Jess Hover

While Shaun and I were sitting on the bench with our soup he said something worth documenting. We somehow ended up on the topic of death, and how the reality that life ends helps us to live meaningful lives. He started to tell me about his funeral... I will try to type it like he said it,

"I think about my funeral pretty often. It helps me to know how to live my life. Because I think about the types of people that I hope will show up at my funeral. When I imagine it.. I hope that homeless people show up.. and drug addicts.. and alcoholics.. and skate park kids... and people who were in jail, like Duffy.. and broken.. hurting people. I want those people to come because I want to have made a difference in their lives. I want them to be able to feel it when I go to heaven, because somehow my existence made their time here better. I also want my friends and family to show up, but thats a given. Knowing all this helps me to live the right way. If I want homeless people at my funeral then I need to be developing friendships with them now, and writing to Duffy in prison, and pouring into the skaters, and helping the guys at the park get off drugs..."

Shaun wants his funeral to point to the fact that he lived a meaningful life, that he constantly shared the love of Christ with people who desperately needed it. Most especially people who are easily overlooked. Shaun is a rare kind of man, his love for God is evident in everything he does. He is an evangelist without a doubt. He views every interaction with every person as an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus through both words, and loving actions.

Last night Brian Sumner said something that I thinks sums up the way Shaun lives,
"Don't pray for a "divine appointment" to share the good news of Christ with someone. Take advantage of the fact that your entire life is a "divine appointment". Once you leave this earth you won't be able to share with anybody else about Christ, so make the most of every opportunity."


Let's make a point to live meaningful lives. Let's go beyond just loving our families, and our close friends. Let's get uncomfortable. Let's love those that are desperate for love. For Shaun its the homeless, the drug addicts, and the skaters. For Mrs. Wetherby its the students of Rampart High School that stroll into her office late for class everyday, so caught up in life's issues that they've forgotten to care about others. For Shane, Christina, and Leah its the high fashion models that are dying to be successful, and losing themselves in the process. For Conrad and Bonnie its the young people that come through YWAM LA every year, giving Christianity one last chance before they walk away for good. For Nova it is the artists, the entertainers, the famous.. the ones that have gained the world at the cost of losing their souls. For Hayley it is the people of Afghanistan, for JP, Daniel and Kimberly it is the skaters of China, for Bobby its the Thai. Who is it for you? Who will you go out of your way to love? There are people in your life that are longing to be loved, people that may not otherwise be reached if you don't do something.

So be bold sweet one, being afraid and remaining comfortable isn't worth it. If people were never bold with me, I would not be here. Neither would Meredith. Don't allow fear of what others might think hinder you from being a light. Just shine. In whatever way that looks for you. You are going to be great at it. You were made to love. If you end up reaching out to someone and it goes badly, don't even worry about it. We call those "fail stories"... everyone needs a few.