My Scripture Memory Tips

I shared yesterday some of my background in memorizing Scripture, how I fell off the bandwagon after college, and some of my crazy thought process that brought me back around. Read all that here. It is really more interesting than I just made it sound.

Today, I’d like to share how I make Scripture memory a daily habit - and the trial and error that led me to this system.

I’ll start right out by spilling the beans - I use 3x5 note cards. And every Bible School student shudders…

3x5 note cards have the tendency to give me hives, but I found it was the easiest way. That must be why they were so encouraged in college. :) I did my best to avoid them...but couldn’t. They really make the system work.

After trying a few different combinations, I decided that 3 verses a week is an attainable goal for me right now. That number may be different for you. Don’t be discouraged if you choose to just memorize one...a little progress is better than no progress at all!

Every Monday morning I write out my three verses for the week on note cards. I keep the stack I’m currently working on with my other Bible study materials.

I pin up one of the cards on the white board over my sewing desk. That way I can review it during down time - like while waiting for a bobbin to wind.

As you can see, I jot down a lot of other things there, too...it is super handy! Just a little hard on the eyes...

I have found it easiest to be reviewing one chapter at a time. So this week I am working on memorizing Philippians 3: 7-9, but each day I also review the other verses I’ve learned in chapter 3. This helps keep everything cohesive...I know not only each verse but the order they go in as well.

When I finish a chapter, I take a couple week to just review all the chapters I’ve memorized so far. This is so important. If I don’t review it, I’ll lose it. Simple as that. Review is so necessary!

Another thing to note:

I was so surprised how much easier it is to memorize a whole chapter as opposed to a bunch of separate, out-of-context verses. Memorizing a whole chapter is so cohesive...it is like instead of remembering a whole bunch of random words, I can remember an entire thought. Also, memorizing in this way sheds a lot of light on that particular passage. Verses that before didn’t make sense, now start to come together as I chew on them in context. Funny thing about that, right? It is like I am memorizing and meditating all in one whack.

So there is a handful of my memorizing tips, and what I have found works best for me right now. I am sure I've missed some things, and you probably have some great ideas, too, right? So tell us about them...what helps you memorize a bit easier? Do you have a love/hate relationship with 3x5 cards? Any review tips you can share?