Part 1 and Part 2 here if you haven’t read them. You’re hearing from Anna Marie again on her Bible Memorization series: practical encouragement on hiding God’s Word.
I had fully intended to write part 3 shortly following the others; however, first trimester of pregnancy, life as a mom, and starting homeschool took over! But here I am, back to tell you how we choose, keep track of, and review our verses.
First, a brief recap:
- Keep Dad and Mom inspired (If you haven’t already, I recommend quickly reading this free ebook download titled Whatever It Takes, from Scripture Memory Fellowship)
- Listen to an audio Bible
- Read personally and as a family
- Repeat frequently
- Sing Scripture (such as this: Amazon affiliate link which blesses the Titus2 ministry. See Titus2’s privacy policy.)
- Write it out
- Motivate (with a celebration, event such as Scriptorium or Bible Bee, etc.)
There are three main ways we choose passages:
1. Christopher sometimes chooses a passage for us to memorize that will meet a current character need in our family, such as Colossians 4:6, Ephesians 4:31-32, or Philippians 2:13-14.
2. We have been working through a catechism-type question answered with a Scripture verse, that was in our Christ-Centered Curriculum lesson guide. Things such as “Who is God?” (Jeremiah 10:10) or “Name the 3 Persons of the Godhead” (1 John 5:7), etc. It starts with God, goes through creation, Christ, Christian life, and more.
3. This year we participated in the National Bible Bee Summer Study (which was excellent!) so we had two passages each week to learn with that. When we share at a Scriptorium, we choose a passage (or passages) from the Scriptorium list we want to do and then work on that as a family.
I don’t have a perfect system for keeping track of what we have memorized. I’ve started a Google Doc and intended to add each passage to it as we go, but I’ve struggled to be consistent with that. What has worked for me the best is to write them out on index cards and keep them in a box (I got an inexpensive index card box at Walmart), then as part of our routine we have fifteen minutes of verse review where I cycle through the cards we have learned. We don’t get through them all each day, but when we are doing it regularly I know we’ll be covering them all over the course of a few days.
The children enjoy doing our review in Bible Bee format, where I say their name, they go stand by the fireplace, then recite the passage I give them. For instance, “Ruthanne, please recite Colossians 4:6.” She replies, “Colossians 4:6. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossians 4:6.” We all clap, then she sits down, and I say the next child’s name. Saying the reference before and after the verse is required for Bible Bee, and practically speaking, it does help us all remember the references better so we incorporate that.
Right now we are finishing memorizing 2 Timothy 2 as a family for the Scriptorium in St. Louis coming up on September 14th. In this process, I’ve been reminded again of the power of listening. Ruthanne and Lydia have wanted to listen to the chapter (I set it to repeat) during their afternoon quiet playtime, and I was surprised when Lydia started quoting the chapter and went several verses beyond what we have actually “worked on.” Granted, it wasn’t word perfect, but when they are that familiar with it, they pick it up rapidly. Just an encouragement to you parents to keep that audio Scripture going for your little ones!
Speaking of the Scriptorium—This is short notice, but if you’re in that area and want to share a chapter, there are still some available to sign up for—several less than twenty verses. We have been blessed by the time of fellowship and edification around the Word at Scriptoriums in the past and would enjoy meeting you there!
God bless you,
Anna Marie
“Thy hands have made me and fashioned me:
give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.”
Psalm 119:73
