Big God, Big Dreams

Hello friends,

We are launching the first ever Calling All Skaters DTS (Discipleship Training School) this fall with YWAM LA. As God has continued to move and work at the Sunland skatepark and in the nations through our skate outreaches, we have sought to continue flowing with what the Spirit is doing in order to bear as much fruit as possible for the kingdom of God.
We have launched the Calling All Skaters website! Please check it out at www.callingallskaters.org, and if you know any skaters or anyone who might know some skaters, send them to the site!

One year ago during a time of corporate worship, the Lord stirred up my heart and increased my burden to see skaters saved and discipled. He started to download, as it were, a vision to call all skaters in all the world to know God and make Him known. After working with my friends and their skate ministry overseas in a nation where preaching the Gospel is illegal, and seeing the incredible effectiveness and fruitfulness in their fearless labor in the Gospel, I know that God is calling so many more to go into the nations as shepherds reaching into the skate communities where thousands of teens and young adults are "...like sheep having no shepherd..." (Matt. 9:36).

Within the span of that 20-minute "download" from the Lord, He gave me:

• The vision.
• The name, Calling All Skaters.
• The vision statement, "Calling all skaters in all the world to know God and make Him known."
• The idea that it would be a YWAM Discipleship Training School.
• The idea of Southeast Asia as an outreach location through partnership with our friends overseas.
• What the website should look like, the logo, and the domain name for the website (www.callingallskaters.org).
• The idea of possibly starting it as soon as the fall of 2012.
• Plus a bunch of other stuff.

I know that is a mouthful and some of it sounds like unnecessary details, but that’s what I got, and I was stoked!
I spent the next seven months seeking God and seeking wise counsel to figure out if this thing was really from Him; if it was really His vision, His heart, and something He wanted us to move forward with. Far exceeding my expectations, He confirmed it in so many ways through so many people, especially key people (my wife, for example) and ministries (locally and overseas) who would have to be on board with it in order for it to be doable.
We've been watching each piece of the vision take shape in reality, and we can't deny that this really is the leading of the Lord. Calling All Skaters is not just our vision, but it is now part of YWAM LA's vision. And, if God is willing, this will be the first School in YWAM LA's 35-year history to be run not on the YWAM campus, but instead in the community in which we've been ministering for the last three years.
Along with this, Jessica has a whole piece that she is still coming together. Some of the ministry that she and her girls are stepping further into is really exciting. I will let her share that with you.
Jessica updated our blog – check it out (www.shaunandjessicahover.blogspot.com)!
Please pray for us as we move forward into this exciting new season. There is still a lot that needs to come together, such as finding housing and getting students! We totally need the power of God's grace to do this. Next Wednesday we're hosting a lunch for all the pastors in the area so we can share more of the vision with them to get their guidance and spiritual backing.
A Personal Note from Shaun:
I have always told people that I am not a visionary person.  But recently the Lord has shown me that He actually wants me to dream big and lead with vision. He has just had to help me break through so much insecurity that had grabbed hold of my personality. Over the last five years of discipleship (and three years of marriage), He has continued to unearth and chip away at my insecurity, exposing it and healing it with truth. I have always been afraid of vision because I am afraid of failure. But God has made a monumental shift in my heart, making my fear of the Lord greater than my fear of failure. There's such an incredible freedom that comes with that – the freedom to fail! I know it sounds comical, but it's a huge breakthrough for me! My identity in Christ does not hinge on my relative successes and failures in my various endeavors. This finally gives me the freedom to dream big with God and to lead with vision, faith, and boldness!
Thank you for all your love and support over the years. Because of you we can dream big. Please continue to pray that God will lead us and guide us as we seek to do His will.
Love,
Shaun and Jessica Hover