The last week of the year can feel like standing in a doorway—one hand holding everything you’ve just walked through, and the other reaching for what’s ahead.

If you’re in the sandwich generation or caregiving for aging parents, your year might have felt less like a neat planner and more like a fire drill. You may be ending December tired, a little heartsore, and wondering how you’re supposed to think about goals when so much of your life feels out of your control.

That’s exactly why setting goals with God is different.

Instead of hustling, striving, or trying to reinvent yourself overnight, you’re inviting the Lord into your planning. You’re asking: “God, what do You want to grow in me this year? What do You want to do in my home, my heart, and my family?”

This post will walk you through:

• How to create a Christ-centered prayer board (a faith-filled twist on a vision board)

• How to set goals with God instead of just for God

• A few gentle, trending faith practices for the new year—like choosing a “word of the year,” creating a simple “rule of life,” and habit stacking with grace

No pressure. No perfection. Just you, your planner or notebook, and the One who already knows every day of the year ahead.

1. Start by Looking Back With God

Before you rush into resolutions, pause and look back over the year with the Lord.

Grab a journal and a quiet moment (even if it’s in the car pickup line or at the kitchen table after everyone’s asleep) and ask:

• • Where did I see God’s faithfulness this year?

  • What did I walk through that I never imagined—and how did God carry me?

  • What did I learn about Him? What did I learn about myself?

  • What needs to be surrendered before I step into the new year? (guilt, resentment, fear, disappointment)

You’re not doing this to judge yourself. You’re doing it to notice God’s presence and clear space in your heart.

When we reflect with Him:

• • We stop pretending we can do everything alone.

  • We make room for new hope, new direction, and new rhythms.

2. Choose a God-Given Focus or “Word of the Year”

One popular (and very helpful) trend among Christians is choosing a “word of the year” instead of a long list of resolutions.

Instead of:

• • “Lose 30 pounds.”

  • “Read 20 books.”

  • “Never get behind on laundry again.” (😅)

You choose a single word or phrase that becomes a heart focus for the year—something like:

• • Rest

  • Steadfast

  • Rooted

  • Joy in the everyday

  • Peace in the chaos

  • Faith over fear

Ask God: “Lord, what do You want to grow in me this year?”

Then pay attention:

• • Scriptures that keep popping up.

  • A theme in your prayers or sermons that you hear.

  • A word you can’t seem to shake.

Write that word in your journal, at the top of your planner, and—soon—on your prayer board.

3. How to Create a Christ-Centered Prayer Board

Think of a prayer board as a faith-filled vision board: it’s not about manifesting your will, but agreeing with God’s heart and reminding yourself of His truth.

You can use:

• • A corkboard

  • A magnetic whiteboard

  • A large poster board

  • Or even a digital board in Canva if you’re more virtual

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

• • • Board or poster

    • Sticky notes, index cards, or small pieces of cardstock

    • Washi tape, markers, pens

    • Printed Bible verses, quotes, or song lyrics

    • Photos (family, home, your parents, your goals)

    • Any small images or words you cut from magazines or printables

Step 2: Divide the Board into Prayer Areas

Create sections that fit your real life. For example:

• • • Spiritual Life: Prayer, Bible study, church, serving

    • Marriage & Family: Spouse, kids, grandkids, aging parents

    • Health & Wellness: Physical, mental, and emotional health

    • Home & Homestead: House projects, homestead goals, peaceful routines

    • Finances & Future: Budget, debt payoff, savings, planning for the future

    • Calling & Ministry: Caregiving, encouragement, writing, small acts of kindness

Write the headings on the board so they’re clear.

Step 3: Add Scripture First

Before you add goals, add God’s Word.

Place a verse or two in each section. For example:

• • • Spiritual Life: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

    • Family: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

    • Anxiety/Uncertainty: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

This frames your board not as a wish list, but as a prayer wall rooted in Scripture.

