The Best Way to Treasure God’s Word

What comes to your mind when you hear “Scripture Memory?” Do you roll your eyes and groan? Maybe the last thing you need is one more item to add to your “Good Bible Study Girl” To-Do list. I don’t mean to take a flippant attitude toward God’s Word, but sometimes we have thoughts like this, don’t we?

When it comes to memorizing scripture, many of us have been there and done that. We remember reciting our verses in Sunday school to get the candy. Some of us gave up on scripture memory a long time ago because we can’t remember our phone number, much less memorize a Bible verse! Yet memorizing God’s Word is one of the most important things we can do to grow our faith.

I definitely don’t need one more box to check off of any list, but sometimes I do need something better to think about than my own whining thoughts.  I need a way to take God’s Word with me when I go out into the world.  I need weapons to fight against the lies and discouragement that Satan throws my way. That’s why I’m going back to scripture memory.

Memorizing Scripture is a Life-Giving Discipline.

Memorization is a practical way to store scripture in our hearts, treasure it, and keep it close. God’s Word grows our faith and strengthens us in the battle against sin.

Committing God’s Word to memory brings rich rewards:

• It helps transform our thoughts and renew our minds.
• We grow closer to God as we hide His Word in our hearts.
• God’s word empowers us and gives us wisdom.
• Scripture is our weapon against the lies and attacks of the enemy.
• It gives us encouragement and hope to share with others.

How to Get Started:

Keep a running list of encouraging, helpful, or challenging verses as you find them in your daily Bible reading or hear them in church. You’ll have a list to choose from when you want to start memorizing.

You’ll need something to write on. Index cards are great because you can slip them into your pocket while you’re on the go. I like to keep my verses in a little handy green notebook that fits in my purse. My friend Ellen Chauvin uses a spiral index card notebook that she can flip through and prop open. Use something small and portable, so you can take your verse out and read it during the day.

Getting Down to the Work of Memorization

1. Read your verse 5 times out loud.
2. Write it down.
3. Try to say it 5 times from memory.
4. The next day, read it 5 times, and say it from memory 5 times.
5. Work on the same verse one or two weeks.
6. When you start a new verse, review the last one several times a week.
7. Once a week, review 3-5 old verses.

What better way to treasure God’s words than to memorize them? Scripture memory yields great rewards, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Keep it simple. How about starting this week with just one verse? Two verses a month add up to 24 verses a year, and that’s a powerful deposit of treasure into our hearts and minds.

Now it’s your turn: Does the thought of memorizing scripture overwhelm you or encourage you? What has your experience been?

Did you enjoy this post? You can subscribe to get fresh servings of Faith Spilling Over delivered to your inbox. Enter your e-mail address in the box at the top of this page.

I’m linking up with Holly Barrett’s Testimony Tuesday, Kelly Balarie’s #RaRaLinkup, Tuesday Talk with Ruthie Gray,  Jennifer Dukes Lee’s #TellHisStory, Holley Gerth’s Coffee for Your Heart, and Lyli Dunbar’s Thought-Provoking Thursday.  Arabah Joy’s Grace and Truth, and Susan B. Mead’s #DancewithJesus. Check out these communities for more encouragement.

 

How to Save Time and Energy {Trust}

Worry! We worry about our finances, our jobs, and how we’re going to find time to get to the grocery store since it’s already 5:00 p.m., and the fridge is empty. We worry about our kids, our parents, and what we’re going to wear to the party this weekend. I ought to know. I’m an expert at it. I work myself up as if I could solve my problems by fretting.

But God’s Word tells us it’s useless to worry. Jesus asked his disciples, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matt. 6:27)

Now that you put it that way, Lord, I guess I’m wasting my time and spinning my wheels when I worry.

What if I could learn to channel that time and energy into trusting God?

David had plenty of problems. King Saul went on a manhunt for him. His own son rebelled against him. In Psalm 131, he reflects on the uselessness of getting stressed out over matters too big to solve on our own:

David also learned the discipline of calming and quieting his mind. Wouldn’t you love to learn that? Wouldn’t it be great to hand anxiety over to God in exchange for His peace? What if we trusted God like a child trusts a faithful father or mother?

