Happy New Year! What dreams and visions do you have for your life this new year? I know there are a lot of things I want for my life and family this year and I’ll share a few of those with you below. However, first I want to explore the difference between dreams and visions.

Dreams and Visions Defined

There are several different definitions for each of these. However, these are the definitions I am talking about here.

Dreams:

Daydreams or fantasies about something greatly desired.
a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.

Vision:

The ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.
a vivid mental image.

While visions are comprised of dreams, dreams are not visions.

Dreams are drifts of the imagination, as if one imagines their future wedding day.

Visions are concerted efforts to effect change. They are directives or mandates. They can occur personally and organizationally.

Dreams are nice; visions take work.

Having a vision is all about turning those dreams into reality by developing a plan or process to make it happen. To have a vision means seeing the potential in an idea and finding or making a way for it to become reality.

Created On Purpose For A Purpose

God created us for a reason and nothing about who you are is an accident. From the color of your hair, to where you were born, your skills and abilities and the dreams you have in your heart. God put them there for a reason.

Whether your dream is to be a writer or a painter, an accountant or something else, God placed those dreams and desires in your heart.

Whatever your heart’s desire is, God wants you to be fulfilled in your work and He wants to use you to make a difference for His Kingdom.

“A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.”

Proverbs 18:16 MEV

My Dreams and Visions for 2024

Some of my dreams and visions this year include the following:

• Turn all of my books into audiobooks
• Write a new book about Discovering your identity and purpose in Christ
• Open my new online art and photography store- JoySpringsStudio- with my husband and make it profitable.
• Become a VoiceOver artist and narrator for audiobooks, commercials, elearning and animation.
• Do some more traveling with my husband back out west to the Oregon Coast, Utah, Montana and Arizona

These are only a few of my dreams for this next year. For each of them, I have started to take active daily steps to see them fulfilled. By doing this, I am able to see them become a reality as I work my plan.

Until you take active steps and have a plan, a dream will remain just a dream. By creating a plan and taking small active steps every day you can turn those dreams into a vision and then make them a reality.

You Cannot Do It Without God

One last thing about dreams and visions is that if it is from God, you won’t be able to do it on your own. You will only be able to do it with Him.

Seeing your dreams become a reality is a process of learning to listen to God and walk with Him side by side.

During the process of learning to listen to God and submitting my dreams, those things that are on my heart to do, my relationship with the Lord has gotten stronger as has my faith in Him to do exactly what He said in His Word He would do.

I know that I cannot possibly make anything happen on my own. However, I can take small steps every day, listen to God, and trust Him with the results.

What Are Your Dreams?

So, what are your dreams and visions? Are you making a plan and putting it into action and taking active steps to see it become a reality? Are you letting God lead and listening to Him along the way.

It’s worth the time invested and the journey with God.
I’d love to hear some of your dreams and visions for this next year. Just leave a comment below.

Have a great week.

For more devotions about God’s purpose for your life, click here or to learn more about what the Bible says about who you are, check out the prayer journal below.

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