Before being inspired to memorize whole passages of Scripture, in their context, from Janet’s book, His Word in My Heart, I’d occasionally memorize select verses. While memorizing any Scripture is always better than none at all, by my choosing to memorize only the verses I enjoyed most, in hindsight, it was like when I’d fill my plate at a buffet: I’d select my favorites and leave the rest.
Taking Janet’s advice, I started with Psalm 1. By memorizing the Psalm in its entirety, getting God’s complete message, I was blessed by the truths that I repeatedly set my mind on in order to memorize the verses, especially those truths that I otherwise would have missed had I only memorized my favorite verses from that Psalm. This is when I fell in love with meditating on Scripture.
Meditating on my memory verses is my favorite part of the memorization process. I learn so much more from a verse when I memorize it because I am daily thinking upon it and noticing things about it. To me, reading a passage from my Bible or memorizing that same passage is the difference between driving through my neighborhood or taking a stroll through my neighborhood. When I drive through my neighborhood, I’m able to notice the neighbor’s beautiful yards. But when I go for a walk, I am able to notice the beauty of my neighborhood in far more detail, observing things I never would have seen without slowing things down with a walk.
In addition to the joys of meditating on Scripture, I have been tremendously blessed by the memorizers in the HideHisWord Facebook group. After memorizing Psalm 1 and Isaiah 53, I joined this group and memorized John 1:1-14. It was my first time memorizing with a group and I absolutely loved it! Here really was where I began memorizing verses that I didn’t pick myself. I remember when we began memorizing Psalm 71, and thinking I can’t relate to David in this Psalm. But after much meditation on each verse, God made this Psalm come alive for me, and today it’s still one of my favorites we’ve memorized as a group.
Other Psalms I’ve memorized that I love are Psalm 34 and Psalm 103. Both encourage me so much!
These days I’m memorizing my first book—Philippians. One chapter down, and three to go! God is so good!
How is your retention going? That is my biggest problem. I can’t remember old ones when I add new ones. Review is good but my brain may be a little old for that part. It is still good regardless though. Thank you for your story.
Sheila, that was exactly the same thing I struggled with at one time. At the time, I was giving priority to learning new verses over reviewing the old verses. Now I give greater priority in reviewing old verses. My motto for review has become, “Don’t merely practice till you get it right, but keep on practicing until you can’t get it wrong.” Having just finished memorizing Philippians 1, I have good retention on it because I am reviewing it daily by reciting it once through. If I see a part where I get a little stuck, I will take note of it and try reciting it again. Each time reciting gets easier. The passages I don’t review or recite daily, I have less retention, but I know a one a day review and recitation would quickly freshen those passages in my mind. Blessings to you!
Thanks, Brooke! What I love about “Share Your Story Friday” is the inspiration it gives to all of us to press on- we’re on this journey together, we encourage each other with our testimonies of God enriching our lives because we hide His Word in our hearts.This helps us to “…always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…” 1 Peter 3:15 Blessings upon you, Brooke.
As for retention, I have found the app ScriptureTyper to be a blessing to me. It keeps me on track to review my verses and it’s fun! I review every night before bed using my iPad, and have it on my phone too, then fall asleep with His Word in my heart and mind.
In Him, Maureen
Maureen, that is what I love about “Share-Your-Story Friday” too! I have been so encouraged and inspired by all the testimonies on this blog. I love the incredible benefit of memorizing Scripture you mentioned within 1 Peter 3:15. I enjoy using the ScriptureTyper app, too. I agree, it really makes reviewing fun! My five-year-old and I have recently started the tradition of reciting her weekly memory verses while she’s in her bed just before I kiss her goodnight. Like you mentioned, I love that His Word is the last thing on her mind before she drifts off to sleep. God bless your day!
Hi Brooke. What a great account of your inspiration to move from individual verses to long passages and now Philippians. I loved your analogy of driving versus strolling through your neighborhood. I can really relate to that concept. Thank you for sharing your story with us. We all benefit when someone steps up to tell us what memorizing scripture looks like in their world. Press on, Brooke.
Thanks, Richie! I’m so blessed, too, by all the testimonies from people hiding His Word in their hearts. They encourage me every time. God bless you!
Brooke, I loved how you worded “getting God’s complete message” when telling us about memorizing Psalm 1 in its entirety. That is what I have awakened to the most when memorizing complete passages. To just take certain verses by themselves can leave out the full intent of the message God has for us in His Word. And like you, I love meditating on the passages I have learned during the review process. Sometimes I’ll just be saying the words quickly and I’ll be stopped by realizing something new with a verse I’ve recited many times. It’s awesome, His Word is amazing and I never want to get over it. I love your time with your little girl in His Word too, good job Mom! Thank you for your story!
Thank you, Vickie! I love how you put it, ” His Word is amazing, and I never want to get over it.” Your passion for His Word is inspiring. Blessings to you!
Hi Brooke,
Enjoyed reading your testimony and love how we are all encouraged together in the mutual faith we share in The Lord, His Word! Thanks for taking the time to share with us all of what a blessing it is to hide His Word in our heart, meditating on God, His truths and applying them 🙂
God bless you,
Chris
Thanks, Chris! I love, too, how the Lord uses the body of believers to build one another up. What a joy and privilege it is whenever we get to be part of the work God is doing. He is so good to us. God bless you!
Hi Brooke, I would love for you to tell us more about the Facebook memorizing group. How does it work? Do the participants all know each other? Do you all memorize the same thing or different passages?
HideHisWord is a Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/HideHisWord It is led by Lisa Burgess, Scripture Memory Director and writer for DoNotDepart.com How it works is anyone with a Facebook account and a heart to memorize Scripture can put in a request to join the group. No we don’t know each other, but over time we’ve had a great time getting to know each othe–which continues to be a blessing. While there are currently 383 members, it seems like about 20+ people actively participate on a regular basis. Generally we are memorizing a passage together based on the current Scripture memory challenge announced at Do Not Depart. Today they announced the next passage we’ll be memorizing is John 15. You can read more about it here. http://donotdepart.com/new-memory-verse-challenge It is not required that people memorize what the majority is memorizing. Some are memorizing other passages on their own but enjoy the fellowship and encouragement of the group. It is a great place to encourage and be encouraged in memorizing Scripture. I highly recommend it!
Excited to see you highlighted, Brooke, because you’re definitely the real deal with memorizing scripture! Your dedication sets the pace for all of us. I appreciate how much you share your schedules and tips, too, to help others who want to memorize.
Thanks for the shout-out to our HideHisWord group. We’d love to keep growing among those who want to keep God’s Word growing in their hearts.
And thankful that I finally read Janet’s book a few months ago. I should never have waited to so long! Truly inspirational to see that it IS possible to continue memorizing chapters over the long-haul.
Thank you, Lisa, for your sweet words of encouragement! I am so thankful for your heart to lead the HideHisWord Facebook group. You are such a blessing and encouragement to me. God bless you much!
Thank you for sharing your story! I just discovered the HideHisWord FB group recently–just in time to join in and memorize Isaiah 55! I will also be attempting John 15 with the group, but am a bit nervous since it is much longer than Isaiah 55. But the group has helped me so much!
Thanks, Susan! It is my joy. I am so glad you joined the group. You can memorize John 15. Remember it’s just one verse at a time. Verse by verse you’ll find memorizing John 15 is not any harder than it was to memorize Isaiah 55, it will just take a bit longer. You can do it, Susan! (Phil. 4:13) Rooting for you! God bless you!