However I’m heading out on a mission trip this week with 27 people from our church and I wanted to allow certain people to post entries without all the baloney of the laptops, internet, etc.. The built-in wordpress plugin limited me to just one user, and I wanted to have multiple users post to the blog since there are a bunch of us going on this trip. I also wanted to insure that not just anyone could post incase somehow the posting email address got spammed.

I came across the Postie Plugin http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/postie/

There are many features this plugin offers.. like the ability to add images to posts as well as video.

But the best feature was the limiting of posting by email addresses.. this would cover the spammers as well as only allowing certain people to post..

The 1st test was successful… and now I’m testing the ability to add images, links and filtering out email footers

Tonight was the best blessing for the students as we ministered to the children living in a shelter. There were over 20 children ranging in ages from 8 months to 13 year with the majority of them between 5-8. The PCA students lead the children in song, praise, and prayer and many games.  I cannot find the right words to describe what God has done this day so I’ll let the photos speak for me..

You can view the individual photos here

This will be my last full post about the PCA NYSUM mission trip, tomorrow we have our free day in the afternoon and will  be visiting the NY sights. Thank you for the opportunity to share with you our journey.

8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11  To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

WOW what a day!. Though many of us slept in and missed breakfast, in the end it was a very long day. We spent the first half of our day at the United Nations building where we were all given information about 11 different counties. The info packets for each country contained demographic stats, and other vital information about the country’s ‘make -up’. Our charge for the day was to spend a time in prayer for the country that we were given, openly and publicly as were felt the holy spirit leading us. I was given Iraq to pray for. In the back portion of the UN building was a mediation room that was dedicated for prayer, within the room was an empty stone alter. The plaque outside the room described the alter as an empty alter so that all who use the room can pray to their god. When I read that I felt the holy spirit lead me to pray for His Alter, to the ONE TRUE GOD, king of kings and the only true uiniter of nations under God’s Kingdom. As paced the halls I prayed every step of the way for the Lord our God to fill the leaders with the Holy Spirit and unite them all under Gods authority. When we were done with the prayer time, we had a guided tour of the UN building and got to sit in the General Assembly Hall. It was an unique experience.

After dinner we packed the van full of blankets, food and clothing to take on the homeless ministry out in the streets of Manhattan. Our leader Thomas took us into Times Square and to minister to some homeless near the shelter there. After we went to 5th ave and the students really got a chance to minister to 20+ homeless people sleeping on the stairs of the church. While speaking to Lois, one of the homeless women, she told us of a few more men down 57th ave that were in need. So 4 students and myself gathered some food, blankets, and clothing and walked a few blocks to meet, Jason and Bill. Jason accepted some food, gloves and I covered him in a blanket as he slept on the sidewalk. We spent some time with Bill talking to him, giving him gloves, food and water. Then I asked Bill if we could pray for him and the 5 of us took turns praying for Bill, Jason, Nancy, Lois and the others whom we met tonight. The lord was working in the lives of the students as the ministered to the men and women of NYC.

Before lunch we sat with Maria who was our guide for the soup kitchen we were serving at today. She spoke about giving our all to the work we were going to perform. She empowered us to let god stretch and use us beyond out abilities as we worked with the homeless in the soup kitchen.

The students gave testimonies, lead worship and a message all in Spanish. They all articulated their messages very well and did an awesome job with speaking Spanish. When the service was over they served meals to over 100 homeless men, women, and children. While the students served the meals, I handed out Spanish New Testaments and had a chance to engage conversation with many of the homeless. Michael was from the Bronx, and had lost his job recent, with him was his 2 year old son Nathanial who was the cutest little boy, full of life and joy. It broke my heart to know that this would be the only meal Nathanial and his dad would get today. I know that out Lord is doing a great work all across the land, but I’m left wondering what else should I be doing? I’m saddened today as I think about the broken lives in the world. I pray that everyone can come to know Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit so that they too can know his love and find joy in him as I have. also pray of the hearts of the students at PCA that they be filled with compassion and understanding. They have such loving hearts for the Lord and I hope that they continue the good work that is being done in them.

