Dancing Through Life (Happy 40th, Lucas!)

    Our first date was a dance...at our church...for "couples only" (as in, married couples needing to revive their fondness towards their spouses).  We were not, by any stretch, a "couple."  We were friends, yes, but before that text message invitation, I would have never imagined that I'd be writing this about my turning-40-years-old husband after a decade of marriage together.  While both of us were a bit nervous about that first date (for me, it was my first date ever!), we both knew that, if nothing else, we would enjoy each others' company.  And after countless "dishrags" (as displayed above at our reception) and spins and interpretive serenading, many of the married couples commented to us that they enjoyed watching us more than dancing themselves. I knew I had found my dance partner -- as silly and awkward and quirky as I am!

That first date led to 17 months' worth of dates where I spent time in zany creative endeavors...

and quiet conversations...

seeing if this really was the man with whom I wanted to share the rest of my life.  Back when we were "just friends", I had noted in my journal, "He is...so kind...to me."  And that held true through our dates together.  He loves Jesus and wants others to know Him, too.  He is a gifted writer with excellent handwriting (which complements well my love language -- words of affirmation).  He puts others' needs and preferences above his own. He is great with kids!  He is thoughtful and creative and funny and fun!  These qualities were true, then, and they're still true now.  They were enough to make up my mind, and I let him know my "yes" in advance of the proposal.

A 6-month engagement led to our storybook wedding on 1-1-11 at 1:11 p.m. (See? We're quirky!).  Our photographer told us that she'd take a few pictures of the First Dance, but that usually, it's just the same thing over and over from different angles.  Au contraire.  Not when you're lip-syncing "A Whole New World" while doing dishrags and spinning and twisting (in all the ways that weren't taught in our four professional dance lessons).

And now, ten years and four sons later, we're still dancing through life together.  Our audience nowadays is usually a maximum of four, and our dancing is usually in the kitchen and not in some fancy ballroom.  We're often in that married-couple-rut that we witnessed on our first date.  Still, we dance.  Still, we press on in a pursuit of holiness and selflessness.  Lucas still makes me smile with some of his signature moves.  And now he teaches them to our children.  No, not the spins and dips.  The faithfulness.  The focus on others.  The friendship.  The fun.  

Yes, Lucas M. Thomas, I'll take you up on your offer for another round on the dance floor.  

40 looks good on you!  You're still my dance partner...

Meet a Memorizer (Anya)

In this series, you will meet several folks who have been faithfully memorizing Scripture this year as part of our 2021 Scripture Memory Challenge on Facebook. May you be encouraged and spurred on by their stories!

Next up is Anya. We have never met in person, but we have a lot in common! We both...

-graduated from Asbury, a few years apart from each other

-have 4 kids

-are teachers

-are crazy enough to try to memorize the book of Romans!

I had posted in a mutual Facebook group because I felt like the Lord was leading someone else to memorize Romans, too. Anya, whom I had never previously connected with, responded to the message and decided to go for it! Her life is busy, and I'm impressed with how she's been making steady progress this year. Here's a bit of her story:

-Tell us a little about yourself and your background with memorizing Scripture

    My name is Anya, and I live in Raleigh, NC with my husband, Jonathan, and our four kiddos, ages 8 to 1. I got connected to this group through Mary's post in a Facebook group for alumnae of Asbury University, where she was looking for a Scripture memory buddy. I grew up with Bible club and summer camp memorizing individual verses but honestly stopped as soon as I graduated. Then as an adult I worked on Scripture memory several years ago, doing about a chapter a month, but had fallen out of the habit lately. Mary's post was just the boost I needed to set a goal and get back into memorizing the Word!

-What is your goal, and how did you decide on it?

    My goal for 2021-2022 is the book of Romans. I'm not sure quite how long it will take, might be the whole two years, but I'm working on chapter 5 now! :) I had been thinking about memorizing Romans ever since a chapel speaker at my sister's college gave a message that ended with him reciting the entire book of Romans. Fear of failure kept me from making it a serious goal. Mary suggested the book of Romans in her Facebook post, and it was like God nudged my heart and told me to jump in and try!

-What method do you use to memorize?

