'I'm Still in the Game:' Pastor Tony Evans Reflects on Life Without His Wife, Release of Historic Study Bible
Pastor Tony Evans recently took a trip to the Museum of The Bible to view a new Bible on display – the one that he worked on.
After 50 years of ministry, Evans, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas released "The CSB Tony Evans Study Bible" and "The Tony Evans Bible Commentary." The Bible was released last November and Evans is the first African American to release a project like this one.
Evans' daughter and popular Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer posted a video on Instagram highlighting her father's reaction to seeing his work on display at the museum in our nation's capital.
"Being at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC today with my family & father has been so meaningful.....ESPECIALLY because of this special feature," Shirer wrote.
"Oh wow," Evans can be heard saying in the video. "It's kinda weird."
The accomplishment comes after a very painful year of loss for Evans and his family.
"It's been a tough year," Evans said in an interview with The Christian Post. "I lost my brother, lost my sister, lost my sister's husband, lost my niece of a sudden heart attack at 39. I lost my father, and I lost my wife. My daughter Priscilla had lung surgery due to some growth irregularities that needed to be removed. My oldest daughter Chrystal has a growth in her leg that's suspect. We've had a lot of challenges this year."
Despite his personal grief and pain, Evans' faith remains strong.
"We're trusting in Him day by day, in spite of the challenges and the loss," he shared. "Sometimes you have to learn to trust God in the dark when there is not clarity, when He becomes inscrutable. You have to have enough foundation before that happens to weather the storm when that happens."
He added, "It's important to not give up on God when life appears to have given up on you. It's easy to trust God when everything is right, blessings are flowing, prayers are being answered, needs are being met. That's the fun part of the faith. But sometimes, you have to trust God when you don't see the benefits, the blessings, and all the frills of the faith."
Evans' wife Lois passed away last December after battling a rare form of cancer. He shared that she fully lived a life devoted to God, giving her life to Christ and to serving Him even while she was still a teenager. The Urban Alternative was co-founded by the Evans' in 1981. Lois is credited with helping to organize, develop and expand the outreach of the ministry.
"She was there, every step of the way, to foster the Word of God and the name of Christ, whether it was counseling women, leading music, or growing our ministry," he told the Post. "There's no part of my life and ministry where her footprints aren't felt. Her absence leaves a big hole in our lives in our family and in our ministry."
Evans is now learning to live without the love of his life but says through it all God's goodness abounds.
"I have to look at 49 and a half years of marriage, where He was good," Evans said. "Not the bad year and a half. Because if I only look at that and let that define me, then, of course, I might question the goodness of God even if I didn't want to question it."
"But when I look at all the good that has been done in His kindness, the good days far outweigh the bad days, no matter how horrific."
Meanwhile, Evans has no plans of slowing down.
"I'm still in the game," he said. "You can't go to the sideline just because your teammate is not there with you. You've got to keep going because you know, you have to one day stand before the Lord too."
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