Hello!
My first set of verses for 2012 come from Matthew 5, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which begins with The Beatitudes. You are welcome to join me in starting with these verses, or of course, choose your own. My friend Cara will be posting verses each week in 2012 (starting this Saturday, January 7) from the Sermon on the Mount on her blog, along with a discussion of this amazing passage. Please feel free to join in the conversation even if you choose different verses. http://saltandgrace.wordpress.com/
1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:1-3
Last year I started the memory verse challenge with Ephesians 3:20-21.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, amen.
I chose to begin with these verses last year because at some point in the previous year I had put that reference, Ephesians 3:20-21 on contact cards with my name, phone number and email to give to people when they wanted to get in touch with me. I wanted to identify myself with some verses from the Bible, but had a little trouble choosing. I had been to a Women of Faith conference the year before and theses verses had been the theme for the conference. The group leader of the group I went with had given each of us in her group a small can with those verses printed on the side, to be our “can” can, so that we could write any prayer request on a slip of paper and place them in the can, as a reminder of God’s ability to do so much more than we can ask of him. I loved those verses, and continue to be inspired by them, but have to admit that my first verse choice came more out of fear of being embarrassed when I handed someone one of those cards and they asked me, so what are these verses? than some kind of divine inspiration.
So there it is, the inauspicious beginning of my memory challenge in 2011. Please post a comment below to share your verse for this time and your experience with Scripture memory either as part of last year’s challenge or any time in the past. Feel free to share tips for helping to choose and memorize verses! And thank you for joining me in Hiding God’s Word in Our Hearts!
Hiding God's Word in Our Hearts 
good for you for stepping out on faith sister! beth would be proud! my verses for next saturday are:
1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:
looking forward to the accountability.
Thank you, #1 cheerleader!
Thanks so much for doing this! It’s been helpful having this both as an accountability factor and also as a reminder that there are others going through the same thing:)
I will be working on Psalm 91 to start with this year. I started with Psalm 84 last year (did 2 verses each time so I finished at the end of March.
So here’s my first verse for 2012:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1 NIV 1984
God bless and I’ll meet you in Houston!
Thank YOU, Delores! I’m so glad you will be joining in here! I agree, it was great to have the accountability last year, I couldn’t imagine having done it on my own. Love your verses! God’s blessings to you as well, see you soon!
Day 3 of 2012 has started off pretty early. After reading this post I realized that not only do I want to memorize scripture but since I’ve always loved the book of James I’d like
To memorize the whole book. It might take me more than a year but then again, our God can do exceedingly and abundantly, right? These are my verses for this first part:
– James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:1-4
Wow, you’re not kidding, early start!!! I’m so glad you are doing this with us! And I think it’s awesome that you are working on the book of James. I too love that book–last year I read James every day for one month (an idea that came from Richard Foster’s A Celebration of Discipline), couldn’t have chosen a better book. Good for you!!!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2-4
Christy, I know that accountability is key for me and I am going to try to do this with you. I think it is great that you have started this! Was there a particular app you use to keep track of your verses or do you just jot them down in a notebook? I like writing things down but my phone is always with me…
Hi Mary! I am so excited to see you here!!! Thank you for taking up the challenge with me!!! I’m the same way, accountability makes all the difference. Last year Beth’s ministry created an app for smart phones which I used, but I just checked and it’s not available any more. This year I will just use the notes on my phone, because like you said, it is always with me. I used to check Facebook on my phone whenever I had a few minutes of down time, but once I started this challenge I moved FB to the end of my apps and my memory verses to the front, so every time I flipped on my phone it reminded me to practice. Very helpful! Can’t tell you how excited I am you are joining in!
OK my first verse for 2012 is:
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21
I chose this verse because I really want to focus this year on doing what LG (Lord God) wants me to do. Brent and I are really serious about serving and being “radical” Christians, so my verse focus this year will be on being obedient, serving, trusting LG, etc. I am not choosing these because I think I am such a good person, rather I am choosing these because I need all of the help I can get.
Last year my first verse was:
Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce everykind of good fruit. All the while you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. Col. 1:10
I chose this verse last year because I knew I needed to make some changes in my life and be more obedient. Unfortunately I didn’t do that great, but God, being loving and forgiving, still blessed me with expanding my capacity to know Him and love Him more than I could have imagined. So even though I could have held up my end of the bargain better, He still held up his end and blessed me over and over again. Dang He is so GOOD!
Oh Linda, so glad to have you aboard! Thank you for persevering and figuring it out! When you have a chance please check out my friend Cara’s blog, http://saltandgrace.wordpress.com/. She’s the one who got me started with this scripture memory thing last year, you girls are two peas in a pod!!!
Heard back from Cara. So glad you two are doing this! Be patient on getting this started. It will happen, but in LG’s time, not your time. 🙂 Also I am inviting my Helena Jesus Sisters (HJS) to participate in your blog. I told them about the SSMT and encouraged them to join in 2012, but now……………….I guess we’ll see. Knowing you, this will end up bigger than Beth’s blog! (Expect great things from our great God) So my HJS are Terri, Beth, Marsha, Dorothy, Carol, Yvonne and Virginia. Let me know if/when you hear from them. Love ya!