    I use several methods to help me memorize Scripture. Songs help sometimes, especially with the Psalms! I am also a visual learner, so I read the passage from the same Bible frequently (so that the words are in the same places on the page), and write out the passage, a section at a time, in my notebook a few times. I also like to listen to the Bible read aloud, like on the Bible Gateway app. It's nice to get to the point where I can recite along with the app!

-How have you personally grown as a result of memorizing Scripture this year?

    Scripture memory is hard for me just because my life feels so inconsistent from day to day (or minute to minute!) that I am not very consistent with when and how I spend time in the Word. But I have seen how the Spirit will bring verses to my mind at just the right time that I memorized years ago!  With longer passages and books of the Bible, I think memorizing the entire book or long passage really helps me understand the bigger picture of what it is saying. I have really enjoyed working through Romans word by word, because I think it's helping me understand and rest in the logical argument that Paul makes for salvation by grace alone!

-What encouragement would you have for others?

    For the one who is having a hard time with continuing (or starting!) Scripture memory, I would say that you are not alone! I don't know anyone studying the Word who finds it easy all the time!  The times when I find it easiest to memorize verses are times when the verse is what I need to focus on in that season. So, verses of reassurance when I was afraid of the future, verses of exhortation when I was struggling to be obedient in an area. If in doubt, ask a person you look up to in the faith what their favorite verse is, and then tackle that one! And always start as small as you need to for success!

Meet a Memorizer! (Lisa)

In this series, you will meet several folks who have been faithfully memorizing Scripture this year as part of our 2021 Scripture Memory Challenge on Facebook. May you be encouraged and spurred on by their stories!

Next up is Lisa, my aunt. She came into my life when I was an adult, and I don't live nearby, but I know her to be an exemplar in the faith. I've enjoyed the few times I've spent with her in person, and my uncle Paul has high praise for her character and pleasantness, even when no one is looking (Often, the people closest to you see you at your worst, but Paul insists that she is ever-smiley as this photo suggests). She has been working her way through memorizing the book of Hebrews this year, and I've been impressed with her steadiness and persistence. Here's a bit of her story:

    I live in Lisle, Illinois with my husband Paul. I have three adult children, and 6 grandchildren.  I'm a Physical Therapist Assistant and I work in Early Intervention (ages 0-3) providing physical therapy services in home health.   I came to faith at age 12, and since then have been memorizing scripture intermittently, often when life seemed hard and I felt I needed to renew my mind. I have to say recently with all of the political and social upheaval in our country, I needed to renew my mind.  I overheard a  speaker on Moody about memorization and then shortly after that, saw that you, Mary, were memorizing large portions of scripture and so I think you have been the biggest inspiration.  And also my work was cut way back due to coronavirus - I used to leave early in the morning and come back late and exhausted so I didn't have as much time to invest in memorizing - but now I do!  I felt the holy spirit wanted me to spend a lot of time meditating and learning about Jesus through Hebrews.  So I fully intend to continue working toward reciting the whole book. After that maybe the book of John.  

    I'm hoping just to continue memorizing and meditating on the word indefinitely, because it draws me close to him and helps me know him.  I've tried different methods but what seems to work for me is just repeating it over and over, and when I invariably get stuck with the wording, I will use the first letter of each word as a mnemonic that helps me keep those tougher phrases in my mind. 

    Memorizing scripture has helped me overcome my shyness about sharing my faith and helped me pray for people more and reach out more to those in need - and there are so many people in need.  One of the verses I just memorized in my next chapter of Hebrews was in chapter 6 - "He will not forget your work and the love you have shown HIM by helping his people and continuing to help them." And that really spoke to my heart about helping others.

    What I would say to encourage others is just keep at it, you will be blessed and will bless others by the change it will make in your heart!

Meet a Memorizer! (Joyce)

In this series, you will meet several folks who have been faithfully memorizing Scripture this year as part of our 2021 Scripture Memory Challenge on Facebook. May you be encouraged and spurred on by their stories!

Next up is Joyce, who was my 11th grade English teacher. When I reached out to her at the beginning of the year, she said, "I will confess I am terrible about memorizing scripture." She set the goal of two verses/month, but she not only has accomplished that goal, she often posts video recitations for two passages. Many people say they have a terrible memory, but memorizing Scripture IS possible!

-Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm from New Castle where I was born and raised.  I am a retired high school English teacher (and occasionally French) with two children and four grandchildren.

I keep busy with volunteering with our Friends of the Library  group, of which I am president, serving as the secretary/treasurer of the condo association where I live, and serving as the clerk of our church's Session and helping with our food pantry.  I also have a small dog, Paco, who keeps me active as I must walk him several times a day.

-How did you get connected with the 2021 Scripture Memory Challenge? Why did you decide to join?

I got involved in the Scripture Memory Challenge because my former student, Mary, invited me and convinced me I could do this although I had told her I'm not very good at memorizing scripture.

-How did/do you choose what to memorize next?

So far, I've chosen verses and passages that were familiar to me but which I hadn't successfully memorized.  I also jot down verses that the pastor uses on Sunday to see if there are any that appeal to me.  I usually write the verse down and then continue to say it over and over until I feel confident.  The longer verses (like the Beatitudes) have taken me a week or more, but the shorter versions I can usually memorize in a couple of days--saying it often and checking myself. 

-How have you personally grown as a result of memorizing Scripture this year?

I've enjoyed the challenge as it encourages me to spend time in the scriptures.  I'm always happy to find a passage I had marked from a Bible study because it helps me remember what I had been studying and gives me new ideas for memorizing.  I do feel a little more confident in recalling scripture and have used these when I have been called to fill the pulpit at my church.

Meet a Memorizer! (Phyllis)

In this series, you will meet several folks who have been faithfully memorizing Scripture this year as part of our 2021 Scripture Memory Challenge on Facebook. May you be encouraged and spurred on by their stories!

First up is Phyllis, who is the mom of one of my dear childhood friends. This picture accurately captures her joy and radiance. She is kind and hospitable, and she loves all sorts of people! In 2021, she committed to memorizing a proverb every week, and she's been steadily making progress through the book, reciting to her husband, and reporting her progress to our group.

-Tell us a little about yourself

 I have lived in New Castle for 36 years & am a native Hoosier; born & raised in Evansville.  Married to John for 40 years with 2 daughters Kate & Meredith, 2 son in laws Gustavo & Jake, & 3 granddaughters Luisa, Emilia, & Sophia.  I am retired from the field of Physical Therapy (John is also retired) so we split our time between New Castle & visiting our granddaughters in the St. Louis area.  When I’m home, I’m actively involved in the Pro-Life ministry at our local Pregnancy Care Center as a Peer Counselor & Treasurer - have been involved there for 20 years.  We are also active in our church, St. Anne Catholic. 

-What is your background with memorizing Scripture?

I have studied Scripture for years but have not memorized much.  Of course, I have favorite verses that come to mind & have written many verses down that are meaningful to me but memorization in general is a challenge for me.

-How did you get connected with the 2021 Scripture Memory Challenge? Why did you decide to join?

I got connected with this group through a Facebook post by you, Mary, & thought it would be a good way to further delve into Scripture.  I want to memorize more Scripture by heart so that it “comes to me” when I need it & when the opportunity arises to share with others.

-What method do you use to memorize?

My steps in memorizing are to read it, write it down (such as on an index card) & put it where I will see it frequently.  I then re-read it many times & try to recite it from memory as often as possible.  I have exercise equipment in my basement that I use 5-6 days/week & while exercising, I also use the time to pray.  I have posted Scripture verses on the wall where I see them while exercising; I know this is multi-tasking but it’s kind of my personality & I know the Lord knows me & my ways!  With that said, I have come to appreciate the Prayer Time/Scripture Memorization more than the exercise & believe the Lord has led me to a routine/structure/discipline that works for me & glorifies Him. 

-How did/do you choose what to memorize next?

Regarding what to choose: I chose Proverbs this time as it is practical & applicable to everyday life but I truly believe all Scripture is worthwhile to study & reflect on.  I alternate between Old & New Testament and see what speaks to me the most at that time. 

-Why do you think memorizing Scripture is important?

As I alluded to earlier, memorizing Scripture enables us to have it in our minds & on our lips, both for ourselves & others.  It is a comfort to rely on & a strength to draw from, a good launching point for prayer.

-How have you personally grown as a result of memorizing Scripture this year?

