My story with Scripture memorization is not uncommon, nor is it finished. I am definitely a work in progress!
Growing up in a Christian home, I was very familiar with the Bible. I had some verses memorized but more often I had a general idea of where various things could be found in the Bible – a useful tool but not the same as having the Word of God actually in your heart and mind.
Being a busy mom (we homeschool our 7 children) I liked to help my children with their Bible verses but didn’t really think I had time to work on memorizing (especially long passages) myself. Enter dear friends who started up an all-age memorization group! Our “director” was excited and motivating but then he gave us some tools; one tool being Janet’s book, His Word in My Heart.
The lesson that most resonated with me was that I may not have long blocks of time to memorize but I do have many small ones. What a blessing, truly, it is to redeem all those small moments throughout the day for a greater purpose! The other lesson that has kept me going is learning that the process is as important as the goal.
Before being given Janet’s book, I had chosen Titus as the book I wanted to work on. I was excited to see that Titus was the book Janet used to teach memorizing a book! Learning to study as I memorized helped in making the verses my own. I made it through Titus! My very first book!
Then, though I intended to review often, I did not set up a real plan and promptly forgot what I had learned. At first I was quite discouraged but then the lessons came back to me. God met me in the process! Those days of meditating on Titus – His very words – were exactly what I needed at that time. I also am hoping that re-memorizing it will come a bit easier this time around.
So, I am currently working on 1Peter. I am setting up a journal to help me to study/meditate on the verse as I memorize it. I am also working on reviewing verses I have memorized in the past. Our group works together to find tools to help us memorize and our gathering together to recite is one of my very favorite times each month!
Kelly,
You are an inspiration to me.I like that you said that you are a work in progress.your determination to get back what you lost is a great example to me. YOU just keep pressing on for the glory of God,by His great Grace.Thank you for all you do for the LORD. I LOVE YOUR inductive Bible study on 1Peter.Keep pressing on in God’s strength. Love you sister.I will pray for you while you memorize 1Peter.
Thanks Paulette! You have certainly experienced God’s grace in the process of memorizing passages, losing them, then having God, in all His grace, mercy and kindness meet you once again as you work to re-memorize old verses or struggle through new ones. Although “His mercies are new every morning” applies to so many things larger and more important than my own path to hide His Word in my heart, I am thankful that those new mercies include that path! Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer. I will pray for you as well!
Kelly
Thanks for sharing your story,the desire that you have to memorize the Bible has been a great encouragement to me. The example You are setting for your kids and everyone around you is everlasting. It’s exciting to see the joy that you have when you quote scripture. You and your family minister to so many people in our church body, I am glad to know that LWI in some small way has ministered to you. Keep memorizing and delighting in God’s Word,and thanks for being an example to the flock of LWI
Mickey,
LWI (Living Word Initiative) has ministered in much more than a small way! My prayer for others wanting to memorize Scripture is that they will be able to find or to start a group like this. It is such a help to have a regular accountability time to aim for, to have people who are so encouraging, to have others who will share helpful hints, and to have a time set aside to hear God’s Word spoken! I am so thankful for this group. Thank you for leading the charge!
Kelly,
Thank you for sharing your story–it inspires and motivates me. I especially latched on to your idea to set up a journal for study and meditation. I so needed to hear that because studying what the passage says IS such a help for meditation (and I need help in that!). May the Lord continue to bless you in His Word!
Thank you Shari! He IS blessing! 🙂 I hope the journal idea works for you (and for me!). I love how using all the various ways of being in God’s Word – reading, memorizing, meditating, studying,… – work together to truly set His words into our hearts and minds and thus into our lives. The Lord bless you as you engage His Word as well!
Kelly,
Thank you for sharing your story! The last meeting of LWI, and Janet’s book, have encouraged me to start memorizing again. You might remember, I had memorized Psalm 16, but didn’t review it and it vanished from my mind. I’m happy to report that using Janet’s suggestion about those short moments throughout the day worked for me, and I’ve re-memorized Psalm 16! And it WAS easier this time. Great job, and thank you for your example and encouragement!
Hooray Becky! I’m sure the Lord will lead you to a passage that really speaks to and encourages and challenges your heart right where you are! I hope having Psalm 16 readily available will be a blessing to you on your various deployments. Thank you for sharing in His faithfulness!
Dear Kelly, You encourage me every day to reach higher, to fix my gaze on Jesus. Thank you for sharing the tools and ways we can redeem our time in order to memorize scripture. I used the scripture memory app you steared me to yesterday to make good use of my time while waiting for an appointment. Thanking God for your ministry to me. Love, Mom
Good Morning Bama!
