I’ve told you before that our family likes to make a game out of anything. Especially if there are points involved. Maggie is famous for making up these games and somehow she always ends up being the boss of the game in charge of giving and (more importantly) taking away points.
Anyway, when the girls were growing up we would work on memorizing scripture. Now don’t get the idea this was any systematized, consistent, we’ve-now-memorized-the-whole-book-of-Leviticus kind of thing, but we would do a game from time to time at dinner where we would go around the table and each person would have to say one word of the verse we were memorizing in order. Like this (Hebrews 12:11):
Laura: No
Maggie: discipline
Katy: seems
John: ?
Well the girls thought it was hysterical because the person who was the WORST at this game was John, the professional holy man. He would have them cracking up as he tried to guess the most likely words like “LOVE!, JESUS!, GRACE!….RATS!”
Now, I’m NOT a good memorizer either, but I’ve been hugely impacted by the way God has used my meager attempts at putting His word in my heart, and it is uncanny how He’ll bring a verse to mind (or even part of a verse 🙂 at just the moment I need it encouraging (or convicting!) me.
Since Maggie’s birthday and since John finally gave up his $15 phone, we now all have Iphones. I’ve discovered a verse memory app that I really like. Just type in “Bible Memory Verses” in the search box of the App Store. It’s free and it’s the first one that pops up (Woody Hays). It has a lot of core verses already in-putted, but you can also add your own and can designate some as target verses you’re working on. The coolest thing is that you can pull up a verse and touch “blanks” and it will create the verse with mostly blanks you need to fill in. If you forget a word you can just tap the blank and it supplies the word your missing.
My big idea is to have our family all work on the same verse again. The girls were all for it, (I think mostly cause they’re looking forward to us going around the table at Thanksgiving and watching John sweat.) In order to get buy-in I told Katy she could pick the first one (although maybe I should ask John so he’d have a head start). She chose Isaiah 58:11 for our first group effort. You’re welcome to join us or pick your own verse and ask someone to join you.
For Spirit Stretch Friday I thought I’d pass this along in case you’d like to add the app. Obviously you don’t need a special phone to find effective ways to memorize scripture! Is there other technology that you’ve found helpful in following Jesus?
Hi Laura! We STILL use our old index cards inspired by your friend Sue many years ago! The kids always enjoyed the goofy drawings I made on them to represent the words and would color them in. Ww practice them together in the car on Sundays on the way to church to keep them in our brains. However, last spring I found some great CD’s put out by professional musicians in TN. So far, we have albums 1,2, and 3, with the latter being my favorite. Some songs are geared more towards kids, but it is REALLY helping MY old brain to memorize scripture! (seedsfamilyworship.com)
I’d love to hear it!! Ironically, today with a post on technology I accidentally erased ALL past posts and comments!
I can just see you four in competition. I LOVE family around the table – eating great food and feasting on Scripture verses . . . laced in laughter and fun . . . making fabulous memories and loving each other with all your hearts …. because Jesus first loves each of you. It just warms my heart. Lord, thank you for FAMILY!!
Amen Betty! We are both so blessed!
I love this! I try to memorize scripture as well. I am so glad that you are writing about this topic. I love biblegateway and pandora to connect with God.
If you are looking for a feature rich Android app to memorize Scripture, try Remember Me (http://market.android.com/details?id=org.bible.remember_me). It’s Android’s most popular Bible memory app. And it’s free.