The Story of the Vision

The vision began in July 2005 with a woman who describes herself as “just a stay-athome- mom.” Shawn-Marie Cole was awakened from sleep late at night after hearing her name spoken three times. In the same way that Samuel responded in 1 Samuel 3, Shawn-Marie finally realized it was the Lord, got out of bed, and said, “Okay, Lord, I’m listening. What is it You want to share with me?”

As Shawn-Marie began to pray and really seek the Lord she began to feel a very deep sorrow, but at the same time it was also a deep love. She believed she was feeling only what she could imagine was just a fraction of what the Lord’s heart feels for His children. She then began to see a picture of seas of people raising their hands in worship. They then fell to their knees in repentance. She saw people doing the same thing all over the nation in many different venues. Together they were crying out for God’s mercy, begging Him to be back in the center of their lives and in America.

Then the picture shifted to Washington, D.C., where she saw a prayer ministry leader (Pastor Bjorn Pedersen) praying over President George W. Bush. President Bush was standing on the steps of the Capitol. He fell to his knees, and with his arms outstretched and tears streaming down his cheeks, he whispered the words, “I’m sorry.” She then heard the Lord say, “I have never forsaken you nor have I ever abandoned you. I was there when America has been hit at its core. I was there through the hurricanes, the tornadoes, and the earthquakes. I was there when you lost your father, your mother, your best friend, your child. I was there. It is you who have turned your backs on Me! And it is time—time to bring Me back to the center. The peace you so desperately seek can only be found in Me!”

Then the picture panned back to the steps of the Capitol where Michael W. Smith began singing “Healing Rain.” Shawn-Marie heard the words to the song (Healing rain is falling down…) and began to see the rain. As Michael led worship, the entire nation joined in worshipping God together. A cleansing white rain began to cover the United States. She then saw the hand of God, which was a fiery white light. It began to sweep through the nation and cross over the water into the Middle East. As His hand wiped through the nation, Shawn-Marie began to see people who were previously standing in darkness being engulfed in this white light. The light began to overflow in each venue and then spill out into the cities. Eventually the light engulfed all of the states and began to move into Canada, Mexico, and other nations.

The vision included people getting up out of wheelchairs, homeless people being restored, terminal diseases eradicated, and the deep healing of wounds—including those wounded as innocent children. It was a healing only the Lord could do. It was the fulfillment of 2 Chronicles 7:14 and the promise of the “healing of the land” in answer to repentance.

Confirmation of the Vision

Shawn-Marie did not share the vision publicly until she received confirmation from the Lord over a period of time. Here are some of the confirmations:

When Shawn-Marie shared the picture with Bjorn Pedersen, the prayer leader in the vision, he confirmed it by saying that earlier that day an intercessor from Africa had told him there was going to be a move of repentance in the United States, and that someone would come and share a vision with him. He was told that he needed to listen to the vision because it was from the Lord. That someone turned out to be Shawn-Marie.

In August of 2006, through prayer Shawn-Marie heard the Lord say, “Now! Now is the time.” She had been holding the vision for a year, inviting the Lord’s confirmation. Right after hearing the Lord’s release to share the vision, she got into her car and heard on the radio that Michael W. Smith was coming to her city for a concert. She was able to arrange a five-minute meeting with Michael at a public “meet and greet” time. She handed Michael a letter and told him, “There’s a call on your life and this nation. Please pray and seek God’s will. I will call you and follow up.” He handed the letter to his manager, and Shawn-Marie wondered if that was the last he would see of the information.

In January 2007, Michael W. Smith called to say that he felt the Lord confirm he was to be a part of the event. He had been awakened in the night, and God had clearly spoken to him.

As Shawn-Marie prayed about an opportunity to share the vision with President Bush, she heard the name “Trent Franks.” She had never heard of Trent Franks, but asked her father (Pastor Walt Kallestad, Community Church of Joy, Glendale, AZ) if he was familiar with the name. The Lord strongly impressed on her that she needed to get a hold of this man, who it turned out was a U.S. Congressman from Arizona—and her dad happened to have his personal cell phone number. At the exact moment that they called Trent Franks, he was having breakfast with the President! That connection proved helpful later on in securing the National Mall in D.C. for the event on April 26, 2008.

In early 2007 an invitation to the White House was extended to Walt and his wife Mary for the screening of the movie Amazing Grace with the President on February 19 (which happened to be Presidents' Day). Mary determined that Shawn-Marie should go in her place with the hope that perhaps she could have a moment with the President to share the vision. With the approval of Laura Bush, Shawn-Marie received her own invitation to attend the screening.

Shawn-Marie prayed and asked the Lord for “two seconds” to share the vision with President Bush. While in line with her father to have a picture taken with the Bushes, the officials broke protocol and situated Shawn-Marie right next to the President. (Normally the man would be positioned next to the President, with the woman placed on the other side of the First Lady.) After the picture, she grabbed the hand of the President and said, “There’s a call on your life and on this nation—and I have to talk to you about it.” They were then hustled away so that the next couple could have their picture taken.

Providentially, Shawn-Marie and her father were seated a few rows behind the President for the viewing of the movie. When the movie ended, Walt and Shawn-Marie exited the theater. As they began to head toward the dining room, Walt heard the Lord say, “Now, Walt.” In the split second that President Bush was moving from one person to another, Walt intercepted his path and the President pointed his finger at Walt and said, “I need to talk to your daughter.”

She and her father were then taken to a private room and had 20 minutes with the President. The President took Shawn-Marie’s hand and held it the entire time as they met and talked. Shawn-Marie told him that she knew he was a godly man, and asked him to “please pray about participating in ReignDown USA and just simply taking a few minutes to pray with us.” As the vision was shared, President Bush got tears in his eyes and said, “I love Jesus, and I know the Lord put me in this position for a reason... I want the light to shine through me.”

After the event, the White House Chief of Staff came to her and said, “Are you Shawn-Marie? Come with me.” She and her father were taken on a private tour of the West Wing, and they were able to pray over each Cabinet chair and outside the Oval office. Only the Lord could have opened all these doors!

Where Things Stand Now

The President is very favorable to attending, but it cannot be confirmed or announced this far in advance for security reasons. Please pray that the Lord will make a way, and that the President will be obedient to whatever the Lord speaks to him. Michael W. Smith desires to be a part of the event, but is still trying to work out his schedule. The Mall in Washington, D.C. has been secured for April 25-27. Please pray for the right connections to broadcast the event.

ReignDown USA is now an official movement with a budget of $25 million needing to be raised. Some of this money will pay the rent on stadiums around the country. The movement is now looking for state captains and other key leadership positions in each state.