We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ally Evans. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ally below.
Ally, so great to have you with us and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with the community. So, let’s jump into something that stops so many people from going after their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. We’d love to hear about how you dealt with that and persisted on your path.
I’ve often found myself on the receiving end of haters.
I’m not talking a little unkind or brash every now and then. No. I mean the kind of individuals, that when encountered will either blatantly shun or disrespect you.
It can be even more difficult if these individuals were once people you had given of yourself, broken bread with, or shared your secret joys and pains. People you once called friend,but now seem determined to be labeled as foe.
Over the years, I have encountered many people who love to hate me. (even though no one who loves to hate on me more than myself)
I mean, the people who, in the midst of my kindness, have even blatantly dissed me then laughed about it behind my back.
I can be a pretty feisty, bird, but my heart is tender, and disrespectfully shunning my love can bring out the Ronda Rousey in this little firecracker.
“Oh! NO, you didn’t girlfriend .”
All my ugly parts, the ones the Father so tenderly had me in the fire to refine—can easily begin to resurface.
This past month when I encountered a person who loves to “hate on me”, instead of the Ronda Rousey in me, bustin’ out and crackin’ heads ; a new heroine emerged. God gave me grace, and made me thankful for this person instead.
He showed me that we can’t even comprehend how He loves us unless we love others when it’s hard.
When they hate.
When they’re mean.
When they hurt your heart so deeply it takes your breath away.
When they lie and gossip on you.
When all you want to do is punch them in the face, but you find yourself loving them through it instead.
IN LOVING MY HATERS, GOD REVEALED THE HATER HE LOVES IN ME!
The times I rejected His truth to choose my own. Moments I’ve been catty and unkind, all the while representing Christ. When I’ve put my own agenda over spending time with Him.
And OH the pain and the price Jesus paid at the cross for all my hate and sin.
Or the time, not too long ago, ‘when I was His foe—-and STILL HIS LOVE FOUGHT FOR ME.’
Yes- ‘Haters gonna hate’ but the price has already been paid at the cross. His love is relentless! So, let’s fight FOR our foes, not against them and let our love be relentless too!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am no one.
Though, I’ve called myself other names.
I have lived many different lives.
A born storyteller.
I am a natural born seeker, always chasing a feeling.
A sojourner on this earth.
God writes the most beautiful stories in my life.
His story is who I am.
A song with no story is silence.
A picture that doesn’t speak a thousand words is a blank sheet of paper.
Art in all its forms is painting a story.
My passion is hearing, writing, connecting and being a part of the stories God writes in humanity.
I’m a spiritual journalist with a special interest in the “misfits” and outcasts of society.
God is writing a story in my life through the lives of the misunderstood people in life.
The homeless. The criminal. The prostitute. The addict. The mentally ill. The fatherless. The motherless. The hopeless. The unwanted. The forgotten. The weirdo. The unheard. The black sheep. The prodigal. The captives. The broken. The single mother. The abused.
My pen is a Robinhood to a band of misfits, just misunderstood.
If you are a misfit? I might have a God story for you.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Keep it simple.
I found the answers to all of my problems in three simple things.
1. Admit that I’m powerless on my own.
2. Become aware that only a power greater than me can help.
3. Surrender to that power.
And the only power I surrender to is Jesus Christ. I think he showed us how to do this in the book that guy King Jimmy helped bring together. It’s called the Bible.
Some famous guy even wrote a song about Jesus, “Simple Man”.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Learning to accept myself.
I spent most of my life-fluctuating between the efforts of desperately trying to FIT in, or rebelliously trying to be set apart. (Though I most definitely spent more time waving the rebel flag)
I’m finally learning that my belonging comes from accepting myself. ME. (Not the facade of the me——who people pleasing, hustling for my worth or the need to be accepted might have made me believe.)
No—-authentic Allison so often belongs somewhere between MISFIT and CONFORMITY. You might say a beautiful contradiction is what ‘belonging’ means to me. #free
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You only are FREE when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great. – Maya Angelou
Contact Info:
- Website: www.allisonevans.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evansent22/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Evansent23/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IamEvansent
- Other: http://allisonevans.org/justice-was-served/
Image Credits
iPhone photography- by a beautiful band of misfits.
