Vision Boards: Envisioning God’s Plan for Your Life
One of Jennifer’s vision boards, with Jesus always at the center.
Have you ever felt like your dreams were scattered, like pieces of a puzzle waiting to be put together? I certainly have. Life can get so hectic that we often lose sight of our God-given passions, too busy accomplishing life and failing to flourish in it.
As John Ortberg states in his book The Me I Want to Be
The world badly needs wise and flourishing human beings, and we are called to bring God's wisdom and glory to the world. The truth is, those who flourish always bring blessings to others- and they can do so in the most unexpected and humble circumstances...
Only God truly knows our full potential and that he is guiding us toward that best version of [ourselves] all the time... For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do...
He pre-wired your temperament. He determined your natural gifts and talents. He made you to feel certain passions and desires. He planned your body and mind. Your uniqueness is God-designed.
This is why I love creating vision boards, connecting with the Holy Spirit and asking to see God's vision of my highest self that I am uniquely designed to be. My vision boards reflect who God tells me I am and what I want to prioritize in life so I can flourish.
For the last few years, I have enjoyed spending the days between Christmas and New Year communing with the Holy Spirit to see God's vision for my life and responding by creating visual representations of what I've seen.
I like to create multiple vision boards that focus on essential aspects of my life, including:
Lifestyle - how I want to experience my life
Purpose - how I believe God is asking me to co-create with him
Relationships - how I want to reflect His love in the world
I don't believe there is a right or a wrong way to create a God-centered vision board, remembering that the real value comes from the process of co-creating with the Holy Spirit- being prayerful and self-reflective, knowing what's important to you, and engaging with the Holy Spirit to give you spiritual eyes to see the vision God has for you.
While I love creating digital works in Canva, there is something about collecting magazines throughout the year and cutting/organizing them onto a physical board that excites my creativity.
I'm excited to break down my process with you. First things first...
What's a Vision Board?
A vision board creatively represents what it looks like to feel fully alive inside- your God-given dreams and aspirations. It's a collage of images, words, and affirmations that reflect how you want to experience your life. As believers connected to the indwelling Spirit of God within us, this can be a visual representation of the truths that God is speaking into our lives.
The idea is simple: when you surround yourself with images of the life your heart longs for, regularly seeing these images keeps these passions fresh in your brain. And, by inviting the Holy Spirit into this process, it becomes a spiritually enriching journey toward your flourishing self.
Gathering Supplies
magnetic whiteboard, or poster board, or corkboard
magnets, or tape/glue, or pins
magazines
scissors
photos
Bible
soaking music
The Creative Process
With my supplies at the ready, I dive into the creative process while listening to the Holy Spirit's gentle nudges. I start flipping through magazines, cutting out images and words that resonate with my dreams and passions, trusting that these are divine hints guiding my hand. Each picture and word had a unique meaning to me, from the sun-soaked beaches of Bali symbolizing my desire to travel the world and expereince God is his creation, to the word "balance" representing my quest for a harmonious life.
As I select the various images for my boards, I feel a sense of clarity and purpose emerging, illuminated by the Holy Spirit's presence. It feels like piecing together a puzzle of my God-breathed destiny, one image at a time.
Tip: Take your time with this process. For me, this can take days of prayer, soaking music, and lots of scripture to complete a single board.
Sticky notes serve as placeholders while I look for images that resonate.
”I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him. I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling —that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones! I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power.”
— Ephesians 1:17-19 TPT
The Power of Visualization and Spiritual Sight
My vision boards now hang prominently around my house, and I take a few moments to gaze at them every morning. It's incredible how something so simple can have such a profound impact on your mindset and motivation.
Visualization is a powerful tool, backed by scientific research, that helps rewire your brain to focus on your goals. When you consistently visualize your desires, you begin to see opportunities, make better decisions, and ultimately, take inspired actions to turn your dreams into reality. In tandem with this, the practice of listening to the Holy Spirit has granted me spiritual eyes to see God's vision for my life. I've become attuned to the divine guidance that shapes my path.
Refining my board and getting closer to a final version.
The Transformation Toward Flourishing
Since I created my first vision board, I've seen significant changes in my clarity of purpose. I've checked off several of my short-term goals, and I'm steadily working toward the long-term ones. The boards remind me daily of what's truly important and motivate me on my journey. At the same time, I trust the Holy Spirit to lead me toward the next steps that align with God's vision for my life.
But it's not just about achieving the goals on the board; more importantly, it's about who I am becoming as I grow and transform with a clearer vision. I've become more focused, resilient, and determined to live a life aligned with my deepest God-given desires and in harmony with God's plan, one step at a time.
My prayer for you is that the vision board process also helps you see the next steps that God is asking you to faithfully take on the road toward flourishing.
In Him,
Jennifer - Champion of Rest
