Learn some tips and tricks to maximize your efforts.
Find a couple tips or tricks that fit your style and make them work for you
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Tip – Be Patient. Hiding God’s Word in your heart is difficult business. It takes time and patience. Just as a farmer must wait for rain and for his crops to bear fruit, stick to the plan and wait patiently for the Scripture to take root in your heart. (James 5:7)
Trick – Once you have completed a Scripture memory project (an extended passage or book), take a week or so and write it out each day in a journal. Use the starter phrases to help you remember. Writing out what you have memorized will help solidify it in your memory.
Trick – Use a smart phone app to alert you when a new hour has arrived. This chime will trigger you to keep a habit of at least 8 “rips” per day.
Tip – Make a commitment with your partner to text message each other each time you read the chapter you are memorizing. This regular reminder and accountability is an enormous help. It really works.
Tip – Take a walk. From time to time, take a walk to review what you’ve memorized. A little fresh air does the memory good.
Trick – Run suicides, like at basketball practice. This is when you try to recite verse one. Then try to recite verse one and verse two. Once you can recite both, try reciting one, two, and three.
Tip – As frequently as possible, execute your hourly reading out loud. Sometimes you are not in a place where you can read out loud. In these cases, try to slip away to a place where you can quietly, but audibly read it. Reading out loud involves more of your senses: see it, hear it, say it. It would also help to smell it, but we’ve not yet figured that out.
Tip – Without looking, recite previously memorized chapters, and do this faithfully every morning and every night. This is also mentioned in the general directions, but it bears repeating and must never be understated. If you want to retain what you’ve memorized, you must review it every morning and every night. As you shower and dress in the morning and as you lay down to sleep at night, recite these completed chapters out loud.
Trick – Read and recite with gusto. We’re not memorizing the dictionary; this is the very Word of God. Be enthusiastic! Read and recite with emphasis and impact. Add a little drama for your mama. This trick will really help the Scriptures stick.
Trick – ESV lovers: You will notice on ESV Scripture memory sheets that some of the verse numbers are underlined. These mark the natural breaks and paragraphs made by the ESV editors. Noting these breaks may help you in your memorization.
Tip – Cluster extra readings together as time permits. You don’t have to stop at 8 rips per day. If you have time, read your material more than once per hour.
Tip – Take note of your sticking points. In every chapter there is likely to be a verse or two that you consistently stumble over or leave out completely. Make special effort to learn the exact addresses of these verses so they will are brightly highlighted in your memory.
Tip – As you memorize, encourage yourself by recalling the many benefits of utilizing the Figure 8 approach. Some benefits are listed for you below.
Share your own tips and tricks. |