I have personally grown with memorizing Scripture as it has drawn me closer to God & shown me that I can do it with perseverance, faith, encouragement from others, & accountability to others.  I still have a long way to go but am hopeful & feel that I have some tools to help me.

Scripture Memory Camp, here we come! (How to help kids memorize)

Two years ago, I found out about Scripture Memory Camp in Louisiana ("only" about 12 hours away!). It's a family camp sponsored by Scripture Memory Fellowship as a reward for Scripture memory.  Since we had our fourth son that summer, the timing wasn't right for us to go then.  Then last year, our oldest sons learned all the verses to receive a full scholarship, but alas...Covid. No camp.  But this year, everything is in place -- camp is happening, my husband says I can take our oldest boys (while he has "camp" with our youngest boys), the AirBNBs are booked on the way there and back, and one of the final pieces came together a couple weeks ago when the boys recited all their verses cumulatively for their Awana leaders (I think I was more nervous than they were!).  

The program to earn a scholarship at camp this summer was SwordGrip Old Testament Volume 2. So Calvin, a first grader, learned 28 verses, at least one from each of the books Proverbs to Malachi.  Carter, a fourth grader, learned 81 verses, at least three from each book.  They recited them cumulatively with 2 or fewer "helps" per passage.  That means that Carter recited Proverbs 3:5-7 then Proverbs 9:9-11 then Proverbs 31:10-12 then Ecclesiastes 3:11-13, etc. without prompting in between.  I knew my boys could memorize verses (since they do that weekly for Awana), but I was intimidated by having them recite the verses cumulatively.  SMF connected me with a veteran camp mom who helped talk me through the process that it is possible.  And now, I want to share some of what we've learned, so that others will know it's possible to set high expectations for kids in their Scripture memory, whether you end up at camp or not.

• Songs! Anyone who knows my Scripture memory journey knows my affinity for learning Scripture via songs (here's a post on how to find Scripture songs).  I've memorized with and without songs, but the verses I memorized with music or a beat have been the ones that have stuck with me long-term.  For our camp verses, the awesome Stan Blair created some songs that we were able to use. I also wrote or adapted several, and my son Carter even wrote one to the tune of Castle Music from Super Mario World.

• Together! When I was teaching at a Christian school, I encouraged my colleagues to learn the same verses their students were learning. The same is true with my kids at home.  If I'm learning the same verses, it's easier to practice them together while we're on the go.  On a long drive back from the zoo last week, I tried to recite the verses cumulatively to my sons (they did a much better job than I did!), and it's been awesome to have this shared experience. Even the almost-two-year-old has learned some of the verses just by hearing us practice them.

• Accountability! Last year, it became cumbersome for me to try to review their verses cumulatively every week, especially as we were adding more and more verses. This year, I asked their two grandmothers to pair up with each of them. Every Sunday, I'd have the boys call Mimi/Mamaw to recite their verses. This provided a neat connection for them, and it also gave them a different person to practice with.    

• Rewards! Some people say that people should be intrinsically motivated to memorize Scripture, but I've decided that it's my job to get the verses in them.  And then it's the Holy Spirit's job to do whatever He wants with those verses once they're on the inside.  Every third of the way through the program, we do ice cream sundaes.  We were floundering a bit here at the end, so I piled on the rewards (screen time, snow cone that they don't have to share!, points to buy something in our family reward store) if they could finish by the end of May. And they did! SMF also sent a Camp hat and periodic buttons as they finished certain sections. 

These ideas aren't just for kids! I use songs now for practically every verse I memorize. I like to memorize the same thing as someone else, and I recite my verses for a friend over the phone or for someone in my family (or for my students, when I was a teacher).  My favorite "reward" is when I've been a part of a challenge where Bibles are donated depending on how many verses are memorized.  Actually, we'll be doing that in our Facebook group again during June. 

Here are their final run-throughs:

Carter 

Calvin 

Happy memorizing! :-)

How to Create Scripture Art

Here in our Arts month, I wanted to write some thoughts regarding Bible art journaling. A couple years ago, I discovered this creative and worshipful outlet, and it became one of the main ways I connected with Jesus in that season. When I taught fourth and fifth grade, I had my students do this every Tuesday morning during their "Time with Jesus," because I wanted them to meditate on their verse for the week and start memorizing and applying it.  I have a journaling Bible with side margins to do my artwork. I don't always include the actual Bible verse -- sometimes I incorporate song lyrics or quotes that that passage reminded me of.  But for the purpose of memorization, here are some ideas to try when creating Scripture art if you're unsure where to begin:

• Start with a background. I don't always do this (sometimes, I start with the words), but it's nice to have some color instead of plain white.  

