How To Memorize Scripture

"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

I have many fond memories of my family learning new bible verses to memorize each week. It's been years, but I can still remember the verses we learned.  It truly is amazing that our minds can recall all the things we learned years ago.  

It has been on my heart to memorize more scripture but I'm gonna be honest with you, I am not very good at it.  Multiple times I have started out memorizing a verse only to end up giving up about half way through.  Just this past month God has put it on my heart to memorized  Psalm 34.  This beautiful psalm has become very special to me... but to memorized the whole Psalm?  It seemed like an impossible task.  Why not just a few verses? If this was going to happen, I needed to come up with a method for memorizing scripture that actually worked.  

Well, I'm happy to say I found a way to memorize scripture that is successful!  I have not finished memorizing all of Psalm 34 yet, but I have memorized the first eight verses.  This is a huge accomplishment for me.  Here's how  I did it:

• The first step is commitment.  You have to be committed to actually taking the time out of each day to memorized and meditate on the verse(s).  

• When memorizing big scripture passages, or a whole chapter, take it small.  One verse at a time. Don't add the next verse until you are sure have the last verse down.  Sometimes I needed two days to meditate on the verse before I moved on.

• I am a very visual person.  Each night I would write out the verse I wanted to memorize in a fun creative way.  Then as I meditated on the verse the next day I had a picture in my mind to help me remember.

• Once you start putting the verses together it's no longer overwhelming.  Write out the whole scripture passage on paper a few times to help remember the order of the verses.  Repeat the verses over and over in your mind until you can say is smoothly.

And that's it!  That's my method for memorizing God's word.  Below I wanted to share with you all the lettering I created for each verse.   

"I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth, my soul makes its boast in the Lord, let the humble hear and be glad."

"Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together."

"I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears."

"Those who look to Him are radiant and their faces shall never be ashamed."

"This poor man cried out to Him and the Lord saved him out of all his trouble."

"The angel of the Lord encamps around all those who fear Him and delivers them."

"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him."

If you liked my lettering and want to see more please check out my Instagram account: @UniquelyHis4ever

Sharing Love One Leaf at a Time

I know fall officially started last month, but it really hasn't felt like fall until, well, about right now. The cooler weather has finally come!  And so has the beautiful color change in all the leaves on the trees.

Less than ten minutes away from where I live there is a neat place called Apple Hill.  If fall was a place you could go and visit it would be this place.  You can go and enjoy beautiful vista's while you munch on delicious apple pastries, and, my favorite, caramel apples!  

Since we live so close to this wonderful place I'm sad to say we hardly ever visit.  But today we packed a picnic lunch spent a lovely afternoon at one of the Apple Hill Farms.  As we were walking around looking at all the craft booths I started picking up all the pretty leaves I spotted on the ground. Soon I had a nice collection of fall leaves in many beautiful shades of yellow, red and orange.  An idea popped into my head and I took my marker and wrote little notes on each of the leaves I collected.

I wrote things like "Smile", and "you are loved", and "happy fall".  I also made a leaf pun; "I be-leaf in you".  

Next was the fun part.  As we were walking around I kept my eye's peeled for the perfect spot to place each leaf.  I looked for a spots that were out of the way enough so the leaves would not be stepped on, but I also didn't want the leaves to be hidden.  

Before long  my hands were empty and each leaf found a new home.  My sister even put one leaf inside one of the apple crates in the store.

I don't know if anyone will find these leaves, or if the wind will claim them.  Maybe they will get trampled on and forgotten.   But I hope that these leaves at least make one person smile. 

It was so much fun spreading love around in this unique way! My sister and I have decided to do this again on our next outing to Apple Hill.

My True Home

I cannot describe to you the joy that fills my soul when I hear the waves crashing against the shore and feel the wet sand beneath my feet .  A huge smile spreads across my face.  I could stay here forever.  The ocean is home.

Yet, as I stand on the beach taking in the sights and breathing in the fresh sea air, I am reminded of my true home.  No, not my home here one earth, but my heavenly home.

"And I am going to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:3

Standing on the beach, with the ocean before me I can't imagine a better place to be.  The glories of heaven is a mystery to me.  My human mind cannot imagine it.  But I know one thing;  My king will be there and He is all I need.  

I'm challenged each day with a new goal in life.  To live for Jesus and to keep my eyes on the things above and not to follow the ways of the world.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal". 2 Corinthians 4:18

Jesus is becoming my everything.  He is my joy, my comfort, my peace, my protector, my friend and He is my Savior.

One last time  I gaze out at the ocean, this time with a new perspective. I know that God's love for me is deeper than the deepest part of the ocean. With each wave that hits the shore I am reminded of the great promise God has given me.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16