Isaiah 43:18 and 19, NIV
Forget the former things; Do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
This seemed so good for the New Year. God is doing a new thing. I may not perceive it right now, but He is at work.
Thank you for inviting me to your blog. I need constant encouragement to keep up with this!
Tammy
Thanks for joining, Tammy, welcome! God will bless your efforts!!!
What a treasure you are and what a pleasure this will be! Just found out no SST this year and as a newbie in 2012 (with a different email), I knew I would not be disciplined enough to do this alone.
I am focusing on Jeremiah and John in my quiet time this year. So I will likely cull selections from these books.
My first verse of the year is from Jeremiah 1:11-12 New Jerusalem Bible: ” ‘The word of Yahweh came to me asking, Jeremiah, what do you see ?’ I answered, ‘I see a branch of the Watchful Tree. ‘ Then Yahweh said, ‘Well seen, for I am watching over my word to perform it.'”
Thank you so much, Adele-Alys! I’m delighted that you will be joining us! What a beautiful verse, how lovely that you have chosen books from both the Old and New Testaments! The Lord will bless your efforts more than you can imagine!
I was so blessed by doing SSMT last year I decided to continue on my own this year. I just noticed you were doing this on the Facebook SSMTC page so I’ll join you here if you’ll have me.
Ps 25: 4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
We’ll not only have you, but welcome you with open arms, sister! I was also blessed beyond my wildest imagination by participating in SSMT last year. I would love to hear more about how you saw the Lord working in your life through memorizing Scripture. I plan on sharing all the verses I chose last year each time I post, it would be wonderful if you would consider doing that as well, I know that others might be encouraged! Thank you so much for coming and commenting!
I’ll for sure do that. Last year was Ps 31:14 – But I trust you O’Lord, I say you are my God. Some times I have a reason how/why I chose a verse and sometimes not. This one was one that I read somewhere and “Trust’ was my word for 2011 so I guess I just picked it. But, my trust grew and grew as a result of putting God’s word deep inside me all year. I’m so looking forward to Houston to meet with others. See you there!
Seems a combination of poor eyesight and fat fingers made for a typo in my entry January 7. I ventured into Siestaville last year. Here is my verse from Jan 1, 2011, chosen because we live forwards but understand backwards: “Behold, that I had intense bitterness was for my peace; But You have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind your back. ISAIAH 38:17 Amplified
You are funny, Adele-Alys! Thank you for sharing your verse! I am so impressed with your choosing the Amplified version, wow! So glad you are with us! Are you going to Houston?
Peggy, thank you so much for sharing you last year’s verse too! What a great word, Trust! Perfect verse to go with it! I know what you mean, sometimes I had a reason for picking a verse, other times seemed more random, but every single verse ended up touching my heart deeply, regardless of how it came to me! Looking forward to hopefully meeting you in Houston!
Christy thanks for the invitation. Hi all. I did not do any scripture memorizing last year. Kinda got my priorities mixed up, and God slipped from first place without even me realizing it until very late last year. My verse for 2012 is from Ezekiel 22:30 “And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before the me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none”. God has called me to intercessory ministry, but last year I was half obedient to to what He placed on my heart. This was the first scripture I heard this year, and it reminded me of my call, to intercede on behalf of our land, on behalf of others. Looking forward to get acquainted with you all.
Hi Matilda! I am so delighted that you have joined us!!! I knew that the Lord had put us together for a reason on that plane, I look forward to getting to know you better through this community this year! Welcome, and may the Lord bless your efforts!!!
See – another beautiful dandelion………………….
You have no idea! Can’t wait to share the story!
OK Here is my verse for 1/15/12:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9
I need this reminder when I am driving behind someone that I think needs to re-take Driver’s Training. I need this reminder when things don’t go as I think they should and i get
irritated with someone or with myself. I need this verse to remind me who I am in Christ – his dear daughter, and who I am to others – a light piercing the darkness. And as I mentioned in my previous verse posting, I need all of the help I can get in order to become the person God created me to be, including: chosen, royal, holy and belonging to Him.
My verse last year at this time was:
I love you O Lord my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; My God is my rock in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:1-2
This was the verse for the weekend when I participated in a Koinonia Retreat in 10/08. If you aren’t famailiar with Koinonia, it is a spiritual renewal retreat and I would be happy to give you information about it.
Linda
Hey sister! Love your new (and old) verses! and your way of describing both who you are to Christ and to others. You definitely are a light piercing the darkness.
Thank you for sharing about the Koinonia Retreat, that looks amazing. Might have to take some tips from that for our next reunion! 🙂
So you actually posted this on the January 2 post, not on the Jan 15 one. For future reference, click on the comments under the current post to make sure your verses end up on the right week (for no other reason than that others can read and comment on them). Love you girl!