Teamwork Makes the Dream Work! Never Give Up On Your Purpose and Dreams: A Glimpse of My Life-Changing Journey
You can do more than you think you can! No matter how hard life and circumstances get never give up on your God-given dreams! This is a glimpse at the year-long journey I recently finished that was very tough – but because I believed I was called to do it I stuck with it even when I thought I couldn’t make it. I also learned the important lesson that teamwork, and trusting God, makes the Dream work!
These young people featured in the video who were strangers to me at first have become some of my best friends and companions! We were thrown together into an apartment, people of all different ages, backgrounds and dreams (this has the making of a reality show right?;) and we learned how to bond together for a common Dream to serve others and share the love of Christ!
Find your purpose-people, your dream-partners (maybe by first supporting someone elses’ vision) and get to it, impacting those around you! You were made for purpose so never give up on it!
– Julene, Editor of SOAR
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Chivalry Is Not Dead: Zach Hunter Sparks New Book and Movement
As a teen Zach Hunter published his first book Be the Change and started an organization called Loose Change to Loosen Chains, helping to raise awareness and money as well as freeing people around the world imprisoned in human trafficking. Now Zach is launching his newest book Chivalry: The Quest for a Personal Code of Honor in an Unjust World to share how we all can live with more honor and valor no matter who we are. Watch Zach talk about the story behind his book below. You can get a copy of the book and find out more about Zach and his Chivalry Camp events at his site www.zachhunter.me.
More About Chivalry: The Quest for a Personal Code of Honor in an Unjust World
Chivalry is alive and well— it’s just not what you expected…
It’s not a list of rules teaching guys how to treat girls. It’s a way for young men and women—all of us—to live justly in an unjust world. As a generation rising up to care for the hurting and oppressed, we are passionate about justice and willing to fight for it. But as we reach out to help those who are hungry, sick, or poor . . . we’re also seeing less civil and kind behavior in our daily lives. Less honor, mercy, selflessness, and love.
Enter the cause of chivalry. Turning traditional notions of chivalry upside down, Zach Hunter draws from ten principles of the ancient knights and unites them with the teachings of Jesus, resulting in a code of personal justice that—if we live it out today—will transform us.
Embark on the quest for chivalry…and every day will be an adventure as you discover how to defend others, act with integrity, and live with courage and significance.
A generation is rising up to care for the hurting and oppressed. Committed to changing the world, they are passionate about justice and willing to fight for it. But what would that same justice look like if we lived it in our private lives—close to home, with our family and friends?
In Chivalry, Zach Hunter dares young men and women to view their lives as a quest, challenging them to develop their own personal code that will prepare them to defend others and live with civility and integrity.
Zach reframes chivalry in a modern context. He looks at everyday life as a grand adventure and shares ancient wisdom from the Bible, insightful stories, and practical examples to help you develop your own code of honor—and live a life of significance.
Zach Hunter was a teenage abolitionist and activist, spending much of his time working to end modern-day slavery around the world and fighting other problems in the world today. When he was twelve, he started a campaign called Loose Change to Loosen Chains, helping to raise awareness and money to free people from slavery. The author of Be the Change, Zach speaks to hundreds of thousands of people each year, inspiring them to find their passion and make a change in the world.
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Upcoming Events: Impact Movement Conference 2012 – Mission in Action & Mali Music Concert
Impact is Back & MIA in New Orleans…
Imagine hundreds of young people gathering in one place for a unifying mission – to make an impact in today’s world by influencing their campuses and making Christ’s name known everywhere they go. That’s the essence of The Impact Movement, a ministry that empowers high school and college students to grow in Christ and spread the Gospel.
Impact’s annual conference returns to New Orleans this year for it’s 12th national conference “Mission in Action,” December 28, 2012 through January 1, 2013. From energetic musical guests to powerful messages this event is a great spiritual spark for young adults who are passionate about making disciples and those who want to delve deeper into God. Special guests this year include artists Level 3:16, Mali Music and Da’ T.R.U.T.H, and speakers Timotheus Pope, James White, Jada Edwards, Dr. Charles Gilmer and Rev. Charlie Edward Dates.
Last year Mali Music moved hearts toward God and set the atmosphere during a night of worship, and this year the Mali Music night session is open to the public on Sat, Dec 29, 2012 at 8:30pm. The night will open with Da’ T.R.U.T.H who recently released the first official single “J.I.F.E.” from his upcoming album “Love, Hope, & War.” Tickets are $16 in advance ($20 at the door) and are available by clicking here.
Visit http://impact2012.com to find out more about the Impact experience and how to register. If you can’t make it out to the conference this year, you’ll definitely want to watch the live broadcast streaming on the website starting December 28 for all of the main stage action and behind the scenes interaction.
