{"id":10274,"date":"2021-07-14T11:36:23","date_gmt":"2021-07-14T15:36:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/?p=10274"},"modified":"2021-07-14T11:53:20","modified_gmt":"2021-07-14T15:53:20","slug":"four-more-summer-short-shots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/missionscatalyst.net\/?p=10274","title":{"rendered":"Gotta Get a Passport! Four More Summer Short Shots"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"gotta<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Quick, actionable missions ideas and a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Read or share the email edition<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Shane Bennett<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Does it bug you as it does me when people tell others to do something you\u2019re pretty sure they\u2019re not doing themselves? I bet my kids wonder about this when I tell them to take naps, but I stay awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, they\u2019ve no idea how much I\u2019d love to take a nap too!

You know the old saying, \u201cThose can\u2019t do, teach.\u201d Hoping to avoid proving this, I work hard to not ask anyone, including you, to do something I\u2019m not willing to do myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this month, I\u2019m sealing the deal. I\u2019m going to implement each of the following ideas. If it goes well, I\u2019ll write about it. If not, I\u2019ll sweep it under the rug! So here we go. Brief but binding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Get (or renew) your passport! <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I know, you couldn\u2019t have traveled this past year if you wanted to, so why bother? Well, my friends, that ship has sailed. Many ships are sailing again, planes are flying, trains are tracking, and God may be fixing to invite you to go somewhere super cool. Most of the least-loved lands on the planet pretty much insist on a passport to let you in. If you don\u2019t have one, it\u2019s very difficult to obey God if he asks you to go love the people there. 

If you live in the U.S. and want a passport, say for a possible trip with me next spring to reach out to Muslim immigrants in Italy, you may want to get on it. According to the State Department<\/a>, \u201cRoutine service can take up to 18 weeks from the day an application is submitted to the day a new passport is received!\u201d (The exclamation mark at the end of that sentence is mine. The chill State Department felt like a period would suffice. But 18 weeks deserves an exclamation point!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Say thank you.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Few things are as easy, appropriate, and beneficial as saying thank you. 

It blesses people to be thanked. It temporarily lowers your social status relative to another person, but in a healthy way. \u201cI received something I needed from you and I\u2019m grateful.\u201d I think it may even boost your sense of gratitude and happiness. One way to count your blessings is to thank those who brought them into your life. 

Around 100 people support my work financially most months. I\u2019m going to give each of them a personal thank you before another edition of Practical Mobilization hits your inbox.

Got anyone you could thank? Maybe\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n