Scripture memorization is something I’ve felt the Lord impress on my heart during this year. “Abide” is my word for 2019 and I feel that being able to recall scripture from memory goes hand in hand with abiding in the Lord. Honestly, I hadn’t done as well at memorizing as I would have liked! But, I’ve challenged myself in this last quarter of the year to really kick it up a notch! So, here are some tips I’ve been using and a few I’m putting into practice so that I can really start hiding God’s Word in my heart!

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

Here are 5 ways to memorize Scripture:

Write it down

The act of writing something down always helps me better memorize it. It’s more of a reactive method rather than just passively reading it. You could write out the verse word for word in a journal, on notecards, or in a fill-in the blank method (writing out some of the words and leaving blanks for others).

Listen to it

After you write out the scripture, read it out loud to yourself. You could also listen to it from an audiobible. Try recording yourself reading it and play it back to yourself. Ask your spouse to read it to you! There are lots of songs that are purely scripture. Listen in your car and before you know it, you’ll have that song (and that verse!) memorized. We all know how songs like to get stuck in our heads 😉

Draw it out

What images does the verse bring to mind? Draw fruit for the fruits of the spirit. Or make a collage of words and pictures that help to get the full context of the verse in your mind. Don’t worry about whether you’re an artist or not; just have fun with it (stick figures are totally okay!). Another idea is to using a coloring book of Scriptures. Read the verse out loud while you color.

Get visual

Once you’ve written it down, place it where you’ll see it often. Where are the most prominent places you’re sure to see everyday? Your bathroom mirror, your car, on your refrigerator- anywhere you think! Use the verse as the lock-screen on your phone or set it as the wallpaper on your laptop. These “Verse of the Week” scripture holders are super cute too. Place on your counter and switch to a new verse each week. Check out these posts for printable scripture cards: Verses on worry, Verses for when you are exhausted, and Verses on gratitude.

Get creative

Think outside of the box! You could turn memorization into a fun game or a puzzle by writing the words on a paper, cutting them apart and putting it back together. Path Through the Narrow Gate has tons of fun memory games. Have a quiz night and let your spouse test your knowledge. Make up a song. You could use a familiar tune like “Row, Row Your Boat” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

The year is not over yet! I am fueled up and ready to get some verses memorized! Just think of how amazing it will be to recall a verse when you specifically need it! Let’s be disciplined, friends, and be encouraged by God’s Word hidden in our hearts!