New Phone (kinda) and Realizations

Well, I gave in.  Despite the fact that my old brick of a phone was still working just fine after 3 years and no problems, I decided it was time to be able to check email on my phone.  And maybe facebook.  And maybe have Google Maps.  And a touchscreen.

It didn't take a full day for that brand new smartphone to stop working.

The touchscreen stopped responding to my touch (so many jokes available here, but this is a family-friendly blog).

So I'm using Old Faithful until I can make it in to the store to get yet another new phone.  If you need a new phone, I'm going to recommend this simple and functional Pantech phone with no Internet, no touchscreen, no bells or whistles.  It's just a phone. 

But ya know what?  It's a phone that works.

Other news of note-- over the past year, God has planted and grown in me a big heart for missions.  I'm planning on going on my first mission trip in January to India.  If you are interested in hearing about this story and/or offering much needed support, PLEASE email me at colemortimer@gmail.com.  I would love to share the process of this trip with you :)  It's truly been a miraculous journey.

Prior to last summer, I had never given the mission field more than a passing thought.  It was never something heavily on my heart.  I didn't know much about it, but I felt that it was something that only over-the-top enthusiastic Christians did.  As my relationship with Christ and my involvement in His community has grown, I've realized just how much I didn't know or understand about missions.

Well (this is the "new realizations" part), I just got back from my church's missions luncheon, where they tell about what's going on in the church, missions-wise (thank you, Captain Obvious).  I am blessed to be a member of a church who encourages and takes such things seriously, but I was discouraged by what looks like a lack of organization.  They seem so understaffed and (thus) overwhelmed by all the requests and lack of structure.  It looks like they're struggling to do their jobs properly because of it!

As I was leaving, I was struck with a thought--what if I am being called to be a missions organizer more than a missionary on the field.  It absolutely employs the ways in which I feel gifted!  My one hangup about organizing this upcoming trip to India has been the lack of help with planning from my church.  I've had visions of what these steps in the process should look like, from signing up to attend a missions meeting, to talking with my awesome connection at Pioneers, to looking up airfare to India, to trying for a year to get my church to get excited with me about this missions opportunity.  Maybe, by using these processes, God's tugging me toward administrative work in missions!

I'm not at all regretting or reconsidering my trip to India.  Quite the opposite!  I'm even MORE excited now that I have a seedling of an idea about what this experience could be fueling!  I think it's incredibly important for the person who's organizing mission trips to know what the missions look like in action. 

Also, please keep in mind that this is a baby seedling of an idea.  I get big ideas a lot, but I almost never share them immediately, because I fear that someone will hold me to it. Which may be the secret behind my superpower. 

But I think part of me wants somebody to hold me accountable to this little idea.  It feels very much like the little idea I had last summer that maybe I could go on a mission trip to India.  :)  I like those little ideas, God.  Point me where you need me.