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Key Summer Dates

June 28 -- Meet in Impact lobby a bit early, around 10:50, and then head over to Mainstage together.  We will sit all the way up and to the right (sections 308, 307, and 306)

July 5 -- NO IMPACT / 4th of July Weekend

July 12 -- NO IMPACT / Away at Sandblast

July 19 -- Impact resumes @ 11:15 in Lakeside

July 26, August 2, August 9, August 16 -- Join Impact for our Summer Series, 'Series of Fortunate Events'

August 23 -- FUSE (Impact, Elevate & Axis Unite for a prayer and worship gathering)

August 30 -- LAUNCH!!!! (Fall launch and House Group launch)

September 13 -- 2nd LAUNCH!! (Labor day is over and we're launching back up, Small Groups launch for the year on this Sunday!)

Reflecting On The End

We just wrapped up our last week of the End is Near Series.  I couldn't have been more excited when Carlos, the Lake Zurich Area Leader, told me that his students' main takeaway has been, 'bring heaven to earth'.  I hear that and go 'YES'!  That is what Jesus was all about, bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to this world!

The first week of this series we rolled up our sleeves and looked at how the events of REvelation were fulfilled in such precise detail as God used Rome to bring destruction upon 1st Century Israel, along with Israel's Holy City, Jerusalem.

The second week we took a look at the hope we all have that while we may be able to know God in part in this life, someday we will see His glory fully. 

For the final week we looked at resurrection.  Resurrection is the hope of the New Testament.  Resurrection means for us that Christ defeated the power of death in this world.  It means Christ has overcome sin in this world.  It means that we who follow Jesus have a purpose, and it gives us a solid hope that we will share in His resurrection when He returns at the Last Day. 

The End is Near

Yes, the end of your school year is getting very near.  And we thought, what better a way to end the school year than to engage a series on the END TIMES as well.  The bible gives us some very specific hopes and expectations about the future, and we believe very strongly that our ideas about the future greatly influence the way we live in the present.  Join us as we begin a three week series to explore the Book of Revelation, Heaven, and the Resurrection beginning Sunday, April 19th!  And, don't forget to bring your friends on the 19th.  Take them to House Groups with you afterwards as House Groups will be going to a free screening of the new movie 'The Soloist'!

Love, Sex, Dating AND MARRIAGE

Wow!  We had an incredible weekend this past Sunday (Feb 8).  After seeing a live enactment of a wedding it seemed that God was working to really give us a vision of marriage that is worth waiting for.  So many of us felt challenged and inspired to trust that God's way is not just a command, not just something God requires of us, not just a rule we should obey, but also God's best plan for us that is meant for our good and our protection and our enjoyment.

Many students are moving to a place of conviction and dedication in their hearts to follow God in the area of sexual purity.  At the beginning of this series some students had strong convictions about sexual purity for the sake of obeying and fearing the Lord, but they had no understanding of the 'why' behind his commands for purity.  Other students had understanding of God's vision behind marriage, but are used to treating his commands more like friendly suggestions.  Our hope is that throughout this series students are moving to a place of joyful and fearful obedience to the God of the Universe who is to be respected and feared, and also moved to a place of love and appreciation that God has a plan for us that is for our good and enjoyment.

Thanks to God for moving in powerful ways these past two weeks!

IMPACT NOT CANCELLED!

Rumors are that we're going to have to shut down impact because of the huge church crowds this Sunday.  Not true.  However, if you don't get here early it is very possible the parking lot will fill up and you won't be able to get in.  Come at least 20 mins early tomorrow!

Sex Series Starting Up!

We had an incredible time the past two weeks joining big church to talk about family and celebrate baptism.  We had over 20 Impact students get baptized!  Only God.

This weekend we are starting our annual Relationships Series called, 'lovesick'.  You wont want to miss this week as we'll be reading what the bible has to say about how to find Mr. or Mrs. Right!

BLAST

We had an incredible weekend at BLAST.  Over three days we spent time looking at four different aspects of God's character.  On Friday and Saturday evenings we looked at God's Majesty and God's Holiness, and were blown away by how Big and Good God really is.  On Saturday and Sunday morning we took a look at the God who is with us and provides counsel to us.  How amazing that such an incredible God who is beyond comprehension loves us and stays with us!

