1. A method of providing and operating a progressive, store and forward, messaging system capable of supporting near real-time communication, the method comprising: providing a communication application, configured to be embedded in a non-transitory computer readable medium on a communication device, the communication application including a progressive, store and forward, messaging module that progressively stores and progressively transmits over a network media of an outgoing message created using the communication device as the media of the outgoing message is created, the outgoing message intended for a recipient using a second communication device; and operating a progressive, store and forward, node on the network, the progressive, store and forward node on the network configured to: (i) progressively receive the voice media of the outgoing message from the communication device; (ii) progressively store the voice media of the outgoing message at the progressive, store and forward, node as the voice media of the outgoing message is progressively received; and (iii) progressively forward the voice media of the outgoing message to the second communication device, as the voice media is progressively received, when the second communication device is connected to and available on the network, so that the voice media of the outgoing message can be selectively reviewed in near real-time on the second communication device, without establishing a synchronous connection over the network between the communication device and the second communication device.