Want to get a picture of what Impact is like? Watch the pre-conference event below featuring Mali Music, Level 3:16 and many others who talk about what Impact means to them:
Below Watch the Promo Video for the Impact Movement Conference 2012: Mission in Action and Get a Recap of Last Year’s Conference:
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Girls of Grace Conferences for Teens
Girls of Grace is the “Can’t-Miss Event for Teen Girls!”
Girls of Grace is an interactive high-energy event for teenagers full of exciting live music and speakers. This year’s event includes performances by Point of Grace, Meredith Andrews, Jason Castro, Chris August, Sidewalk Prophets, for KING & COUNTRY and Britt Nicole and renowned speakers such as: Chris Wheeler, Annie Downs & Constance Rhodes. Girls of Grace teaches girls (6th-12th grade) how to live past the lies of pop culture and discover who they are in Christ. This is the perfect experience for teens and their leaders to build lasting memories and learn how to live life as EXTRAORDINARY individuals!
Founded by Point of Grace in 2002, Girls of Grace grew out of their desire to bring teen girls together to talk about issues that affect them, and share that a relationship with Christ is the true source for peace and assurance in their lives. “At times girls feel like they are the only ones who struggle with certain issues,” says Denise Jones of Point of Grace. “With a Girls of Grace conference it gives them the opportunity to come together in a large group and realize that we all have our own struggles, and yet, we are in this together.”
To learn more visit: http://www.girlsofgrace.com
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Dream On: The Revolve Tour 2012 is Coming to a City Near You
If you’re a teen girl be sure to check out The Revolve Tour 2012 – Dream On, coming to a city near you!
Featuring: Stellar Kart, Jamie Grace, Jenna Lucado Bishop, Chad Eastham, Courtney Clark Cleveland, Harris III, and KJ-52
It’s back! Don’t miss Dream On, the 2012 production of The Revolve Tour! We’ll be in Rochester, NY on March 3, 2012 with real-life stories, dance-worthy music, and more fun than you can handle combined in a high-energy, inspirational, life-changing Saturday event for teen girls!
Visit http://www.revolvetour.com to find out more and to register!
Click here for our coverage and pictures from last year’s Revolve Tour!
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Impact 2011: The Remedy Photo Recap & Reflection
By Julene Fleurmond, Editor of SOAR
Impact 2011: The Remedy made a real impact and brought healing to hearts in New Orleans for their 11th Annual conference December 28, 2011 through January 1, 2012. I keep telling myself that I have to make it out to the Impact Conference ever since my friends from church shared how amazing it back when I was in college.
Though I haven’t made it out yet I was excited when Impact first introduced the live broadcast in 2010 (click here for my previous recap). Even through an online stream I was able to experience the powerful effect when college students around the country gather together to spread the truth and love of Christ.
During the online experience you get to see the behind the scenes activity of the event while getting to meet the leaders who make Impact a reality, attendees, special guests. The chat room allows the online audience to interact with each other, the speakers and music artists when they are interviewed – so if you’re not in New Orleans this year you’ll miss out on the in-person impact but will get some exclusive sneak peeks. Here’s a little glimpse at the Impact online experience:
Wednesday Behind the Scenes Pre-Conference
Above: The Impact 11 LIVE Broadcast was hosted by Rebecca Gilmer (far right) wife of the Impact Movement’s founder Dr. Charles Gilmer. Above she’s talking to the event’s co-emcees, Impact Alum Francine Saunders and Steve Gaskin Jr. (Impact Fellow & Stv G of Level 3:16) who talk about their own Impact involvement.
“What does it look like to look for Biblical community when it doesn’t just fall into you lap?” – Francine Saunders (left) speaking on what she’s learning and how she’s found community training with a modern dance company.
Wednesday Evening Session
Rasool Berry Brings the Word
Message Notes
- 3 stages to being able to experience a remedy – a diagnosis, a prescription, and a treatment – paralleled to the hurricane that occurred in New Orleans
- The world gives the wrong remedies – money, sex, fame
- Diagnosis in the Bible Roman 10 – no one seeks God, they have all turned aside.
- The world is sick and needs a remedy. The prescription is Jesus Christ.
- Jesus healed the deaf man. We are plagued by deliberate deafness
- You need to spend time with Jesus. God took the deaf man aside privately.
- Are you open to what God is trying to say?
- Weapons of “mass distraction” have apps, make it hard to focus. We’re too distracted to hear Him.
- The remedy is Jesus. Be opened to what God wants to tell you. Are you open?