Step 4: Add Prayer Requests and God-Shaped Goals

On sticky notes or cards, write:

• • • Specific prayer requests (for your mom, your kids, your marriage, your health)

    • Gentle goals you sense God leading you toward

Examples:

• • • • “Spend 10 minutes with God each morning before checking my phone.”

      • “Plan one simple family night a month, even if it’s just pizza and a movie at home.”

      • “Take a 10-minute walk 3 days a week to care for my body and clear my mind.”

      • “Start saving $50 a month for emergencies.”

      • “Call Mom/ Dad’s doctor with questions instead of ignoring my worries.”

Think of these not as demands but as prayerful intentions—things you’re asking God to help you walk out, step by step.

Step 5: Leave Space for Answered Prayers

Set aside a small corner labeled “Answered Prayers / God’s Faithfulness.”

As God responds:

• • • Move sticky notes there

    • Add new cards with dates and short notes:

      • “January 18: Mom had a calm, peaceful day.”

      • “March: Unexpected help with caregiving.”

      • “July: Paid off a credit card!”

Your board becomes a living testimony, not just a planning tool.

4. Setting Goals With God: Surrendered, Not Striving

How do you actually set goals with God?

Here’s a simple framework:

1. Pray Before You Plan

Instead of writing what you think you “should” do, ask:

• • • “Lord, what is mine to carry this year—and what isn’t?”

    • “Show me where You want me to focus.”

2. Align with God’s Character and Word

If a goal feeds shame, comparison, or pride, it probably isn’t from Him.

God-shaped goals:

• • • Honor your God-given limits

    • Leave room for rest

    • Reflect His heart: love, peace, faithfulness, kindness, stewardship

3. Make Them Gentle & Specific

Instead of: “Read the whole Bible this year,” try: “Read one chapter a day from the New Testament and talk to God about it.”

Instead of: “Be more patient,” try: “Pause for a breath and silent prayer before responding when I’m frustrated.”

4. Build Small, Repeatable Habits (Habit Stacking)

Another helpful, trending idea is habit stacking—connecting a new habit to an existing one.

• • • While the coffee brews → Pray for your family.

    • After you tuck the kids in → Whisper one prayer over them.

    • When you plug in your phone at night → Write one sentence of gratitude.

Little things done with God become powerful over time.

5. Create a Simple “Rule of Life” for Your Home

A “rule of life” sounds fancy, but it’s really just a trellis—simple rhythms that help your life grow in the right direction.

For a Christian household, that might look like:

• • Daily:

    • 5–10 minutes of Scripture or prayer

    • One meaningful conversation (even if it’s short)

  • Weekly:

    • Family dinner or game night

    • One block of Sabbath-style rest (an afternoon with no chores, just being together)

  • Monthly:

    • Review your prayer board and update prayers/goals

    • Choose one task that will bless your future self (organize a drawer, update a budget, plan appointments)

You don’t have to do it perfectly. The point is to live intentionally with God, not on autopilot.

6. Invite Community into Your God-Given Goals

We aren’t meant to do life—or a brand-new year—alone.

Consider:

• • • Sharing your word of the year with a trusted friend.

    • Snapping a picture of your prayer board and sending it to a friend who will pray with you.

    • Asking your spouse or kids what they’d like to see on the family prayer board.

    • Gathering a small group (in person or online) to share goals and pray over each other.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply say, “Here’s what I’m hoping for… will you pray with me?”

A Final Word of Encouragement

If you’re reading this at the end of a hard year, please hear this softly:

You don’t have to fix everything by January 1. You don’t have to organize every room, rescue every relationship, or become a brand-new version of yourself overnight.

You are allowed to:

• Bring your weariness to God

• Let your goals be simple, small, and honest

• Make a prayer board full of scribbles and sticky notes and still call it holy

The most important “goal” for the new year isn’t a number, a size, a perfectly kept house, or a color-coded planner.

The most important goal is this: Walk closely with God in the life you actually have.

And as you walk with Him—one prayer, one decision, one day at a time—you’ll look back and realize He was shaping you all along.