After dinner we attended a Prayer Service at the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. The sanctuary was the most beautiful sanctuary I’ve seen in a long time. They coffer ceilin and picturesque murals were breathtaking. The worship service just blew me out of the water…or in this case my seat!. The praise band had the house rocking to the lord. During the singing the men were called up on stage to sing. There were hundreds of men singing a joyful praise to the lord. I could feel the holy spirit presence within the building and within my heart. Our God was there with us tonight as we prayed, worshiped and praised the lord. Many of the students recieved prayer from the church prayer team and the holy spirit filled our hearts.

Hello! This is Su-min Bang and I’m enjoying every moment of my last mission trip at high school in NYC. The third day of the trip started quite early for most of us. Our team was divided into two smaller groups – PCA 1 and PCA 2. PCA 1 group met at the lounge around 6:10 am and headed to St.Paul’s House. Kayla, Jen, Jee Eun, and I from PCA 2 group came down to kitchen to do kitchen duty around 6 am. Since our team was the only one staying at NYSUM and half of our team had already gone to ministry, we did not have much to do at the kitchen this morning. We prepared eight sandwiches for our lunch and set up breakfast on the table. After delicious breakfast, PCA 2 group had a 30-minute-class to learn little bit about the ministry at St.John’s Bread and Life. Elizabeth from NYSUM was our helper and guide throughout the St.John’s ministry. She reminded us the very purpose of the mission trip – to serve God and to bring the Good News to people who need to hear.

After the group prayer, PCA 2 group took off to St.John’s Bread and Life by a van which Mrs.Watson drove! St.John’s Bread and Life had very nice facility. Their food pantry system was automated and very convenient. People would come into building, order what they need on the touch screen computer, and the orders would be sent down to the food pantry where we worked the whole time while we were there. Seven of us – Mrs.Watson, Kayla, Rosa, Jee Eun, Sammy, Jen, and I – helped taking orders and packing the bags. After putting on aprons, gloves, and hair nets(haha, those looked great on us!) We took the orders, found the goods on the shelves, put them all in the bags, double-checked, and handed them to the staffs at the St.John’s. Then, they called out the names of people to pick the bags up. At first, all of us were taking orders and trying to find things at the same time but soon we took different roles and worked systematically for about two hours. When we had some free time, we spent time giving massage to each other and taking pictures. Even though we did not get to interact with people directly, we were so glad and thankful that we were able to help run the food pantry and to bless those bags that we packed for people. We enjoyed working with each other and with other volunteers at St.John’s.

The second ministry of the day was the hospital ministry. All of our team members went to the hospital together with John from NYSUM. We walked around the hospital as a pair and talked to many patients. We had some nice conversations, sang songs to some of them, and gave them the handmade cards that students at PCA had made with the Bible verses. I believe this ministry was a great experience for everyone on the team. God blessed the time we spent at the hospital and took care of all our worries that we had before. Also, I was so humbled by a couple of Christian patients and their strong faith in God. Their passion and faith made me think about my faith. I imagined myself being in their situations and asked myself, ‘Would I have loved and believed in God as much as they do if I were them?’ God really made me humble by showing those strong Christians in such tough situations and I am so thankful for that.

We spent about three hours at the hospital talking to many patients with different background and different stories. Then, we came back to NYSUM and rested – some of us ordered some Chinese food while chilling. Now, it’s 11:51 pm and I probably should go to bed and get some sleep for tomorrow! Thank you so much for supporting all of us and keeping us in your prayers. I’m sure this trip has been such a blessing to everyone on the team. Please continue to pray for us to show God’s love to people we will interact and to stay focused on the real purpose of this mission trip. Thanks!

Rev. Harrison, guest speaking at Central Baptist this morning, challenged us to carry on the work the disciples began after Christ ascended. Who else will be the church if not us? Who will go and be the compassionate hands and feet of Jesus here, and see humanity through His eyes? Speaking a powerful message of unity, grace and forgiveness, we were challenged to reach out to those around us as Christ has reached out to us, sharing the good news of salvation one relationship at a time. And we were blessed beyond measure to sing along with phenomenal gospel music, resounding within the gothic stone sanctuary. Can I get an Amen? Amen! ♥

Our team was privileged to be there worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ; the Central Baptist marquee pronounced them “the friendliest church in NYC” and I believe it. We were excited to see the members of the Bobby Lewis Ensemble that we had met during their visit to NH, and they remembered us as well- we have a lot of fond wishes to bring back to the Bell family from their church family in NY. The service and sermon deeply resonated with our mission here this week and clearly focused why we are here- it was as though the sermon was especially for us and we absorbed every bit of it. Now we are ready and raring to serve this week- thank you for your continued prayers!