Click here for more detailed notes on Rasool Berry’s The Remedy Message
The evening continued in moving worship with Brandon Camphor and OneWay…
Thursday Morning Session
Thursday began with reflections on the effects of Hurricane Katrina, and people sharing their experiences behind the scenes.
Pastor Keith Battle Gives a Dose of Encouragement
Later Pastor Keith Battle brought a message about letting God use situations in your life as lessons for your growth:
Message Notes:
- What’s been troubling you? What situation is in your life that you want to change?
- God can turn the worst situations around. Sometimes God uses the situation to change us, we look for an escape but God wants us to endure. Preach a sermon to these dry bones as in the book of Ezekiel.
- God’s going to use human instruments like you and I to be apart of the remedy for hopeless situations.
- Whenever God does something radical in our lives His ultimate goal is for us to know who He is.
- God will form a thing before He fills it. He wants to strengthen us before He uses us.
- When you’ve been in a dead space so long when a door opens it’s hard to go through it because you’ve been dead for so long. You need God to help you go on.
- God waited till they got to the end of themselves. In your own strength can’t change it. You’re not giving up on the situation, you’re giving it up to God.
- We have to be able to say to God, “Whether You do it or not, I will still trust You, because if You don’t fix it you’ll give me what it takes to get through it.”
- God is working through the situation, and there’s some good in it even if the good is bringing us closer to Him.
- Let’s not marry the outcome we want to see. It is what it is. You can do everything you can and it may not happen. It may stay this way, but it’s all good because God is still with us.
The members of Level 3:16 their their journey of becoming “musicianaries” through Impact Music
Thursday Evening Session
Impact Theatre
Thursday afternoon began with the premiere of Impact Theatre with the production “If the Pillow Could Hug Me Back.” Below Candace and Steve of Level 3:16 play friends in a dramatic scene. The play had multiple story lines with both humorous and serious themes about the things people use to to find fulfillment or comfort, yet how those distractions can become idols that destroy relationships with God and others.
Jada Edwards Challenges Us to Check Our Rep
Jada Edwards brought a message about making sure our lives are a true reflection of the Remedy…
Message Notes:
- The remedy is the fix in our lives, our plays a role in how we portray the answer…
- Maybe your reputation is why the remedy is not making an impact in your life? What if your life contradicts, not compliments what you’re saying
- We think we can just ask for forgiveness because we are under grace
- You’ve got to know the word of God. Delight in the law of the Lord. Not taking one step without God’s guidance.
- Pursue a reputation that supports the Remedy…
Below: Behind-the-scenes live stream host Rebecca Gilmer (center) chats with NBA player Carl Landry and his cousin Priscilla Eubanks who is on the Impact Team. Carl talked about his passion for God and supporting the movement even after a game that week.
Below: Snapshots from a lively Level 3:16 concert with Bethini Williams and t.Jay.
Friday Morning Session
Below: The morning kicked off behind-the-scenes with interviews of some of the attendees, including Shalyssa Mitchell who has been involved in various parts of Impact’s music ministry and says it has brought her closer to God. Tim Swain shared an encouraging spoken word piece and how Impact has taught him so much about finances, being smart about saving money and raising funds for ministry.
Pastor Keith Battle on Purity: “Imagine how your ministry would be if you were clean?”
Below: Pastor Battle was raw and real about purity and how every aspect of our lives matter, not only the physical. He illustrates the importance of dealing aggressively with sin, not even giving our flesh a small foothold and making a new commitment to purity and righteousness in our lives.
A Word of Encouragement from Mali Music
Mali Music shares how God has been faithful in his journey and how he places ministry first and lets Him open the right doors…
Mali Music’s encouragement to others who wonder if God can use their gifts: “I just want to say do it. You know what it is, there’s a whole lot of reserve, a whole lot of insecurity and whole lot of things built up just because you are who you are, but that will be the one thing that causes you to catapult more than you ever have before. I’m a witness, I’m not asking you to do it for me, I’m asking you to do it for God because for you to suppress it is to be ashamed of the very thing you were created to be. So flourish, thrive, be the tree and produce the fruit that God gave you and you alone so that we all can benefit as a ministry and as a body…there’s no time to fear it’s time to let faith dominate.”
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Artist Snapshots & Music Pick: Level 3:16
Started as a part of the Impact Movement (a ministry geared toward college students) and now in partnership with Cross Movement Records comes Level 3:16 bringing a fresh, energetic and spiritually uplifting sound. The group blends the sounds of Hip Hop, R&B and urban gospel, and is made up of six members – two male MCs, a female DJ and three female vocalists. I love that their music brings beats that you can enjoy and move along to, and still is lyrically full of substance that can move the heart. It’s also not just about the music for Level 3:16 – they see themselves as missionaries or “musicianaries” who are called to creatively share the Gospel where ever they go.
