Define, Learn, Do | God-Sized Dream Series

Welcome to the next segment in my God-sized dream series! You can find the previous posts here...the introduction to the series is here. 
This last week, our "do what you can" step for my God-sized dream was to stop delaying and start doing right where I am. 
This last week, Jeff and I went out to California to visit our mentors. We decided that we were serious about moving forward and we knew that we needed coaching. 
I believe that having a mentor or coach is so important, and we are blessed to have a wonderful couple who have offered to mentor us. We were able to grab some quality time with them this last weekend, and it was so good! I feel so blessed and encouraged after spending even just a short weekend with them. And it didn't hurt that we got to tour the beautiful Napa Valley to boot. 

{taken with my iphone}
A principle that I have been learning about the past couple years is called "define, learn, do." Society teaches us this....in the opposite order. I was encouraged to choose my degree, go to college, and then my profession would define my lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with that. However, it runs contrary to the success principle of first defining what you want your life to look like, learning from someone who actually has success in that area, and then going out and doing it. I was floored when I understood this principle because it made so much sense, yet, up until that point, I wasn't purposefully implementing it into my life. 
I have spent a good deal of time trying to visualize what I want my life to look like in the coming years. Who do I want to be {character/discipline}? What type of friendships do I want to have? What ministry do I want to be involved in? I have also been defining what I want my health, home, and family to look like. I can't always see what I need to change or do in order to achieve those goals, so that is where a mentor comes in. 
I am struggling to keep up with all the books that my mentor recommends for me to read, but I am trying my best! :) This last week I read "How to Forgive...When You Don't Feel Like It" by June Hunt. I cannot recommend it enough! I am currently reading: "Trusting God Even When Life Hurts" by Jerry Bridges. So far, so good! 
I am linking up at holleygerth.com.

{connect with Emily here}