I was scrolling mindlessly on Instagram reels towards the end of last year when I stumbled upon a sermon excerpt from a pastor I don’t listen to. I quickly scrolled past but felt a nudge to return to the reel. The pastor said something that would change my life forever. I’ve always been a vision board girlie; every year, I’d cut and paste pictures and texts and create one with high hopes and big dreams, but my vision board has never fully come to pass. Sure, I might achieve one or two goals, but never all. In 2020, I even shared a vulnerable post about my failed vision board: you can watch it here: MY FAILED 2021 VISION BOARD

But this pastor showed me a better way. When I created vision boards, I didn’t care if my goals aligned with what God wanted for me. I simply cut and pasted pictures of what I wanted—never what God wanted. 

In the Bible, David never went into battle without asking God, “Should I pursue?” And when God said yes, David pursued—and he won. What if we approached our lives the same way? What if, instead of cutting and pasting our goals and dreams onto a vision board, we paused and asked, “God, what do You want me to pursue this year? Where do You need me? What’s Your vision for my life?”

That sermon changed my life forever, and I decided to do things differently this year. I asked God those exact questions and he gave me goals and assignments beyond anything I could have imagined, and I am watching him bring them to pass.  

When God shapes your vision board, failure isn’t an option. He’s more ambitious for your life than you are, and his plans are bigger and better than anything we can imagine.

What if your vision board is working out, and you didn’t ask God? That’s still not good enough. Just because it’s working doesn’t mean it aligns with God’s purpose for you. Success in the world’s eyes doesn’t guarantee success in God’s eyes. Even if everything seems to be going well, I encourage you to step back and ask God, “What would You have me do in 2025?”