Honestly, we probably can’t learn that today. (At least I can’t.) But we can make progress. By making small, daily choices to draw near to our Heavenly Father with our worries, we can learn over time to let Him calm and quiet our fears.

The next time you feel anxious, try these steps along with me:

1) Remember God’s Promises.
Read them in scripture and repeat them to yourself.

2) Praise Him for His greatness. Ask God to enlarge your picture of His power and love.

3) Pray. Ask God to provide what you need or to intervene in your situation. Ask Him for wisdom to understand if there’s anything you can do. If He shows you something, do it. If not, rest and put your hope in Him.

4) Choose to trust in His perfect love. He’s a good Father, always at work for our good. When doubts pop up in your mind, choose trust again and again.

We don’t have to waste precious time and energy replaying worries in our minds. God has the solution to every problem and the power to meet every need. We’ll find renewed strength as we practice putting our hope and trust in Him.

Now it’s your turn: Are you a worrier, like me? What helps you to lay your fears to rest?

Did you enjoy this post? Subscribe to get fresh servings of Faith Spilling Over delivered to your inbox. Enter your e-mail address in the box at the top of this page.

I’m linking up with Arabah Joy’s Grace & Truth, Susan B. Mead’s Dance with Jesus, Faith Filled Friday, and Deb Wolf’s Faith ‘N Friends.

10 Ways to Focus on Honoring Your Husband

I now realize what a brave man my husband was to take on a control queen like me when we married. Our power struggle started on the honey moon, when the poor guy tried to suggest a restaurant where we could eat dinner.

Seriously, one of my spiritual gifts happens to be leadership, very awkward for a woman in the context of marriage. If I’m not careful, my control queen tendencies crop up and cause problems. Only by God’s grace, my husband and I have enjoyed a 20 year marriage. We’re learning to work through our differences and make love our top priority.

While I hope I’ve come a long way since the “Let’s-fight-about-where-to-eat” days, my family still gets a good laugh out of the classic line from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Toula’s mother says, “The man is the head of the household, but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants.”

Apparently Toula’s mom had control queen tendencies too. Is it just me, or do you also spend lots of energy trying to turn that head the way you want? Sometimes we map out our own plans or programs and then hope to get our husbands on board. We ask ourselves, “Why can’t he just see things my way?”

For the sake of my marriage, I’m learning to ask a better question:

Do I want my own way or a better relationship?

Maybe it’s helpful to look again at God’s design for marriage:

The Amplified version of this verse offers valuable insight. The wife who respects her husband treasures him, honors him, treats him with loving concern, and holds him dear. Isn’t that a beautiful picture of the kind of wives we want to be?

How about making an effort to change the landscape of our marriages this week? You may not need this, but I do. I want to step beyond the “Me and My Way First” mindset to focus on honoring my husband instead.

10 Ways to Honor your Husband

1. Listen when he talks. Remember that just yesterday you were complaining about his cave man tendencies? So if he talks today, look into his eyes and listen.

2. Show him that you value his counsel by asking his opinion about your decisions, especially concerning your kids. You’ll benefit from his good ideas.

3. Honor him before your children. Tell them often how grateful you are for such a wonderful husband. Defend his decisions when they complain about how Dad won’t let them go to the concert or just doesn’t get it.

4. Express appreciation for his work and abilities.

5. Speak highly of him to your friends and family.

6. Encourage and support his projects and dreams.

7. Don’t question every decision he makes. Use discernment regarding how and when to express your opinions.

8. Never say “I told you so” when things turn out wrong.

9. Respect and respond to his need for physical intimacy.

10. Be willing to help when he needs something.

As we take our focus off of ourselves in order to do a better job of honoring our husbands, we reap the rewards of a better relationship. Friends, I get it wrong some days, but I’m learning that respect is the most valuable gift I can give to my husband.

Now it’s your turn. Which of these areas could you focus on improving this week?

Did you enjoy this post? You can subscribe to get fresh servings of Faith Spilling Over delivered to your inbox. Enter your e-mail address in the box at the top of this page.