Many students expressed a desire to walk forward in their relationship with God with obedience and fearful reverence before an incredible God!

C-H-A-T

Inspired by the challenge in scriptures to pursue our faith with all the intentionality and intensity of one who is running in such a way as to get the prize (1 Cor 9) we spent a large proportion of our time together Sunday simply PRAYING.  God definitely moved in our time together.  One of the guys in my sophomore small guys small group shared that he experienced God for the first time this Sunday.  His words were, 'I was just sobbing there in my seat and I figured people around me were looking but I just didn't care . . . it was awesome!'

In case you missed it or need a refresher here is the summary of how to have a 'CHAT' daily with God:

C onfession

H onor

A sk

T hanks

Confession – First we confess. In Psalm 139 we see an example of confession as David goes to God and says, "Search me, God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Part of your regular prayer life should include going to God and letting him reveal to you where you have sinned. And when we acknowledge our sin and confess it to Him and commit to turning from that sin he forgives us. He wipes our slate clean. He makes us righteous before him.

Use these next couple moments to ask God to show you your sin. Then, if you are willing, gives these sins over to him and ask him to forgive you. This is confession.

Honor – Next we Honor God. The Psalms are filled with examples of honoring God. Songs, poems and words are written simply to express back to God how great He is. When we honor God we reflect on who He is and what He is like. To Honor God is to Worship God. In honoring God we praise him for being him, for being holy, pure, merciful, loving, good, compassionate and on the list goes. In honoring God we grow to know Him for who He is which also helps us to remember who we are. Many would say that honoring God is the highest aim of prayer, and the most important thing we can spend time doing as well.

Take a few moments and reflect on one or two qualities of God. While this might be new for you, worship him and praise him in your heart the best way you know how for who He is.

Ask – Third, we ask. Phillipians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." And James 4:2 says, ‘You do not have because you do not ask God.’

When our motives are right the Lord loves to give good gifts to us when we ask. In asking we acknowledge that we are dependent upon God and in need of his intervention in our life. Even in those requests God does not grant us we learn much about who He is and what He wants for our life.

Take these next few moments and write down some requests you have to God.

Thanks – Lastly, we give Thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, ‘give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.’

If you don’t have much joy or gratitude in your life it is because you haven’t learned to regularly spend time thanking God. Regularly thanking God for everything you are grateful for will completely change your outlook on God and life. Perhaps write down as many things as you can possibly think of to thank God for, or maybe you'd rather spend several moments reflecting on one thing you are grateful for. Either way, this is how we give thanks.

*CHAT is a tool created by Tara Rummler, Student Impact of Willow Creek Regional Campus in McHenry County.

SOAP

We had a great launch to our Self-Feeding series, culminating with providing the practical tool, SOAP, to help us reflect on the scripture daily.  Here is a brief overview of how to use SOAP daily.

01.  Read a chapter of scripture

02.  Begin to work through the SOAP acronym, beginning with S for Scripture.  In the S-cripture section you simply write down the word, phrase, or specific scripture verse that popped out to you the most when you read that chapter.  Don't judge, analyze or think too hard about it, just trust that what popped out to you is what you need to focus on.

03.  O is for Observation.  Write down in your own words what that scripture verse is saying.  Why is it saying it?  What is the context in which it is being said?  Simply make observations about what is true from that verse.

04.  A is for Application.  Here is where you ask, 'God, how does this apply to my life?  What are my marching orders?'  This is the part where you write down how it is that your life will be different because of what you just read and observed. 

05.  P is for Prayer.  Ask God to help you grow in this area that he just revealed to you.

06.  End by putting today's date and a title at the top of the page.  Your title for the day should be whatever your Application was.  This makes it easy to flip through your SOAP journal and see what God has consistently been saying to you over the past weeks, months, etc.

07.  Enjoy your time at the feet of God!

*SOAP is a tool created by Wayne Cordeiro

New Series!: Self-feeding

What better a topic right at Thanksgiving than to explore what it looks like to become a self-led, self-fed follower of Christ!  If the Impact team only had 2 messages they could teach to influence your life as a Christ-follower the two messages of this series would be it!  Nov 23rd and Dec 7th are two weeks that we believe will have a long-lasting impact on your relationship with God so please join us!