You can connect with Level 3:16 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/level316. They will also be at the upcoming Impact Conference 2011: The Remedy, taking place December 28, 2011 through January 1, 2012. Read more about the conference here on SOAR, and visit www.theremedy11.com to find out more. Click here to watch Impact 11 streaming live during the conference.
Music Pick: Love – t.Jay & Level 3:16
Another artist, t.Jay (check out more of his music here), collaborated with Level 3:16 on a song called LOVE. In the video below t.Jay and the members of the group talk about what inspired the song:
Watch the video for LOVE below:
More About Level 3:16
Answering the call of Scripture to use their God-given talents for the purpose of promoting the gospel as urban missionaries, new group Level 3:16 enters the scene focused and determined as musicianaries (music-missionaries). Uniting this unique collection of young, energetic artists from all across the country is one common mission: to elevate their culture and generation to the next level of reality that goes beyond what is seen to what is unseen; that level begins with embracing the gospel message of the quintessential/renowned Bible verse John 3:16 as both the means and goal of life itself…
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Ministry Spotlight: The Dream Girlz Gathering & GLAM Camp Founded by Melinda Watts
Recording artist Melinda Watts, winner of the Gospel Music Channel’s singing competition Gospel Dream, knows firsthand about the power of dreams and the importance of being given the opportunity to grow into one’s purpose. As a former teacher her heart has always been geared toward youth, especially girls who grew up in difficult social and financial situations where dreams often seemed so far away.
Those experiences with young people are what led Melinda to start the Dream Girlz Gathering Foundation which supports girls from underserved neighborhoods and hosts high-energy, power-packed empowerment conferences designed to uplift, inspire, and teach girls ranging in age from 8-18. Full of pampering, fun, worship, workshops, prayer and more, girls everywhere are experiencing a life-changing encounter.
Below: Watch Melinda Watts and the Dream Girlz Gathering in action at one of their 2011 events in Seattle.
In November, during National Adoption Month, Melinda’s charity hosted 75 enthusiastic girls at her Foundation’s G.L.A.M. (Girls Leadership and Mentoring) Camp at the Pinebrook Conference and Retreat Center in Pennsylvania. The girls who attended G.L.A.M. took part in a variety of activities, from swimming and hiking to inspiring workshops and creative arts. Each attendee enjoyed a special time of bonding, sharing, praying, and worshiping, in a fun, safe environment. Testimonials poured in from girls who said it was a life-changing weekend.
According to Melinda, a greater number of girls and their parents desired to participate, but the Dream Girlz Gathering staff was unable to accommodate a larger group—something Watts is hoping to change with donations and support from individuals, ministries, and groups interested in linking up with her cause.
“There are so many young girls who need love and guidance and I want to be able to help as many as possible,” Watts, who is currently working on her new album to be released in 2012, tells EEW Magazine. Through the sale of the charity single and charitable donations of “Dream Girlz Gathering Angels,” the name designated for supporters, Watts anticipates the day when the Foundation will be able to assist more girls.
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Be The Remedy: Impact Movement Conference 2011
The Impact Movement (a ministry for college students) presents their conference Impact 11: The Remedy this year December 28, 2011 through January 1, 2012. Last year SOAR posted some recaps from the conference here and here, and you can also watch the live stream of the conference starting at 6pm CT on December 28 and find out more about the conference at www.theremedy11.com.
Watch the Promo Video for The Remedy Below
More About the Impact 11: The Remedy Conference
Featured Speakers: Keith Battle, Rasool Berry, Jada Edwards, Dr. Charles Gilmer, Darryl Lamar Smith
Featured Music Artists: Mali Music & Level 3:16Our world aches from loss of life, dreams deferred and utter brokenness. Even in lives that seem fairly good or happy, there are disappointments and frustrations. But, there is a Great Hope. We want you to experience His freedom and the remedy He offers in New Orleans this December at Impact ’11, the eleventh national conference of The Impact Movement. Six years ago, Impact helped revive hope lost in the wake of Hurricane Katrina through the service project Impact N.O.W. We return this year, challenged to receive the remedy in our own lives and inspired to take the remedy to our broken world. We invite you to join us. You will never be the same.
Visit www.theremedy11.com for conference information, giveaways, and to register.
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Dream in Soul is a new media site for the young-at-heart and purpose-full, inspiring you to live and use your talents passionately for God. To learn more, 
Click Here for our Interview with Music Artist & Producer TJ Pompeo on Dreams, Faith & Trust
