GOALS

As part of my Masters course work this week, I have been required/challenged to"Develop and articulate my personal vision, mission, core values, and primary goal(s) and contrast them to the organization for which I currently work; And then to ask if there is a gap".

Now, if an individual is to take this assignment seriously, clearly this is going to take a little bit of time. How does a person even go about establishing what their life goals and values are and then apply them to a life that is not yet determined or planned out? The only thing that I can say is that whatever conclusion we all come to in terms of OUR plans for our lives-There has to be an escape clause that says ".....unless God decides otherwise because, ultimately, I don't have a freaking clue how to run my own life.....I only have the best intentions, and since I don't really want my road paved to Hell=God feel free to take over at any point and right my ship!"

Those of you that know me, know that I have been working on my core values and mission statement as a part of my growth during my Masters journey for a while now. Everything that I am cries out to be an effective minister within the realm of Student Development. It is my heart's passion to find a way to be greater than I am and have an impact with students. I was blessed to be humbled by my work at White's Residential and Family Services for the last 2 and a half years but now have found my way back into the Collegiate ranks again.

Here is what I have managed so far:

MISSION: To develop people within a Christ-centered Residence Hall Community who are community focused, principle driven, and fit: mentally, spiritually, and physically.

CORE VALUES:

I-Influence Others
M-Model Servanthood to the city community
P-Practice Integrity
A-Accelerate Positive Change
C-Create community focus within the Residence Hall
T-Teamwork is our Leadership Model

These have been the basic mission and Core Values that I have had established for over 5 years now. In any great undertaking, application and results are always the most difficult thing to establish. It is one thing to have an idea or direction for HOW to get somewhere but it is a totally different thing entirely to make that direction personal and real. I do however have some personal goals/dreams that I have thrown out for myself to try and stay focused:

1) Research doctoral programs and be ready to enroll by the time I am 40-with a plan on how to pay for and complete the program by the time I am 45=Right now I am leaning towards a Ph.D in Organizational Leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

2) Research ways to improve my credit and be ready to settle down into a house by the time I am 40.

3) Actually commit to living in Abilene:

-Commit to a church home
-Establish a role in a Sunday School class of people my own age.
-Join a Bible study
-Start and actually stick to an accountability group
-Find a local doctor, insurance agent, Vet, Bank, etc.
-Find my 'favorite' restaurant

4) Be the Associate Dean/Assistant Director of a Student Development program by the time I am 35.

5) Run my own Student Development program someday.

6) Settled down closer to my family.

I am still trying to figure out just exactly why God brought me to Abilene and even whether it was God's direction that I was following. What I do know is I am committed to pressing on towards the goal of finding the answers to those questions. Please take the time to consider looking at your own life and goals and writing them down and sharing them with those closest to you so that you can get the most out of the desires of your heart that God has given to you.