Today, I spent most of the time thinking through all the thoughts in my head, especially the projects I'd like to do related to FIM on the Internet. I wrote down my idea of what the website "vision" and "mission" should be and a how I see that coming together. Some of my time was spent in FreeMind, a mind mapping tool that is good for brainstorming and bringing together ideas in an organize, but flexible way. I also spent some time in Dia diagramming an analysis of our visitors and how they are connected with our various "internet properties". (That is Steve's blog, our candidate training site, our members site, and our main site.)

I'm hoping to get a chance to share it with the leadership team here in the near future so that I can get feedback, educate them on what I'm doing and get them excited about the potential to really help our missionaries thrive and encourage the Christian community in their awareness of missions.

It all grows in some way from the vision that Rachel and I have had for this ministry for several years now. You've probably heard it, but I enjoy repeating it because it excitems me; "We desire to inspire the next generation of missionaries by facilitating personal relationship with current missionaries."

So I'm proposing this vision statement for FIM on the Internet:

FIM websites will catalyize ministries of FIM to thrive by encouraging greater participation from the Christian community in specific FIM ministries.

and this as the mission,

FIM websites will encourage missionaries and their supporters to gather as a community to share the joys and burdens of ministry.

These guys are really good at developing mission and vision so I suspect that these will go through some serious revision, but I think they are a good place to start.

If you're interested in what I'm up to with the diagrams and all that, I'd be glad to share, I just don't want to publish them on the Internet. Ask and you shall receive. :-)