Time to Pick a New Verse

It was just a few weeks ago when Elaine sent an email with the subject line, “For 2013 - A Challenge…” She was inviting women to join her in memorizing scripture throughout the year. As I read through the details my heart grew more and more excited. This challenge, lived out all year in community with other women, was exactly what I needed. Without hesitation I replied to Elaine and wrote, “I’m in!” 

Like many times in my life after I make a commitment a bit of fear and doubt begins to creep in. Can I really do this? Can I finish in December with 24 new verses hidden in my heart? The excitement and energy that initially drew me to commit, slowly drifts away without notice. My busy calendar and meeting the needs of my husband and three young boys seem to take over, and I allow a personal commitment to fade away. 

BUT this year I don’t want that to happen. With THIS challenge I want it to be different. THIS is my prayer.

As I prayed, I began to recall scripture I had memorized as a brand, new Christian in college. My junior and senior years of college were spent attending gatherings with The Navigators, a Christian ministry on college campuses. I joined a women’s bible study, and I was discipled by Linda, who was on staff with the Navigators.  Linda was the person who taught me how to share my faith, and part of that meant memorizing scripture. The first verse I ever memorized was Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” From that point on memorizing scripture was a part of my weekly discipline…well, it was until…I graduated, started working full-time, got engaged, planned a wedding, had baby #1, and so it went. It was harder and harder to continue the discipline of hiding God’s word in my heart.

So back to my prayer…as I recalled the scriptures I had memorized in college, I remembered a small, leather case I had kept the verses in. Linda had given me the case with blank cards inside. She explained that each verse I memorized I could write on a card to help me remember them. Now where was that case today? I ran upstairs and looked in my desk drawer. Sure enough there it was in the way back of the drawer. I pulled the verses out of the case, and then the Lord and I had a moment. Memories. Emotions. Tears. These verses had carried me through some dark valleys. Yet, here I was today healed, forgiven, beautifully and wonderfully made by a loving Father. 

There were blank cards still inside the case. What a gift from heaven above. I have been writing my 2013 verses on the cards, and I’m adding them to the stack just like I had done before. Here is the new verse I wrote for today:

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” 

Colossians 2: 2-4 (NIV)

I am truly thankful to be hiding God’s word in my heart with all of you. Sometimes I make it my quiet time to sit and read your comments. It renews my mind and gives me a fresh perspective. Living out this challenge in community with all of you helps me remind myself, “Yes, I can finish this challenge! Fear and doubt step aside. My friends and I are walking through this amazing experience together.”

Please share the verse you are currently memorizing. Click on the word 'comment' just below the dotted line, and enter your comment in the white box (you may have to scroll through other comments to find the box.) If you have any questions on how to leave a comment, click on the Blog Q&A post from January. You can find that post in the right margin. It will give you detailed information on leaving a comment.

Scripture Memory Challenge: Verse 2

Here we are already at our next verse for the year!  It's hard to believe that January is half way over.  Where does the time go?  For some of you, this will be your first memory verse for 2013 and we welcome you to this group, and are excited to have you join us!  

I was thinking about what we're tackling for this year….24 verses committed to memory.  That's no small task!  For many of you, this is a return to a discipline you practiced as a young child in Sunday School.  For others this is something you have done in spurts along the way as you've sought to grow in your faith.  Many of us have learned verses as we endured the hard stuff in life - painful, difficult, challenging circumstances where the only thing we had to cling to was a verse or two of God's Word.  

I can remember many times repeating Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Or, here's another one:  It was for freedom that Christ set us free, therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. And of course, this one:  "Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  

There are many others we could all share in light of how God spoke to us through the power of His Word - burned into our hearts and minds thru the fire of trials and adversity, that no one and no situation can ever remove.  While we certainly don't sign-up to go thru dark seasons, we do have the assurance that God's Word really is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  And aren't we grateful? 

Our God is not silent - His Word is replete with all evidence to the contrary; from speaking "Let there be light" setting into motion creation as we know it to "Yes, I am coming quickly," in the final chapter of Revelation where He promises a time where "we shall see His face…and shall reign with Him forever and ever."  Can you even imagine?

Well, before we're all delightfully lost in imagining something so wonderful, let me go ahead and post my next verse:

"You are My witnesses," declares the Lord, "And My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you many know and believe Me, and understand that I am He.  Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me." Isaiah 43:10 (NASB)

 I chose this verse because God really does want us to know and believe Him - and to understand that He alone is God - there is no one like Him and there never will be!  We can believe God - His eternal perfection and power is without equal.

