Visioning

Getting started

I was recently inspired by a fellow church member to create a vision board.  I'd thought about completing one before and kind of poo pooed the idea as a bit of a shallow exercise. But, this year we asked our after school kids to each complete one and I must say I bought into the premise while helping the kids flesh our their hopes and dreams.  So, I am in the midst of creating my own vision booklet by collecting pictures and phrases from magazines I own.  I read in my devotional tonight that if I plan to dream big, work hard, stay focused and surround myself with good cheerleaders there is nothing God cannot help me achieve. It's a bit funny to have to visit this idea again at my age but it feels like the right thing to do during any transition phase in life.  You know, those times when the tension between multiple choices occurs?  My sense is, those times of tension and testing can be fertile grounds for fresh visioning.  I have no idea what the end result of my vision booklet will be but I do know two things: One, it took me having a clear vision to have accomplished the good things I have thus far and a lack of vision to fall into the bad things.  And two, there is a strong case for increasing the likelihood of reaching my future short term and long term goals if I write them down and not simply dream them up.  A vision board succinctly allows that to happen in a way that co-mingles the written, visual and tactile worlds.  For example, to make it to a far away destination for a vacation takes a desire to go somewhere, planning, saving, purchasing, packing, transporting, dwelling, adventuring,  It also takes conquering fears, doubts, disbeliefs and uncertainties to the degree that allows you to leave your current comfort zone to explore a new unknown zone.  One could start the process by having a vision about how all of that will happen, writing it down or using pictures to depict the various steps of the vacation process then watching how the pieces and parts all come together by a certain time.  There is something powerful about announcing an intention through visioning.  A way is carved out for it to come to pass in its time.  There is power in words; God demonstrated that at the beginning of EVERYTHING.  And if out of your mouth comes a representation of what is harbored in your heart then, it would stand to reason that a heart check would be the very first step of visioning.  So, for me, a vision board starts with identifying my desires which are the seeds that dwell in my heart.  Plant those seeds with your mouth and your hard work and watch them split open and grow. As a Christian woman I have to be cognizant that my desire is to pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace with a pure heart, wherever I go as we are reminded in 2 Timothy 2:22.  God will give you the desires of your heart even if they are sinful (read Romans 1:24-32) so this heart check is crucial to the visioning process.  King David asked God to create in him a clean heart and to renew a right spirit within him in Psalm 51:10.  Getting crystal clear about desire and intention is my first goal.  So, that is where I am dear reader.  I am not gonna rush this process because the manifestations will be bountiful.