Tips for Memorizing Scripture?
I received this email today and wondered if others could share answers and suggestions. (This is an area I really need to work on in my own life and could use some encouragement in as well.)
Here is the email:
Here is the email:
Do you or anyone else have any tips for memorizing Scripture? I have been convicted to start doing this more as it is something that has been sadly neglected. It truly is easier to learn these types of things when you are still a young child. I know my mind is not as quick with memorization now as it used to be. So I am looking for some ideas on how to make the verses stick in my mind.
posted by Crystal Paine at 12:38 PM
20 Comments:
One thing that REALLY helps me is to have the Scripture put to music. I have a couple of tapes that are Bible verses put to music and I find that it helps me quite a bit.
I HIGHLY recomment memorizing whole books in order to really get the passages down, in their context- and its really not that hard and SO rewarding. When I was little, my parents always had soothing tapes of books of the Bible playing us to sleep. I have memorized all of Ephesians and James, and a friend of mine has all of Romans, from simply propping the Bible up while working out on the treadmill. Another friend of mine keeps chapters in plastic document protectors in the shower. At any rate, memorize CHUNKS at a time and work from chapter to chapter... its wonderful. Good for you, Crystal! We need more women who know lots of God's Word at the drop of a hat... this is an inspiration to me to keep it up too.
Memorization for me has always come through repetition and mneumonic devices. Key words and phrases repeated over and over again allow me to be able to remember things long term. I also make flash cards.
Crystal,
I recently decided to memorize Proverbs 31 and am finding it very easy because I have read it and heard it so much over the course of my life. I suggest you decide what you want to memorize and read it a few times throughout the day as you get the chance and it should just stick in your mind. I thought "mrs. b" had very good advice about the music. It is a really good idea.
I want to thank "mm" for the idea of putting children to bed with Bible tapes. I have been throwing around the idea of starting to put my five month old down to soothing hymns but a Bible tape/cd is an excellent idea!
~Jen
I recommend "hidden word". This isn't really a system, but you can do it with someone else. What you do is you have someone say part of the verse that you are trying to memorize, but leave out a couple of words and you fill in the blanks. An example of this would be Psalm 119:11 "Thy ---- have I hid in my ----- that I might not --- against ----." Easy!
I hope that this works for you!
Good point MM about memorizing large portions at a time. Good idea about playing the Bible on tape. I have the Bible on CD and I remember having the flu once and no medication was working and I felt soooooooo BAD so I put in a CD of Psalms and it lulled me right to sleep....it relaxed me when nothing else would.
I have the best way for me is to put it to music , otherwise I just forget them. I memorized many passages as a child and do not remember any of them except for the ones that were to music or the ones that meant alot to me! If I memorized them just to recite them, they didn't stick!
Thy Word Creations has whole chapters to music and they are wonderful! They are reasonable cost and we memorized Isaiah 53, Psalm 139, Psalm 91, 1 Cor. 13 and others.
Well, here's a way that takes a while, but is quite effective. I blogged about it here.
I recently joined a small group of ladies at church that hold each other accountable for memorizing scripture. You can read more about that at my blog, www.sarahellsworth.typepad.com under the Christian Living category.
In trying to memorize a scripture passage for the next month I have typed it up and taped it to my bathroom mirror so I can be reminded of it while I'm getting ready. In repeating this verse, my son has picked up on it. So he's helping me learn while learning himself!
I find it most easy to memorize something if I write it out several times. That way I am actively reading and writing at the same time and I tend to retain more of the passage.
When my middle sister was in high school she memorized the book of James. She slept on the top bunk and had passages taped to the ceiling above her head and she would read them over before going to sleep and when she would wake up in the morning.
~Jenny
I am working on the Book of James now. I found this website to be encouraging and useful: http://www.fbcdurham.org/writings/Scripmem.htm
I recently read a book called "The Heavenly Man" about the Persecuted Church in China. They memorize a chapter of Scripture a day. I think I can do a verse a day and I think that perhaps someday I may need whole books.
Here is another link I was looking for. This is another article on Scripture memory. http://www.foundationsforliving.org/Women/janet'sq.htm
Thank you for all the great suggestions. I am saving them all to review and put some into practice! I really like the putting them to music idea. It makes sense because I easily remember all the words to some hymns by the way the music goes, it definelty would help! Is there a website that I can order the Bible verse to music from?
~Jaclynn
Jaclynn:
My favorite Scripture songs are from a lady named Zana Reichen and you can buy her tapes at this site: http://www.avpublications.com/cgi-local/avpubshop.cgi
If the link doesn't work just go to www.avpublications.com and click on 'enter our catalogue' and scroll down to the music section.
If you like 'folk-style' Scripture songs, go to www.scripturesongs.com On this site I think you can listen to samples.
Again, I prefer the other tapes but everyone is different.
http://www.rtol.com/jonathanmeyer/thyword/
This is my favorite of anything that I have heard so far! I think because it is entire chapters!
You sure have me busy today looking all these great resources!
thanks so much ladies!
I have actually taped verses to my wall before and that did help.
I know I can do this!
~Jaclynn
Have you considered whether you are right brained or left brained dominant? Left brainers like auditory learning and right brainers like visual learning. if you are right brain dominant than auditory learning will only log the scripture in your short term memory. Study the works of Diane Craft you'll be amazed. http://www.diannecraft.org/index.html
The Psalms of David by James S. Freemantle was iluminated over a 30 year period would be a great visual learning tool. it is available on vision forum
miss kelly & miss andrea:
I hadn't thought of that! Thank you for bringing that up. I will check the website out and consider some options. I think I am a visual learner but I know that by reading and then writing something down it also helps me remember.
~Jaclynn
Diane Craft's video is a must. She is warm, friendly, and funny too! She opens doors for you that you never had the keys for and through it you'll walk into a whole new world of understanding your children and adults too for that matter. You'll never go back to the way you taught your children before you meet her. Her methods will produce many "quantum leaps" in families that implement the wisdom that God has given her. Get ready...how many times can you say "Praise God! A break through!" I think it's a great tool for adults who need to learn communication skills in the workplace or in business also. Just follow the principles. God Bless
Check out the website tbsis.com. There are 9 chapters of Scripture available put to wonderful music. A companion Bible study is also availabe for the chapter being memorized. Many people have been very blessed by all the Scripture they have learned using this tool.
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