up every month!

Leaving the train station in downtown Chicago

x0x0-Candace

Exciting Times!

2008-06-10T09:06:00.005-05:00

Justins dad, Larry called us yesterday with some unbelievable great news! He is now official hired at Hope Fellowship church in Frisco. http://www.hopefellowship.net/ We are so excited for him and cannot wait to see where God will take him and the rest of his family on this awesome adventure! He will be in charge of Pastoral Care! Which we know he will be amazing at! This is only the beginning! We are so excited for them and cannot wait to come down to Texas to see him in action!

Yesterday, I took some engagement photographs for a friend of mine. Here are a few samples of the photoshoot, Enjoy!

Today we leave for Chicago at 6pm. We are taking a 15 passenger van. Please pray for our traveling safty! I will post pictures and fill you in on everything when we return on Friday!

x0x0-candace

Happy 23rd Birthday Justin!

2008-06-09T09:52:00.003-05:00

Today is Justin's 23rd Birthday!

I cannot express in words how grateful I am to have him in my life. Justin had to be at work at 5am this morning.. (on his b-day) which is no fun, so before I went to work I took him a birthday brownie! He really enjoyed that! We are meeting up for lunch and we plan to have a relaxing evening at home! We will be packing up for our adventure that starts tomorrow evening!

Justin and I along with 5 others from our church will be driving to Chicago for the Willow Arts Conference. http://www.willowcreek.com/events/arts/2008/index.html We will be attending sessions on worship, drama, sound, and all arts! Please be praying for our traveling safety as we drive and that our team will learn a lot as well as come closer together. We will be returning on Friday evening. Thank you for your prayers and HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!!! I LOVE YOU!

xoxo-Candace

Willeke Wedding Weekend

2008-06-07T10:45:00.004-05:00

Justin and I had the privilege of being in our friends Samantha and Adam's Wedding over the weekend. It was the most beautiful wedding I had ever seen! It was simply perfect. I know they will remember it forever! Here are some photos from the weekend! Enjoy!

A change.

2008-06-05T10:24:00.004-05:00

I colored my hair last night! I was noticing in photos that my hair was getting orangy... and I don't want orangy hair! =) I tried a new hair color brand and I really like it! We have rehersal and rehersal dinner tonight for Samantha and Adam's wedding! I will post pictures soon of all the wedding funtivities! Love yall!

xoxo-Candace

Fondue Night at Sam and Adam's

2008-06-04T16:50:00.003-05:00

Samantha and Adam, our friends who are about to get married on Friday night had us over to there new apartment for fondue! We ate it on the floor... on a paint tarp! =) You are only young once! =) This was the night something scratched my eye and you can tell becuase my eyes are so squinty.. they hurt!

Justin or Candace

2008-06-04T11:10:00.002-05:00

This is a fun survey that I found on my friends blog. Thought it might be fun! Enjoy! =)

1. What is your husband's name? Justin Robert Evans

2. How long have you been together? 2.5 years

3. How long did you date? 1.5 years

4. How old is he? 22 (not for long!)

5. Who eats more? He does, unless its chips and queso

6. Who said I love you first? I did

7. Who is taller? Justin

8. Who sings better? Justin =)

9. Who is smarter? Justin

10. Whose temper is worse? Justin =)

11. Who does the laundry? Whoever runs out of underwear first.

12. Who does the dishes? Usually me, but Justin will do it whenever I ask.

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Justin

14. Who pays the bills? Me

15. Who mows the lawn? We both do.

16. Who cooks dinner? Cooks or heats? I do.

17. Who drives when you are together? I drive my car, he drives his

18. Who is more stubborn? We are about even.

19. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Me, even when I am not wrong I start apologizing.

20. Whose parents do you see the most? About even! I wish it was more often!

21. Who proposed? Justin

22. Who is more sensitive? Me

23. Who has more friends? About even… I spend more time with mine though.

24. Who has more siblings? Even

25. Who wears the pants in the family? Justin =) I am submissive

26. Where did you meet? At Lana and Chads (Justins cousin) engagement party… and also a couple times when we were babies but I don’t remember that.

