Tracy Evans is a physician assistant who has served in Christian medical missions in 64 nations over the past 30 years. Currently she serves with iReachAfrica in Mozambique (for the last twelve years). She was a runaway teen who came to Christ while serving in the army. Her faith ruined her military career (because she loved everyone so much and tried to convert them). As a missionary she’s been through wars, famines and hostage situations. She’s lived and worked in communist and Muslim nations which were closed to the gospel. Again and again she has seen God provide and protect her, guide her through and to difficult circumstances, miraculously heal and work wonders among the people she’s served.


Outrageous Courage tells Tracy’s story. The narrative is written in the first person by her friend and pastor Kris Vallotton and his son Jason Vallotton (also in ministry). The contents of this book are compiled from interviews with Tracy. The story is very much her own, but the Vallottons wrote the actual text, checking to make sure they got the ‘tone right.’

Tracy Evans is a charismatic missionary sent from a charismatic church, so there is an emphasis in this book on supernatural experience; however she doesn’t overstate this. She’s seen God heal and raise the dead, but as a medical missionary she’s also walked with people through suffering and is well acquainted with death. The miracles are not really the point for her, but the God who works miracles. Through out her story she shares how God has guided her into various circumstances and has created opportunities for her to share the story of Jesus with unbelievers. I know very little about her sending organization or what she does on the mission field from day-to-day (stories like this tend to emphasize the extraordinary) but I loved hearing a story from someone who has learned to trust God in life and ministry.

Another part of the story I appreciated was how much Tracy subsists with the support of other Christians. She talks about significant friendships throughout these pages (which include the Vallottons), who have walked with her, prayed with her and supported her throughout her various missionary endeavours She is not a lone-ranger on a solo adventure. While this book is her story there is a community of people which enable her to take a courageous stand in difficult circumstances.

The Vallottons share the story of Tracy because they want to inspire readers to take risks in following God courageously. I was challenged by parts of Tracy’s story and would commend the book to anyone who loves a good testimony or Missionary-adventure story (who doesn’t?). This is a story describes a lived experience of walking with God (rather than abstract-theological reflection).

I am often skeptical about aspects of charismatic books. It isn’t that I don’t believe God does these things, but there is so much hype, pretense and counterfeit miracles that I tend to take a wait-and-see approach. Tracy’s experience is different from my own but I believe she has seen and experienced each of the events described in these pages.

That being said, I found this book a slow read. The conversational style meant that this book sort of meanders through. I prefer a more focused presentation. I also did not like the book cover. The shadowy Zulu and the giant purple sky broken by a red and orange sunset is very much in keeping with the charismatic aesthetic. But it makes it hard for me to take this seriously (it looks like a novel). I give this book 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Chosen Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for this review. ( )

Outrageous Courage is the chronicle of a life lived all out for God. Kris and Jason Vallotton give us the first person voice of Tracy Evans, a woman who from the beginning of her relationship with Christ thirty years ago, has lived her faith non-apologetically. Along the way she has learned from her mistakes and her encounters with fellow believers and non-believers alike. If you like non-fiction based on missional experiences, check out this book.

Tracy Evans shares her life from her rough beginnings into a new and unbridled faith through the adventures of ministry in the Philippines and Mozambique and beyond. Along the way God taught her to be fully dependent and obedient to Him. Her story shows her growth from the raw, undisciplined covert to a mature witness. But her zeal never grew dull, but was rather refined. Her stories of miracles and other super-heroes of the faith will amaze and astound you, and perhaps leave you wanting more in your walk with God. Only read Outrageous Courage if you want to be challenged to expect more from your faith.

Recommended.

(Thanks to Chosen for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

This book is about Tracy Evans, a Holy Spirit-filled believer in Jesus, physician assistant and missionary. It is written in the first person—it is her story (written and transcribed from hours of interviews).

These stories are not sugar-coated, but contain faults and all. It’s about Tracy’s adventures in obedience and through it all God is given all the credit and glory for everything. In that respect it is really about God—about His faithfulness, His goodness, His forgiveness, His healing etc.

It contains a great number of life lessons for Christians so come with a mindset to learn from someone else’s mistakes . (I think that must be part of the definition of true wisdom.)

To read the rest of my review go here: http://www.cherylcope.com/book-review-outrageous-courage-by-kris-vallotton-and-j... ( )

The book Outrageous Courage –What God Can Do with Raw Obedience & Radical Faith is a true story written by Kris Vallotton & Jason Vallotton. The story they were inspired to write is about that of a longtime friend that has one of the most inspiring lives I have read about in a long time. It is not a long book at only 154 pages but it is one that has action and adventure packed them. The story is about Tracy Evans and she is following God and not letting fear stop her. She is a world traveler and as she travels she helps heal the broken both of body and spirit. It is her faith that helps her with make it through some very scary situations. I once heard a sermon about how faith was not about comfort all the time and how for Jesus you have to sometimes be way out of your comfort zone and as I read this I thought this is Tracy’s life and it brought the sermon back to mind because wow, she is what that sermon was all about. Tracy’s life is so inspiring you just have to read it. Tracy is a medical assistant and uses this skill to travel the world do missionary work. I want to tell you more but I do not want to spoil the book. This book will have you from chapter one. I give this book my four star rating. I did receive this book from Baker Publishing Group for my honest review. ( )