• Use an existing picture for the background. Old calendars are great for this.

• Use any and all art media you can think of! I've used paint, colored pencils, markers, pens, oil pastels, watercolors, papers of all kinds, washi tape, packing tape, glue, stickers, and transparencies.  This is, of all things, a napkin! I stripped it down to one ply and glued it down.

• Use collage! I had one of those desk calendars with a new picture every day, and I've used it for many-an-art-project.

• Use tape and stickers! Some of you have unused stickers and washi tape and craft supplies lying around. Use them! This one in particular I loved because I was at a Bible art journaling workshop, and I went around to the tables asking for a small snippet of one of their washi tape rolls (since I didn't have that many myself). It also fit with the theme of coming together as the Body of Christ.

• Sometimes I use "flaps" that can fold back. Here are more calendar pictures that fit with the different aspects of nature in the verse praising God.

• Incorporate something unconventional like your child's artwork. My son Calvin (a toddler at the time) was always begging to create in my Bible, too, so one day I let him (and I'm thankful to have preserved his artwork from that time). I thought it fit well with this passage about proclaiming His might to another generation.

• Play with where to have the words. For this one, it seemed to fit to have the heart at the bottom and for the words to flow out the top. 

• Experience with different types of fonts and hand-lettering. Sometimes, I stick with my plain handwriting. Other times, I try out a different font (there are tons of tutorials online and in books).  And I'll often mix it up with different fonts to highlight different words.

This font was in a book I had. I had to look up the example for every letter because it's so different from how I normally write.

• Think about what you could put inside the letters to help illustrate the concept. For this verse in Psalm 103, I made the letters out of some of the "good things" in my life.

In this passage in Revelation about the living creatures being full of eyes, I filled those words with eyes.

• Let the words of the verse guide your artwork. I love the phrase in the NIV of Psalm 139 about being woven together in the depths of the earth, so I wove together washi tape!

• Add an illustration! Don't be afraid to try it! Often, I'll think of an illustration, and I'll search for images online until I find one that fits the mood (and fits what I'm capable of!). Sometimes I'll add the words "clip art" or "how to draw" or "black line" to my search.  You can even trace it right off a smart phone or tablet! I start with pencil and then color in.

This is a tree I could've never created in my mind from scratch, but I was able to look at a picture and re-create it.

• Think about how it applies to you, and incorporate that, too. For this one on storing up His Word in our hearts, I was thinking how the Holy Spirit has used different Scripture I've memorized over the years to convict me in specific situations.  I recorded some thoughts and temptations as well as the truth from His Word.

This was one inspired by a sermon from my uncle. I brainstormed specific things that I could "count joy." I included the application in the artwork.

• Find an existing design or page you like, and make your own rendition of it! When I saw this picture of the carefree girl in front of the patterned background, it reminded of this verse that I sang on repeat during a season in my life. I thought it fit perfectly. There are tons of examples online.  If you add "Bible art journaling" and a particular verse, you might find a design to copy or inspire you.

• Don't be afraid of "just" black and white!  

• Add a prayer.  I often do this at the end in cursive (I usually only write in cursive when I'm writing to God).  It's been neat to look back years later, not only at the artwork but also my thoughts and dialogue with God at the time.

• Don't forget the date! When I was having a D&C procedure after my miscarriage, my husband was flipping through my Bible and noticed some pertinent pages from right around the time our baby stopped growing (but we didn't know it for another few weeks). It was neat to see how God was working in my heart even when I was unaware of what was happening inside of me physically and what I was about to walk through emotionally.  I'm thankful that I've made the practice of writing the date I finished each page!

Biggest encouragement? JUST BEGIN!  Your first attempt (just like your first attempt writing a Scripture song) may not be that great, but the purpose is to meditate on God's Word and to worship Him in a creative way (He's the ultimate Creator and placed in you the desire and ability to create!). Keep at it! Enjoy the process!