27. What was the first thing you said to your husband? Probably hi =)

28. Where was your first date? Stone Werks Resturant in San Antonio

29. Where was your first kiss? In Justin’s 350z in the parking lot of a Barnes and Nobles.

30. Where did you get engaged? In Justin’s parents guest room about 2 hours after he bought the ring! He said he couldn’t wait to think up something better, which to me is even sweeter than some big ordeal!

31. Where were you married? Chapel Dulcinea in Buda, TX

32. Where was the honeymoon? An amazing week in Steamboat Springs, CO

33. If you could have changed anything about it what would it have been? It was perfect minus the flu. =)

The Power of Prayer

2008-06-03T11:28:00.003-05:00

It seems that lately people who I havent talked to in forever have been emailing me to let me know that they are praying for us. It is in times like this that I feel God is so real, so touchable. When you know that He is tugging at the heart of someone who knows me to pray for me. There is no other way that they could be prevailed to pray for us. They have no knowledge of anything going on in my life, all they know is they need to be praying for us, and the most encouraging part is they are telling us that they are praying for us.

If someone is on your heart, let them know. God is real and he is working in this world. God is not a secret especially to those of us who love Him. Let people know that God is bringing them to your mind, it will bless them more than you know.

Also thank you to our wonderful parents, who we know are always praying for us! We love you.

xoxo - Candace

Weekend Report...

2008-06-02T09:20:00.003-05:00

Justin and I had a wonderful weekend. Saturday we had the bachelorette and bachelor parties to go to for Samantha and Adam, who will be getting married this Friday night. We are very excited for them! Sunday church went great! We did some yard work and wore ourselves out! But our yard keeps looking better and better!

Here is a photo of Samantha with all 6 of her bridesmaids.

Farewell...

2008-05-30T08:01:00.003-05:00

Farewell to our Spurs, they had a good season but they just didn't have what it took to beat the lovely Lakers! =( Maybe next year! We still love you!

Justin and I had a fun evening, we went on a date to Briarcliff Village. It is a cute shopping center here in Kansas City. It reminds us of Southlake town center... just not as big. It was a beautiful evening and we had a really fun time!

Can they do it?

2008-05-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

Can the Spurs pull it off? Oh I hope so! I really dont like losing to the Lakers! =) GO SPURS GO!!! xoxo - Candace

Why?

2008-05-28T11:08:00.001-05:00

Justin and I have found ourselves asking, "why?" a lot lately.
Ever since we moved to Missouri things have just seemed a little harder than they were in Texas. We feel completely confident that Missouri, Midwestern, and Fellowship of Grace are where we need to be. But then we ask, "why are other things so difficult!"
At the present moment we wonder if everything we go through in life is God trying to teach us something or if it is just one of those things you go through in life... Any thoughts?
At least we know 2 things for certian
1. God is faithful and mighty and we trust our lives to him
2. Justin and I were made for each other and love each other more and more everyday.
We would appreciate your prayers during this time of question and growth of faith.
xoxo-Candace

Memorial Day Camping!

2008-05-26T14:39:00.006-05:00

We had a great time camping this weekend! We got there Saturday afternoon and set up camp.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing and taking the puppies for a walk! Taylor and Bo Duke became good buddies over the corse of this trip!

Sunday morning we got the boat and spent most of the day out on the water... yes we are all sunburned! =) Kim and Candace got the worst of it though.

We ended up having to come home on Sunday night, because a storm was coming and we didnt want to have to load everything up when it was wet! Here are a few more photos from the trip!

Camping Weekend!

2008-05-23T08:41:00.009-05:00

Camping Weekend is right around the corner and we are getting excited! The weather should be great for us, as long as it doesnt rain! (fingers crossed) We will be heading out Saturday morning around 9am. So tonight while Justin is at work I will be going with Jake and Kim (our camping buddies) to the grocery store to get supplies for all the feasts that Jake has planned for us. I also will be packing up all our supplies and getting things together for tomorrow morning. Saturday will consist of setting up camp and stocking up on fire wood and maybe a hike! Sunday we will be renting a boat and will be out on the lake most of the day, Monday will be the relaxing day and we will probably head home around lunch time.