You do the very same for me! I am always challenged by your continuing desire to do what He has for you. Janet’s most recent blog reminds me of you in that you seek to take what you are learning/studying/reading/memorizing and not leave it in your head alone but to have it invade your heart and life. Love you and am thankful for your example!
Kelly – I am so proud of you and what you have done in this last year with your memorization. You are an awesome wife to me and a wonderful mother to our children. I am excited to see what God is doing in our family and how all of us are growing. God has blessed our family richly through you. Keep up the good work!
I love you!
Kelly, I so agree that the process is as important as the goal. I am constantly amazed how God uses memorizing and reviewing to bless me richly and give me a greater glimpse of Him and His mighty power and grace. Thank you for sharing your experiences. What an encouragment.
Thank you Lisa! I too am blessed to see Him through His Word and especially as He lays it on our hearts through memorization. He’s so good to us!
What a blessing to have a local memory group to work with! I’m a homeschooling mom of 5 and I find my memory work helps me keep my focus and priorities in the right place.
Hello Jennifer! With homeschooling your children I’m sure you understand the joy I had when I was encouraged to take advantage of all the small moments during the day – perfect since we rarely have large blocks of time! 🙂 Having the memory group has been a wonderful encouragement. We include our memory into our homeschool and all attend the group together. It truly does help, as you said, keep our focus and priorities in the right place. I think that not having large blocks of time and learning to take advantage of the small moments helps with that because we are continually being reminded what our focus is!
Hi Kelly!
Fellow busy homeschool mom here. I’m so glad you’ve discovered those random times we moms have that are “tiny” but when redeemed — they are “timely”. Really love the journal idea. Keep that going for sure. This won’t work for everyone, but here is what saves me. I print my chapters out in landscape, 3 columns with different colors for each verse. Sounds time consuming but it isn’t. Takes maybe 10 minutes MAX to set up and you are set forever with that chapter. I print out a bunch of copies and up they go. On the fridge I open and close 100 x a day, above the sink where I do 100 dishes a day (seems like), on the cabinet above the washer/dryer where I fold clothes 100 hours a week (seems like?), on the edge of the counter where I prepare lunches, on the bathroom mirror, the walk-in closet, etc… Everywhere I turn I see my chapter. Thank you for sharing your story, and whatever your method is— KEEP MEMORIZING!
Cherie, thank you for your encouragement and for sharing your ideas! I like to keep a copy of my passage in my pocket when I walk or am out and about. I keep one in our homeschool notebook since that is with me quite a bit. I also place one in a sheet protector and hang it in the shower! That frequently ends up being my main time to learn a new verse and I use the other moments during the day to review it. I really like how you have yours in so many places. I would imagine that it goes a long way to having the right attitude about homeschooling and homemaking when you are being blessed through God’s Word while doing the daily tasks. It’s hard to grumble when the Spirit is constantly reminding you of the verses you’re working on and showing you His glory!
Hi Mrs Jungling
Inspiring story thanks for the encourgment you and your family have been to me over the past couple of years. I really enjoy the inductive Bible study that you lead. Thanks for sharing the tools that have helped you in memorizating the Bible, I will try using them as I memorize Romans Chapter 8.
Thanks Beka! Keep me posted on how Romans 8 is coming along. What a full chapter! You’ll be blessed having that one in your heart and mind!
I really appreciate your insights on memorizing amidst a busy life. I have no idea what’s it’s like to be a busy mom, but as a college student, life can get pretty crazy. Your story was a great reminder to me to redeem those “small moments” of the day. Remember the words of Paul in Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. You are a great encouragement to me as well as many others.
Thank you for the encouragement to not lose heart! I think redeeming those small moments through memorization helps with that because it keeps our eyes on Him rather than on the weariness of life.
Dear Kelly,
I was excited that you are learning I Peter! It was the first book that I ever memorized and it has been a huge blessing to me and I know it will be to you too!
Thank you Carmen! It IS a blessing! I’m still in Chapter 1 but the exhortation to “set your mind fully on the grace that will be brought to you,” and the reminder that God calls us to and provides the way for a standard of holiness far beyond ourselves is convicting and causes me to do the very thing called for: look to Him! Set my mind on Him! I’m eagar to dig into the rest of the book verse by verse!
Hi Kelly, Thank you for sharing your story. Even busy moms with 7 children can find moments in their day to keep God’s Word fresh in their minds. May your home be a place where God’s Word is spoken in every room and embraced in every heart.