The New Year is just two days away. What a great time to set some achievable goals. I offer different suggestions for Scripture memory goals depending on your desire and experience. Choose as many as are helpful to you.
• TAKE THE PLUNGE. If you’ve been inspired to memorize a passage or book of the Bible, it’s a great time to jump in. Begin with Psalm 1. With only 6 verses, it’s quick, motivational, and it only takes 1 minute to review. Start with verse 1 and add a new verse each day. When completed, review for another 6 days, then review once a week. Now you’re ready for a new project. I suggest the book of Titus, or another short book.
• RECAPTURE WHAT YOU’VE LOST. If you memorized a book in the past, but lost it because you didn’t review, don’t beat yourself up about it. Go back and pick it up. You’ll be amazed how quickly it will come back, especially the early chapters.
• DIFFERENT AUTHOR. If the books you’ve memorized are all Paul’s letters, branch out to James, or Peter, or John, or another author.
• NEW GENRE. Try a different genre than you’ve done before. If you’re accustomed to doing letters, consider expanding your base:
History – e.g. Ruth, portions of Acts, Esther
Prophets – e.g. Isaiah passage, Habakkuk, Jonah, Haggai, Malachi
Proverbs – chapters 1-9, and 31 are thematic and therefore easier than chapters 10-30
Gospel – take a portion, Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7) or Upper Room (John 13-17)
Poetry – Psalms, Song of Songs, Isaiah 40
Parables – prodigal son Lk 15, good Samaritan Lk 10, the sower Mk 4
• STRETCH YOURSELF. If you’ve been memorizing for many years, choose a longer book that inspires you or intrigues you. E.g. Romans, Hebrews, Revelation, 2 Corinthians, Acts, a Gospel. Make a plan to break it down (e.g. 1 chapter every month or every other month). Longer books can be a multiple-year project.
• STUDY AT THE SAME TIME. For years my routine was to memorize a book first and then study it. Now I’m studying and memorizing at the same time. This does take considerably longer because you can’t study while you drive.
• FIND A PARTNER, someone you can recite your verses with, or someone who also wants to memorize. It’s not necessary that you both memorize the same passage or the same version.
• JOIN A GROUP. Scripture memory groups are popping up all over the country. There is no end to the encouragement and inspiration of a group. You can register with our Online Community (BLOG page, right hand side) if you have a group, or are looking for a group.
Warning/caution: It’s great to be an eager beaver but be careful as you set goals. Unfulfilled goals can discourage you later by heaping unnecessary guilt and self-condemnation. If you’re just starting or if you’re a Scripture-memory dropout, take small steps so that you can develop new habits. Train yourself to capture dead time in your day when your hands are busy but your mind is free.
Our online community is a great resource for you. We love questions, suggestions, and new tips. Let’s learn and grow together.
Thank you for your suggestions. I had memorized I Corinthians 13 earlier this year(my first attempt to memorize Scripture), then lost a lot of it due to other “stuff” crowding into my attention. I’ve needed encouragement to get back on track to bring it back into memory, and to move forward. I am 58 years old and it takes me longer to memorize things than when I was younger. I am looking forward to memorizing more Scripture into my heart in 2015. God bless you and your ministry.
Thank you for the encouragement. I am still so thrilled by the video you showed us of you reciting the Christmas story from Luke. What are your goals this year? I would love to see you show us more of you reciting even if it is just from your kitchen. Your sweet voice just made the perfect setting for listening intently to every word. I look forward to each post you. I get excited to see it in my in box.
Happy New Year!
Hi Sheila, I usually write my new year’s goals on Jan 1 so that would be tomorrow. I really haven’t decided yet what I will memorize in 2015. I will let you know when I decide.
Great suggestions and so timely! Thank you.
Great encouragment. Thanks Janet.
Great timing! I needed a push. I’m stalled out after 3 chapters of 1 John. This is, for me, my biggest challenge yet because there are SO many similar verses and phrases. This online community is so helpful to me and a great source of encouragement. Thank you!
Yes, 1 John is a challenge with all the DEAR FRIENDS and DEAR CHILDREN. If you can make it to chapter 5 there is only one DEAR CHILDREN at the very end. Press on dear friend, you can do it.
JANET, thank you for your blog! It is a source of great encouragement!thank you very much!Happy New year!! 🙂
I’m going to borrow your acrostic SMART for 12 grade girls Sunday school this week. We will be encouraging them to set goals including memorizing scripture. Thanks for all your encouraging words.
I love New Year goals and usually mess up by setting them too high, I love your suggestions Janet. Mine is to pick back up with the Sermon on the Mount, and live it! After Christmas I reviewed hard Mathew 5 and 6 and have followed your advice and am going to keep the review going for about another week before I start on chapter 7. When I recite it I try to imagine what it would have been like to be there that day, on that mountain, when “he opened his mouth and taught them saying,” all the Lord’s best to you in 2015! And thank you for inspiring us on:)
Sometimes, like on a Ps. I start with the last verse first. I memorize the last one then move backwards up to the next one. That way when I’m done I am always starting with the one I’ve done the least and moving into ones i’ve done more, rather than less. Working into strength instead of weakness. One thing I do that is not altogeather good is mixing translations in trying to get the most understandable phrasing. The translators choose words. I pick one of theirs or their phrasing on a particular part. If I loose my memory book I could be in trouble. But even if my mind forgets I don’t think my spirit forgets. My daddy used to love one particular movie, “Ann of Green Gables” He watched it over and over. He started keeping track of it on paper and he watched over 100 times. He never could remember it,so it was always new to him.
I’m working on writing out Heb right now. Here is Heb 9:15-18 from the Messianic Writings by Dan Gruber: And by this means he is the mediator of a new covenant. In this manner a death has occured for release from the transgressions under the 1st covenant, so that those who have been called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a covenant, the death of what confirms the covenant must be presented, because a covenant is confirmed over dead bodies. For it is never in force while what confirms the covenant lives. Therefore even the 1st covenant was not dedicated without blood. Shabbat Shalom to all.
Thanks for the great counsel, Janet. May God use you mightily in this new year.
Paul
Thank you Paul. Let’s press on to know and love God more — and bring others with us.