Ladies, it is my prayer and hope that we will be women of the Word - so let's get going with our next round of verses!  Please don't forget to add your comment below - for those of you who commented last week, thank you!  What a blessing to read what you are learning and why.  I found myself wanting to memorize all of them!  :  ) 

If you aren't sure how to add a Comment, you can read Teresa’s previous post titled, ‘Blog Q&A’.  

This is an all-skate, Ladies - we are encouraging and spurring one another on through our posts and comments, so please take a few moments and let us know what God has laid upon your heart to commit to memory!

Blog Q&A

Hi everyone,

Thank you for joining Elaine and me on this great journey of hiding God's word in our hearts. A few questions have come up on how to use this blog. Here is list of Q&A’s to help guide you through the blog and upcoming posts.

Q: Do I have to pick 2 verses each month? Can I pick less than 2 and still be included?

A: You do not have to feel pressure to pick 2 verses each month. Yes, we would love for you to be a part of this group whether you pick 2 a month or less than that. Please know our hearts on this. It's not about the number - it's about making the effort to end this year with more of God's Word in your heart and mind than when you began this year.

Q: I haven’t started yet. Can I still join in?

A:  Yes! Anyone can join us any time!

Q: How do I make a comment?

A: At the bottom of each post it will tell how many comments have been made. Click the word ‘comment’ and it will display all the comments written. At the bottom it will have an open box for you to write your comment. After you write your comment you will have to select from the 'Comment As' drop box. If you do not have a Google email then choose Anonymous. When choosing Anonymous, please be sure to write your name in your comment, so we know who you are.

Q: I don’t have a Google email address. Can I still follow the blog?

A: Yes! You can ‘Follow by Email’, which means you will receive an email every time a post is added to the blog. To do this, type your email address in the box located in the right margin labeled ‘Follow by Email’ then hit Submit. You will receive an email with a link to Confirm you want to follow the blog. Click the link, which will take you to a page that explains you are now following the blog.

Q: Can I invite other women to follow the blog?

A: Yes! Feel free to forward the blog link to others and invite them to join us.

I hope this is helpful information. If you have any other questions feel free to leave a comment, and we'll be sure to get an answer for you. 

The Challenge in 2013

I love a new year! It's a blank slate, a new canvas, a fresh start. It's the beginning of a new journey.

In my role, I have the amazing opportunity to rub shoulders with extraordinary women of God. One thing I notice about you is your desire to grow deeper in your walk with Christ. You want to move past where you are to get to something new, you aren't complacent, you don't want the status quo, and you don't want to just mail it in with God. I love that! I love how you want to push past the ordinary kind of existence and enter into a deeper, more meaningful experience with the Living God.  You spur me on, you challenge me, you inspire me!

The CHALLENGE: 

This year I am going on a personal journey, a challenge, of "hiding God's word in my heart" (Psalm 119:11).  As I began the journey I thought, "How much more fun would it be to do this with other women!" Will you join me? Will you come along for the ride and see where God takes us?

The PLAN: 

Each year Beth Moore has a Scripture Memory plan on her blog community. The goal is to learn 2 verses a month - each woman chooses her own verse, because it's personal and thus more meaningful. At the end of the year the women get together and celebrate what they have learned...the 24 new verses they have hidden in their hearts!  

Can you imagine our celebration? All of us together sharing our 24 new ways to engage in effective warfare with our enemy?  24 new ways God can speak and minister to our own hearts thru the counsel of His Word?  24 new ways to experience God's power working within us thru His truth?  24 new ways we have chosen to renew our minds?  24 ways we can bless and comfort others thru the healing power of His Word?  

Let's Get Started:

Are you in? Then it's time to pick your first verse. We will post on the blog the 1st and 15th of every month to encourage and remind you to pick a verse. You are invited to comment on the post, and let all of us know which verse you chose. When you comment please be sure to include your Name, Verse, Reference & Translation then tell us why you chose that verse or how God is using it in your life.

Example Comment: My name is Laura Jones. The verse I chose is, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11 (NIV). I chose this verse because this year I want to focus on memorizing God's word.

A special note for those who don't think they can do all 24.  It's always an option to sign on and commit to doing 12, or 10, or 5, or even 1. It's not about the number - it's about making the effort to end this year with more of God's Word in your heart and mind than when you began this year.

Verse Ideas:

If you're looking for ideas of verses to memorize here are a few:

• "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
• "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11 (NIV)
• "For the Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)
• "This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." Joshua 1:8 (NASB)

I am so excited to go on this journey with you, and I can't wait to hear how God is renewing your mind, changing your heart and filling your soul. 

Grace and peace,

Elaine Scott

Women's Groups Director

Browns Bridge & Gwinnett Church