What am I talking about? Click here to find out! You don’t have to be a Westheights Kids team member to get in on this…

It’s been a challenge, for sure…I knew it would be. But already, I’m finding it well worth it, this memorizing Scripture thing. I did it as a child; the verses I learned come back to me over and over when I need them most…As I look for the next verse I might want to commit to memory, I see the words in my Bible so differently–look for their meaning with new eyes…Let them jump off the pages, as I meditate about what God is using them to say to me today…

I’ve learned again that I’m a visual learner–saying the verses over and over just doesn’t power up my tired circuitry. It’s like I hear it, appreciate it, and then it fades, like an echo…So I tried writing it out, on index cards…

Better. But not sticking. In a moment of brilliance, I highlighted the key words…Ug. Worse. I had added blotches of an irritating neon green all over the card, blotches that did nothing to help me remember the word underneath it…

Most recently, I rewrote my verse, spreading it over 2 index cards, and replacing words with drawings and font cues that I could picture in my mind…Now I almost “read” the Scripture–can see the images in my head as I go along…

I think I’m on to something!

All that to say that memorizing Scripture is an intriguing way to get to know yourself, your learning style, and the way your memory works…

I’m just working it all out myself–especially how to make this a part of a busy schedule…But here are some off-the-top-of-my-head hints for visual learners:

• Write your verse out, rather than relying on an electronic device; handwriting, with it’s unique characteristics, is easier for many people to visualize.
• Use a spiral notebook, and carry your verse with you, taking it out to look at whenever you normally would pull out your phone to “fill time.”
• Post your verse where you will read it every day while you’re doing something mindless–like when you’re brushing your teeth, or instead of your bathroom reading…

I must say that kids have all the fun when it comes to learning verses–lots of visual learning going on, with pictures, individual words on cards, puzzles and the like…So if you’re a kid at heart, be creative!

It’s not too late to join in…Just post your verse–or verses, if you memorize more than one in February–in the Comment Section below. Include your name (if you’d like) your verse, the reference and the translation.

Here’s my first February verse. (You can use the same format.) Can you guess why it inspires me?

Charlene Neuman
O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.
…Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

Psalm 71:17, 18b, NLT

Now it’s your turn.