The morning started off with a great worship service at Central Baptist Church. Rev Harrison, a guest speaker from Baptist House of Prayer in Harlem. His powerful message on 1 Cor 1-17 left me thinking of how God’s church is in us, around us, and always with us. The church does not know any geographical location, it is all around the world. The church is not of this world, but of God’s kingdom. The church is not one man or one person but of all God’s children. The church is not a building, but all the bricks and mortar that make our hearts and mind focus on The Lord Our God. God calls us to be fishers of men and not keepers of the aquarium. Does the church live in you; how?

After service our group headed from some Star bucks while we planned our day. After we enjoyed our various concoctions we left for a stroll through Central Park. As we meandered through the park we stopped along the way for some great photo opportunities.

We made our way out of the park, stopped for some great lunch then off to Macy’s for some shopping. I’m always amazed at the number of people in the city. When I look around and see the waste, excessive spending I’m saddened to think of all those that have none, and it drives me to help more. Haggai 1:4 says “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” We continue to spend, build, and living in this world while God’s kingdom is in ruin. Hag 1:9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” If we are not careful God will blow away. It’s my prayer that we take care not to aquire treasures on earth, but store treasures in heaven.

Now as I sit an write, I’m listening to the students practice their Chapel among themselves their love for the lord is an encouragement to me. I’m constantly amazed at how God continues to work in their lives.

Some photos

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Today 13 students and us three chaperones from PCA left NH to NY City for a mission trip to New York School of Urban Ministry. Our day began at South station in Boston where we enjoyed some breakfast while we waited for the train. The train ride was good, we got priority seating, well greased a few palms so we could get one 1st and get great seats by the dining car.

Some shared good times on the train, while others slept, read, or just hung out and talked. We arrived at #nusym in the afternoon, check out our rooms, and then had an awesome pulled pork dinner… even got three helping.. the students seamed to enjoy the food too..

After dinner we had our first mission out to a homeless shelter. the student handed out sandwiched, clothing and some new testament bibles. It was such a blessing to see the students working with homeless, they laughed, talked, sang songs and many prayed with them. The Holy Spirit is realy working in the lives of these PCA students. I pray Lord that you continue your good work in them.

Philippians 1:6 I’m convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus.

This is my prayer for the PCA Students, that God continue to work in their lives.

Please take some time to read my 1st post on Casting Vision & Growing Teams and leave a comment so I know you stopped by.. God Bless..

When God commanded Moses to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt into the promised land , God had declared, “I AM the God who was worshiped by your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” Exod 3:1-6. When Moses asked what God’s name was, God replied, “tell them that the LORD, whose name is ‘I AM‘ has sent you Exod 3:13-15.”

The Hebrew name Yahweh is related to the Hebrew verb “to be” and so may mean “I AM the one who is” or “I AM the one who causes to be.” These possible meanings of the sacred name show that Yahweh is the God who is, will be, and causes to be.

When I left the status update on my facebook “There are 2 ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it..which are you…?” I didn’t expect any comments… though one was left… from David.. “I AM the candle.”… yet again Jesus reveling himself as who he is and what he’s called us to be..

There are many references to how God uses “I AM” as his name

Jesus identifies himself as the one who supplies all needs “I AM the bread that gives life,” John 6:35 and who brings the knowledge about God to people “I AM the light of the world,” John 8:12.

Jesus also uses this I am language to identify himself as the way for people to find God and become God’s people “I AM the way, the truth, and the life,” John 14:6.

I found this site that had offered the following slide show:

Although it’s great for churches to preform these  self assessments; I agree that sometimes an outside prospective is very helpful…moreover;  it’s just awesome how God continues to reveal to me his plan piece by piece;. God continues to put things  like Anthony’s blog post today and Jim Walton’s post this past weekend  in front of me showing me his plan for me a little at a time… he is in everything…What a great God we have…