April Letter

 The scene is the empty tomb. The women went to the tomb looking for Jesus dead body.
It was early Sunday morning.
“...two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, ‘Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He is not here, but has risen as He had said He would."
Luke 24:4-5 
 
Hello Brothers and Sisters, 
      I pray that you had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday. We don’t serve a dead God but a living God!!! We were able to proclaim that Gospel message throughout the week. I passed out small pocket Bibles with a tract that said "The Good News" and was able to hop around sharing the Gospel.  On Good Friday we were able to have special services.  We showed 40 minutes of the Passion of the Christ with music in the background, which was powerful. I was amazed at how attentive the women were.  Following the movie the Gospel message was preached and during worship the women had the opportunity to receive Christ. It is always beautiful to see so many respond to the Love of Jesus.  Please pray that those who received Him that day would grow in faith.

     We had Easter Sunday services here at the jail.  I want to thank the faithful volunteers who stepped up and came to serve. Everyone was prayed up and overwhelmed with excitement to be able to preach the Gospel to ALL.  I was able to teach on the Resurrection and the effects of it in our lives as believers. I was so blessed to be able to teach on such an important day. This year we gave the deputies and staff jelly bean eggs with 1 Peter 5:7  and in big letters , "JESUS CARES! No EGG-ceptions”.  It is such a privilege to be able to not only spread the gospel to the women of CRDF but also the staff! 

      The other day I was on the floors doing individual counseling.  I asked an inmate if she was "born again". She paused and quickly said “Yes I am." I asked her when that took place?  She answered “Back at Christmas time.  Someone slid a bookmark underneath my door with the steps to receive Jesus.  I received Him then!”  For the last 5 years at Christmas time a bookmark has been created with the title "How to be Saved”  and on the back have the steps to receive Christ. We pass it out on Christmas Eve with their candy cane. It was amazing to hear and see the fruit of how God used it to draw her to Himself.

     This  will be my 12th year serving as Senior Chaplain.  I have seen so many women. My prayer for them is that the seed that was sown in their hearts would grow.  My daughter and I were at a store when I saw an ex-inmate that I had counseled and met with regularly. I ran up to her and said “Hello”.  When she turned around she was so drugged up and weighed about 80 pounds. I wanted to cry. I said “it's me... Chaplain Evans."  Her response was “who cares”, and she walked away.  We know that God loves her and that is why we preach the Gospel in season and out, so that these women can have Hope.
    
     Please keep CRDF in your prayers, that we would all give Him our complete surrender. We have been experiencing a tremendous amount of changes. it seems that if it is not one thing it is another. We constantly stay in prayer and move forward trusting the Lord. We know that He is in absolute control at ALL times. The Lord is at work even in the opposition and in the changes and we stand firm in Faith and continue on in the work.

May We Continue to Extend His Love to Others ,
Sandra Evans