I’m linking up with Holly Barrett’s Testimony Tuesday, Kelly Balarie’s #RaRaLinkup, Tuesday Talk with Ruthie Gray,  Jennifer Dukes Lee’s #TellHisStory, Holley Gerth’s Coffee for Your Heart, Lyli Dunbar’s Thought-Provoking Thursday, and Arabah Joy’s Grace and Truth. Check out these communities for more encouragement.

Hope When You Need to Know God Loves You

“Do you love me, God? I mean really, if you loved me, how could this be happening?”

Have you ever asked that question?

I was 28 when I asked it for the first time. I was young, yet unable to walk. Swollen, sore joints all over my body made it hard to lift a book or make a sandwich.  Even dressing myself was a challenge. The doctor said I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. I faced the possibility of living the rest of my life disabled and sick.

One day I hit rock bottom. I cried out to God, “I know you love me, but I just can’t believe it. If you do love me, please show me a sign.”

The Most Important Thing Your Kids Need to Know

“If we decided not to be Christians anymore, would we still be part of this family?” my son asked.

His question shocked me.

“Of course,” I said. “Dad and I would be sad, but we would always love you no matter what.”

The question opened the door to a great conversation about faith and family, but it shocked me for two reasons. I wondered if my son was actually contemplating a decision to reject Christianity. I also wondered if we had somehow conveyed that our love for him was conditional to his following Christ.

When You Need Hope to Rescue a Bad Day

Do you ever have days when you fall into bed and think, “Whew! I’m glad that’s over.” I call them crash and burn days, days when we need fresh strength and hope.

My last crash and burn day started with a jolt. Instead of leisurely quiet time with God to prepare myself for the day, I slurped down coffee and did Bible speed reading. Then I hurried to get dressed for a 7:00 a.m. online meeting. (Because who wants to show up for a video call in pajamas and bedhead?)

How to Cultivate a Happy Heart? 3 Habits

I really need to keep my glory glasses on tight. Rose colored shades help me see more clearly the beauty of God’s work around me.  All too often, I let gloom glasses blind me to God’s blessings.

You’ve probably worn gloom glasses before too. You know how those gray shades can cloud your vision.  One bad day makes you think your whole life is one crash and burn. You had a spat with your spouse, you’re out of dish washer detergent, and suddenly life looks terrible.

In a recent conversation, my 16 year old daughter suggested 6 habits for cultivating a happier heart. (The girl’s got a future as a life coach.) You can catch the first 3 in last week’s post, but now we’ll cover habits 4-6.

The One Powerful Focus I Want for my Life

How many hats do you wear? Do you ever feel pulled in ten directions? I’m a mother, wife, daughter, sister, teacher, chauffeur, pastor’s wife, friend, writer, and student. It’s easy to get mixed up about what hat I’m supposed to be wearing on what day. One day I’m working chemistry problems, and the next I might lead a Bible study. What’s my role supposed to be? I lose focus.

And then there’s the multi-tasking. How can a person cook a meal, answer an email, fold clothes, and answer a phone call at the same time? Then someone walks into the kitchen and says, “Have you seen my backpack?” It’s enough to scatter anyone’s brain! You lose focus.

I may not always see my calling clearly, and I may forget what I’m supposed to be doing, but I want my life to have one focal point:

How Can I Cultivate a Happy Heart?

Do you know anyone who wears gray-colored misery spectacles? No matter what happens, he finds something to complain about. Those misery spectacles magnify everything. The weather’s too cold, or too hot, or too rainy. The food’s too salty. When you’re wearing gray-colored glasses, your glass is always half empty.

Let me tell you, on my bad days, that person in the gray-colored shades is me. I can moan and groan along with the best of them, but I don’t want to be like that.

How can I exchange my gray misery shades for some rose-colored glory glasses?

The Importance of Finding Quiet in a Loud World

Do you ever notice what a loud place our world is? We hear so many voices: memos at work, emails, phone messages, calls, texts, and family needs. You listen to a disturbing news story while you cook dinner. Your child needs to take 24 cupcakes to school tomorrow. Your teen needs to talk, and he needs a ride. The guy on the freeway behind you is flashing his lights and honking.

It can make your head spin and knock your soul off kilter. Pretty soon you’re doing double back flips on the inside. You feel like you’re hopelessly behind and there’s not enough of you to go around anyway.

A few minutes with your Shepherd can get you back on track.