The most exciting part of this camping trip will be taking our puppies with us:

Bo Duke and Taylor

I am sure the puppies will provide us with lots of entertainment... esp on the boat! =)

I will post pictures of the adventure on Monday night! Have a great Memorial Day Weekend everyone!

xoxo - Candace

ps: I thought I would add this picture from New Years 2008 with Jake and Kim for laughs =)

The Good Ole 80's

Spring Time and Gusty Winds

2008-05-22T08:08:00.011-05:00

Spring Time: I thought spring time here in Kansas City would never come... lets just say I have seen more snow that I could ever want to. But lo and behold, the snow has melted and the flowers are blooming. Here are a couple of my favorite flowers in my gardens.

Gusty Winds: Sometime during the day on Tuesday a gusty wind caught our patio umbrella... which is attached to our glass top patio table. Needless to say, both were flipped over our balcony/patio. The table top shattered and the patio umbrella is yet to be found... we think that it blew into the street and then someone stole it... or it could be on its way to Illinois! Who knows... here are some photos from the "gusty wind incident"

xoxo - Candace

Prince Caspian

2008-05-21T08:22:00.003-05:00

Justin and I went with a group of our friends from church to go see Prince Caspian last night. We both really enjoyed it! We also enjoyed the ice cream afterwards!We usually have practice every Tuesday night, but since we will be gone from church this weekend (1st time this year) practice was moved to Wednesday night.

We bought a tent this weekend in prep. for our camping trip this weekend. It is supposed to rain so we are hoping that the weather man is not right =)

Have a great day!

xoxo-Candace

Justin the Barista

2008-05-20T08:51:00.005-05:00

Justin has been working at Starbucks for a month or 2 now and he is really enjoying it! He is getting to meet a lot of interesting people... and the free coffee doesnt hurt! =) He has been working a lot of evenings which makes it to where he and I dont see each other nearly enough, but he is working on changing his schedule! This job is a blessing from God!

Exciting Times for Fellowship of Grace

2008-05-19T10:25:00.007-05:00

This Sunday at our church, Fellowship of Grace, we hit an all time high for attendance. 140! This is very exciting to us... not because of the high number, but because the little things we are doing are making a difference in peoples lives! We are at 98 members and almost all of them are actively involved in ministry!

The worship/music time was amazing! Our band is really coming together well and it is making it easier to in a sense "let go and let God" work through us while we lead.

We are excited about where our church is headed and cannot wait to see what God has in store for us!

Here is FOG last summer at our Lake Baptism Service!

xoxo-Candace

New Camera and Ipod touch.

2008-05-17T14:59:00.005-05:00

Justin and I finally splurged and bought our birthday presents... for me it was late for him it is a little early.

It is a Kodak Easy-Share C613 It is white.. and I love it! I am going to have it with me at all times! My Nikon D50 was just to valuable to carry around all the time. Now I wont miss any photo opportunities. ( Justin is so thrilled)

Justin got his new Ipod that was very needed. He uses it for music all the time with the worship team and his Ipod mini was not working very well... it was 4 years old! This new Ipod can also hold his calendar and he can email from it! Which will be awesome for all his communication with church activities!

Here are some photos I took with my new camera!

Sneak Peak

2008-05-16T13:53:00.001-05:00

BE SURE TO TURN DOWN THE VOLUME!

I was sitting very near a speaker! I had just discovered that my new cell phone also records videos! This is basically how our practices every Tuesday night look! Thought you might enjoy seeing a little part of our lives!

xoxo - Candace

Justin and Candace = Justace

2008-05-16T13:37:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Justin and Candace Evans new blog! Our old blog was on my mac website but I cannot access that from work and therefore never updated it! So hopefully this change will allow me to update more often to keep everyone updated on us! Make sure to subscribe!

This photograph is from Kansas Cities Fiesta! We had a great time with our friends Jake and Kim Lisby. We got to hear good ole San Antonio style music and eat some amazing tacos! We miss Texas bad, so this helped... a little. Here are some more photos from the fun day!